Chicken Raisukaree Recipe

Trim and Marinate

Clean the chicken pieces, pat dry. In a bowl combine yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric and 1 tsp of the salt. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the yogurt marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for better flavor penetration.

Prepare raisins

Place the raisins in 60 ml warm water to plump while you prepare the curry base (about 10 minutes). Reserve the soaking liquid.

Toast whole spices

Heat the oil (or ghee) in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and cloves. Sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn.

Brown the onions

Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–12 minutes until they are deep golden brown. This caramelization builds the curry’s depth—reduce heat if onions brown too fast.

Add tomatoes & ground spices

Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook 6–8 minutes until they break down and the oil separates slightly. Add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, remaining 0.5 tsp salt, and brown sugar. Cook 2–3 minutes to toast the ground spices and reduce rawness.

Cook the marinated chicken

Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot, placing them skin-side down if applicable. Sear 3–4 minutes on each side to color the chicken and seal flavors. Spoon some of the tomato-onion masala over the pieces.

Simmer with liquid & raisins

Pour in the stock or water and the reserved raisin soaking liquid. Add the plumped raisins and slit green chilies. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook 20–25 minutes over low-medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F for poultry). Stir occasionally and adjust heat so it simmers, not boils.

Finish with garam masala

Remove the lid, increase heat slightly and simmer 4–6 minutes to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency. Stir in garam masala and cream or coconut milk if using. Taste and adjust salt and sweetness: the raisins add fruity sweetness—add a touch more brown sugar only if needed.

Turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Let the curry rest 5 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Skim excess oil from top if desired.

Serve the chicken raisukaree hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, naan or roti. Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and often taste better the next day.