Bhuna Chicken is a delicious North Indian dish of chicken cooked in a spicy and flavorsome sautéed/ fried masala. Serve it over steamed rice or with flatbreads.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4 · 4 to 5
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chicken ((curry cut chicken or drumsticks & cut thighs))
  • ¼ cup oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee ((for chicken))
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 to 2 black cardamoms
  • 4 green cardamoms
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 inch cinnamon
  • 2 dried red chilies ((optional))
  • 2 cups chopped onions ((2 medium))
  • 1 to 2 green chilies ((slit))
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes ((or pureed, 1 medium tomato))
  • 1½ tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or grated) (divided ½ + 1))
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt ((more to adjust))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon black pepper ((adjust to taste))
  • 1 ½ to 3 teaspoon Kashmiri Red chilli powder ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 to 3 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 teaspoons coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder
  • ½ cup yogurt ((not sour, fresh curd))
  • 1 ½ tablespoon kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves))
  • ¼ cup Coriander leaves ((fine chopped to garnish))

Method

  1. In a bowl mix together all the ground spices – red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, black pepper & fennel powder. Keep aside.
  2. Add chicken and ½ tablespoon ginger garlic to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt and half of the ground spices we just combined. Pour lemon juice.
  3. Mix together to marinate the chicken. Cover and set aside until used later in the recipe or overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. Meanwhile slit the green chilli. Chop onions & begin to cook from the next step. While you sauté the onions deseed & chop tomatoes. Grate ginger & garlic if you do not have the paste. This saves some time.

Make Bhuna Masala

  1. Heat oil in a wok or a skillet/ pan on a medium flame.
  2. Add onions and green chilies. Saute on a medium high heat for 6 to 7 minutes and then on a medium low until golden brown but not burnt.
  3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute until the raw smell has gone.
  4. Stir in the rest of the ground spices and saute for a minute.
  5. Stir in the tomatoes and salt. Cook until they dry out, blend well with onions & begin to release oil.
  6. Take 2 tbsps of the hot onion tomato masala and add it to the whisked yogurt. Mix well until well combined.
  7. Reduce the heat and slowly add this to the pan and saute until the yogurt cooks down and the bhuna masala turns thick.
  8. Meanwhile (while bhuna masala cook) in another pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee.
  9. Add the red chilies and let them fry for 30 to 40 seconds.
  10. Add all the whole spices – bay leaf, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon & dried red chilies. (Be careful as the spices splutter)

How to Make Chicken Bhuna

  1. Transfer the chicken. Fry on a medium high heat for 2 to 3 mins and then on a medium to low heat for another 2 to 3 mins. Turn off.
  2. Add the bhuna chicken & 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves (optional) to this masala and continue to saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Cover and cook on a low heat, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. If you feel the masala is sticking to the pan or about to burn you may splash little hot water. I do about ¼ cup, pour on the sides and not over the chicken.
  4. Taste test and adjust salt. Sprinkle crushed kasuri methi. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.