Name: One-Pot Indian-Style Chicken Curry
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: IndianAsia
Ingredients: 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks, and/or thighs), trimmed Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 onions , chopped fine; 2 tablespoons curry powder; 6 garlic cloves , minced; 1 jalapeño chile , stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1 cup water; 2 plum tomatoes , cored, seeded, and chopped fine; ½ cup frozen peas; ½ cup canned coconut milk; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro

Why This Recipe Works

Working with bone-in, skin-on chicken parts meant we could count on some flavorful renderings to enrich the curry sauce. After browning the meat in our Dutch oven, we softened chopped onion and bloomed curry powder and garam masala right in the juices for a complex base without much effort. Garlic, a minced jalapeño, fresh ginger, and tomato paste brought in tons of extra flavor. The result: a superfragrant, richly spiced base. Adding a bit of water produced an intense braising liquid for our chicken parts. Once the meat was fully cooked, we finished off the curry sauce. Canned coconut milk and butter added richness and body to the curry, while chopped tomatoes and frozen peas offered convenient color and freshness. This sauce was plenty thick, so we cooked it just enough to warm the vegetables before spooning it over the tender chicken.

Before You Begin

For more spice, reserve, mince, and add the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño chile. We prefer the richer flavor of regular coconut milk here; however, light coconut milk can be substituted. Serve with rice.

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of chicken and brown on both sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to large bowl. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining chicken.

Add onions and ½ teaspoon salt to fat left in pot and cook until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, tomato paste, and garam masala, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Gradually stir in water, scraping up any browned bits.

Nestle browned thighs and drumsticks (not breast pieces) and any accumulated juices into pot and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add breast pieces and any accumulated juices to pot and continue to simmer, covered, until breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, about 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Stir tomatoes, peas, coconut milk, and butter into pot and simmer gently until peas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.