Indian-Spiced Chicken

I may need this cookbook!! (I’ve also tried the German Apple Cake & Busy Day Chocolate Cake from this book- both absolutely wonderful!!) In this dish, chicken thighs are braised in a delicious and spicy tomato sauce. We ate it with Butternut Squash Basmati Rice (the inspiration for the meal), warm naan, and sautéed kale & chard (with CSA leeks & garlic). A WONDERFUL hearty feast on a cold and rainy day!!

This recipe was adapted from Mad Hungry by Lucinda Scala Quinn, via Martha Stewart Living. I used ghee instead of vegetable oil, increased the amount of garlic, and used a jalapeño.

Angie of The Novice Gardener asked for Indian food, so I am bringing this one to Fiesta Friday #41 this week! Enjoy!

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
  • 10-12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • one small onion, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 small green chile (I used a jalapeño)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons garam masala
  • 1 28-ounce can pureed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil.
  2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to hot pan. Brown on both sides. Cook in batches if needed.
  3. Remove chicken from pan and add onion, garlic, and ginger. Cut a slit into the chile lengthwise and add to pan. Saute the onion mixture until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add spices and cook for 30 seconds.
  5. Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and stir. Add chicken back to pan and bring up to a simmer. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. Turn chicken occasionally throughout cooking.
  6. When ready to serve, uncover and stir in cream. Simmer for 1 minute and serve.

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About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

27 responses to “Indian-Spiced Chicken

  1. Oooh that looks mean Josette! Very well done :). 2 tbsp of garam masala is a pure Indian way to go :D!! Hahaa! Love it.

  2. This chicken dish sounds so good…perfect for a cold fall night.

  3. gorgeous color !! 🙂

  4. Pingback: Chicken Green Tomato Jalfrezi| Fiesta Friday #41 | The Novice Gardener

  5. This chicken looks outstanding Josette. Thanks for sharing this week at FF 🙂

  6. This looks like the perfect meal for a cold, rainy day, Josette…from the greens to the rice, and of course the “star”, the chicken! Sounds absolutely delicious, and I bet dipping the naan in the sauce was demanded. Thanks for bringing this fabulous dish (I’m glad Angie requested it) to Fiesta Friday to share with us all. 🙂

  7. This looks great – the photo and the recipe. Well done and thanks for bringing it to FF.

  8. I have been craving something along the lines of this! Looks incredible and not too complicated to whip up for dinner!

  9. This dish looks so tempting, Josette. ❤

    • Thanks, Jhuls. I think I need to explore the Mad Hungry cookbook a little more! Good eats 🙂

      • I’m curious, do you have the book and is it worthwhile? I used to watch her tv show, which I really liked – I thought she cooked like a lot of us – some childhood favorites, some standards and explorations into wonderful food from around the world. I figured the book would be pretty good – but I have so many books I hardly ever use!

        I have a remake on her white chicken chili which is not a wimpy one – full of chipotle and rich and spicy, and it’s a pretty popular recipe on my blog. I like that you used ghee here, too, by the way!

      • I have never even put my hands on the book- all of the recipes I’ve made have been via Martha Stewart. I really want to look at the book though and plan to check it out from my library. I have really LOVED every recipe I’ve tried- so I have super high expectations!!

      • The library – I often forget about it when thinking about cookbooks 🙂 !

  10. Welcome to Fiesta Friday Josette, and thank you for bringing your Indian curry. Angie sure seems to be on an Indian kick lately, and I’m glad you obliged :). Love curries myself, but then I’m pretty biased. Yours will be a wonderful addition to our party. I’ll bet it had a nice kick to it with all the spices 🙂

  11. There is nothing much better than Indian flavors!

  12. I have not made too many Indian dishes and I sure need to try a recipe some time 🙂

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