This chicken curry with pickling spices is a real favourite of ours. The pickling spices give the curry a delicious flavour and make it a great alternative to a takeaway!
This delicious chicken curry with pickling spices is adapted from a recipe by Anjum Anand in Anjum's New Indian. I've had this book for quite a few years and when I first got it, I made a different curry recipe every week for about 3 months. I could happily eat this type of food every day and keep experimenting with different spices.
I must have over a hundred recipe books but my Anjum Anand books are definitely the ones I've used the most. This chicken curry is delicious and the pickling spices of caraway, fennel, fenugreek, nigella and mustard give it a unique flavour. It is still an easy homemade curry to make though.
What ingredients do you need for chicken curry with pickling spices?
To make this easy chicken curry you'll need:
- Chicken - You can use diced breast or thigh meat or even meat on the bone. If you do use bone-in chicken legs or thighs you will need to increase the cooking time a little to make sure they are cooked through.
- Garlic - You can use fresh crushed garlic, a paste or a puree.
- Root ginger - Like the garlic, you can use fresh root ginger and grate it first or use a paste or puree.
- Onion - I usually use a plain brown onion but a red onion would also work.
- Whole spices - fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, caraway seeds, nigella seeds
- Ground spices - cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala
- Green chillies - Depending on how hot you want the curry to be you can use more or less to suit your tastes
- Tomatoes
- Yogurt
- Coriander leaves - I like to use fresh coriander leaves but I have used dried coriander leaves in the past too.
How to make chicken curry with pickling spices
If you have a food processor, then make a paste with the onion, ginger and garlic first. If not, don't worry, you can finely dice the onion, crush the garlic and grate the ginger instead.
Heat a little oil in a large saucepan. When it is hot, add all the whole spices. Cook them for about half a minute and as soon as they are smelling fragrant, add the onion ginger and garlic mixture. Cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Then stir in the ground spices and whole chilli peppers and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring. Add the chicken too and brown on all sides.
Blitz the tomatoes in the food processor along with the yogurt. Pour into the pan over the chicken and let it simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through.
If you're using dried herbs, add them along with the tomatoes. If you're using fresh herbs then stir them in at the end and reserve a few to garnish with.
How can you adapt the recipe?
If you like the flavours of the pickling spices in this curry but want to make it with something else instead of chicken then go ahead. I think it's great with cauliflower and potatoes. You could also experiment with using other vegetables.
Can you adapt the spiciness of this curry?
Yes, you can adapt the heat level in the curry. Leave out the chillies or use more chillies if you want the curry to be really spicy!
If you prick the green chillies and keep them whole then the flavour will come out and it won't be too hot. However, they do sometimes fall apart and make the whole dish rather fiery. You have been warned!
If you are making this for children then it can be best to leave them out. Just add chopped chillies to the adult portions at the end.
What can you serve with this chicken curry?
I love to serve this chicken and pickling spice curry with rice. It's also great with Indian breads. Why not try these nigella seed flatbreads with it?
If you want something cooling on the side you could make my kachumber salad, this spinach raita or this tomato cucumber and onion raita?
Storing and reheating
If you have any leftover chicken curry with pickling spices you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days in a covered container. Honestly, the flavours just get better and better the next day!
You can reheat it in the microwave or in a saucepan on the hob. If you reheat it on the hob, it's a good idea to add a splash of water to it.
Can you freeze this curry?
Yes, if you want to freeze it, put it in individual serving size containers and you can then freeze it for at least three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating on the hob or in the microwave.
More curry recipes
If you like this curry with pickling spices, then do check out my recipe collection of easy curries you can make at home.
Or try one of these curries:
- North Indian chicken curry
- Jamie Oliver's favourite chicken curry
- Lamb meatball curry with coconut gravy
Recipe
Chicken Curry with Pickling Spices
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts diced into large pieces
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 onion diced
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 3 green chillies (use more or less to suit your tastes) Prick them a few times with a sharp knife
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon dried coriander leaf
Instructions
- Make a paste in the blender with the onion, garlic and ginger.
- Heat some oil in a saucepan. Add the whole spices and cook for about 30 seconds until the seeds begin to pop. Add the paste and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chillies, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Stir into the paste and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken. Keep turning so it browns on all sides.
- Blitz the tomatoes in the blender. Add to the saucepan with the yoghurt and dried coriander. Stir well. Add a little water to cover the chicken. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Take the lid off and let the sauce reduce as it cooks for another 5 minutes.
- Serve with rice
Notes
Nutrition
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Do let me know if you try this curry. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Billy
This looks delicious! I've never seen it made with pickling spices before, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Corina
I'm so pleased you like it. Let me know if you try it. The pickling spices give it a great flavour!
searchingforspice
You should definitely try Indian cooking. It's much easier than people think. Let me know how you get on.
Katerina
This is another one recipe that makes me think that I should experiment on Indian kitchen as well. It looks very tasty!