Bethica's Kitchen Flavours: Tomato Chicken

If you are looking for a simple chicken curry, then you need to try this easy No-Frills Tomato Chicken. It is a must try recipe that can be served during special occasions. In this recipe, the chicken is first fried and then cooked in a tomato based curry. It is very yummy, divine and is a great party recipe. It goes very well with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, kulcha, tandoori roti, naan or just plain chapatti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

500 gms. chicken, curry cut
3 tbsp. oil
2 bay leaves
1" cinnamon
2-3 green cardamoms
1 big cardamom
4-5 cloves
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 green chilies, slit
1/2 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Marinate the chicken with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder for an hour.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken till light golden in colour. Drain and keep aside.

Heat remaining oil and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, green cardamoms, one big cardamom and cloves.

Add the sliced onion and sauté till light brown. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices (except salt) mixed with some water. Cook till the oil separates. Add the tomato puree and the tomato paste. Sauté well.

Add the fried chicken and salt to taste. Mix everything well so that the chicken is well coated with the masala.

Now add 1 cup water, kasuri methi and slit green chilies. Give it a stir. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or till the chicken is tender.

When done, garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, plain biryani, kulcha, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.