Curryosity Thrilled the Chicken

Spicy Indian-Style Whole Chicken and Carrot Curry in Tomato Sauce

1 hour 40 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerIndian
Herb's take

Inspired by North Indian homestyle curries, this dinner transforms a humble whole chicken and sweet carrots into a spice-laden, soul-warming one-pot meal. You'll learn to break down a chicken and coax every drop of flavor out, all while mastering the magic of blooming spices.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Pat chicken pieces dry and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  2. 02
    Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, and brown on all sides in batches, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
  3. 03
    Lower heat to medium. Add whole cumin seeds and bay leaf to the hot oil, stirring until fragrant and the seeds start to sizzle, about 30 seconds.
  4. 04
    Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until deeply golden and soft, about 8-10 minutes.
  5. 05
    Add garlic, ginger, and serrano chili. Sauté until fragrant, 2 minutes.
  6. 06
    Sprinkle in ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili powder. Stir constantly for 1 minute to bloom the spices in the fat.
  7. 07
    Add crushed tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and darkens slightly, about 5 minutes.
  8. 08
    Stir in the Greek yogurt, a spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated and the sauce is creamy and smooth.
  9. 09
    Return browned chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the pot. Nestle the carrots around the chicken.
  10. 10
    Pour in chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
  11. 11
    Uncover and continue to simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are fork-tender, about 20 more minutes.
  12. 12
    Sprinkle in the garam masala and simmer 5 minutes more.
  13. 13
    Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  14. 14
    Serve chicken and carrots in bowls over basmati rice, spooning plenty of sauce over all. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.

Curryosity Thrilled the Chicken | Cook with Herb