Aromatic Indian Balti Chicken (Printable Version)
# What You'll Need:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
⅓ cup rapeseed oil
02 -
2 large onions, chopped
03 -
6 cloves garlic, sliced
04 -
2 inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
05 -
6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
06 -
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
07 -
2 cups cold water
08 -
Salt to taste
09 -
¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
→ Spices
10 -
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
11 -
2 teaspoons turmeric
12 -
2 teaspoons garam masala
13 -
1 teaspoon ground coriander
14 -
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
15 -
2 small green chilies, chopped
# Step-by-Step Directions:
01 -
Heat the rapeseed oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and starts to slightly brown. Add the garlic and ginger to the pot and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Lightly season with a bit of salt.
02 -
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add in the Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, ground coriander, fenugreek seeds and green chili. Stir well and cook for another minute.
03 -
Stir in the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cold water and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt as necessary.
04 -
Garnish with cilantro. Serve over basmati rice with naan.
# Helpful Notes:
01 -
Don't burn the aromatics. The garlic and ginger only need to be cooked for about 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes. If they burn they can make the dish bitter.
02 -
Make it less spicy. Use half the amount of the Kashmiri chili powder and green chili to make the chicken balti dish less spicy. You can even omit them altogether if you like.
03 -
Season at the end. Taste the dish at the very end and then add salt only if needed. Curry sauce reduces as it simmers, so adding salt too early can result in oversalted balti chicken.
04 -
Leftover balti chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, just put the leftovers in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium heat. You can also reheat the curry on the stovetop in a saucepan. However, if the chicken balti has been frozen it's best to let it thaw out overnight in the fridge before reheating.