Yogurt-marinated chicken thighs, a slow-cooked tomato-cream sauce built with bloomed spices. Richer than it looks, faster than it tastes like it took.
Marinade10 min – overnight
Cook~40 min
DifficultyEasy
Serves4
Adjust Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, bite-sized
Plain yogurt
Garlic, minced
Fresh ginger, grated
Garam masala
Turmeric
Ground cumin
Kashmiri chili (or ½ tsp red chili powder)
Salt
Sauce
Vegetable or canola oil
Butter
Onion, finely diced
Garlic, finely grated
Fresh ginger, finely grated
Garam masala
Ground cumin
Turmeric
Ground coriander
Tomato puree (passata)
Kashmiri chili (optional)
Ground red chili powder
Salt
Heavy cream
Brown sugar
Water (if needed)
Fresh cilantro, to garnish
To Serve
Basmati rice, dry
Method
1
Marinate the Chicken
Combine chicken with all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Toss to coat. Marinate at minimum 10 minutes, ideally 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
Overnight marinade makes a meaningful difference — the yogurt tenderizes and the spices penetrate deeper.
2
Sear the Chicken
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken in batches of 2–3 — don't crowd the pan. Fry 3 min each side until browned. Set aside and keep warm. You'll finish cooking it in the sauce.
⏱ ~15 min
3
Build the Base
Melt butter in the same pan over medium. Add onions, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until soft, about 3 min. Add garlic and ginger, sauté 1 min until fragrant.
⏱ ~5 min
4
Bloom the Spices
Add garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Fry about 20 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Don't skip this step — blooming in fat is what builds depth.
5
Reduce the Sauce
Pour in tomato puree, chili powders, and salt. Simmer 10–15 min, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and darkens to a deep brownish-red.
⏱ 10–15 min
6
Finish with Cream + Chicken
Stir in cream and brown sugar. Add chicken and any resting juices back to the pan. Cook 8–10 min until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick and bubbling. Add a splash of water if it tightens too much.
⏱ 8–10 min
7
Serve
Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over fresh, hot basmati rice. Naan works too.
Notes
ChickenThighs only — breasts dry out in step 6. If you use breasts anyway, pull them as soon as they hit temp and don't let them sit in the sauce.
Spice LevelAs written, this is mild-to-moderate. The Kashmiri chili adds color more than heat. For real heat, increase the red chili powder. Taste the sauce before adding chicken back.
Cream SubstitutionEvaporated milk works and cuts calories significantly. The sauce won't be quite as silky but it still holds together well.
Day TwoGets better overnight. Sauce tightens in the fridge — add a splash of water when reheating over low heat.
Cook Log
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