The reason why it’s taken this recipe so darn long to see the light of day is this: my husband does not like capsicum. And therefore, it just never ended up on our meal rotation, like, ever. So whilst this recipe has been in the works for six years, I probably only cooked it six times during that time. I finally gave it a hand whilst I was staying at my Mother’s house a while back and I have officially cracked the code and got something I am finally happy sharing with you all. Hurrah for the Chicken Jalfrezi recipe finally graduating from my drafts folder! How do I know this Chicken Jalfrezi is legit? I’ll tell you why. I’m actually incredibly proud to say this recipe really blew my family away. You’d think this isn’t such a rare occurrence, because ya know I’m a food blogger and all. But honestly, when it comes to food, it takes A LOT to impress my them #thestruggleisreal. So when they were blown away by this recipe? I knew I’d hit the jackpot. This recipe is also available below as a video!
🫑 What is Chicken Jalfrezi?
Chicken Jalfrezi is a boneless chicken curry made with a traditional onion and tomato masala. It’s cooked with cubed pieces of capsicum (bell peppers, for our friends in the Western hemisphere) added in towards the end of the cook-time, so they keep their colour and bite. Some versions of Chicken Jalfrezi also add large pieces of onion, but my recipe doesn’t. What sets a Chicken Jalfrezi apart from the array of curries Pakistani and Indian cuisine has to offer is the slightly tangy addition of vinegar at the end, which makes it rather reminiscent of more Indo-Chinese style curries such as Chicken Manchurian.
🔪 How to make Chicken Jalfrezi
Chicken Jalfrezi starts off very much like most other curries - we start by frying an onion. Stir it regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn or brown unevenly. Keep the heat medium to high, adjusting as needed. Once the onion is beginning to turn golden, we’ll add some ginger, garlic and green chillies. After a few minutes, we’ll add in our tomatoes and tomato puree. We’ll cook this down well, into a jammy mixture, until the water dries out, the mixture becomes concentrated and the oil begins to separate along the edges. It’ll look like a thick paste by the end of it. Once we get to the elusive point of oil-separation (the seasoned desi cooks amongst us will KNOW how important this is), we’ll add in the chicken and spices. We want to sauté the chicken and spices over a high heat in the masala until the chicken no longer remains pink. Add some water, cover and then simmer on low for 20 or so minutes, so the chicken cooks through. Once the chicken is done, add in the capsicum and vinegar. Stir through, then cover again and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes. The aim here is for the capsicum to still retain it’s crunch, but still take on some of the flavours of the curry and also release some of it’s own flavour into the sauce. Finish by garnishing with some fresh coriander.
🔥 Picking the best ingredients
Ideally, you want to use boneless chicken thigh pieces. Chicken thigh is much more tender, juicy and generally more enjoyable than breast pieces. Ask your butcher to cut them into curry-size pieces, or if you prefer, you can do it yourself at home. I like using a combination of coloured capsicums for this recipe - it looks beautifully vibrant and it also adds a variety of flavours to the dish. You can use whichever colours you prefer or can get hold of. As always, I recommend using fresh ingredients. Fresh onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic will do wonders for the depth of flavour.
👉 Substitutions + additions
I prefer using white onions for this recipe - they complement the flavours of the curry better. If you’d like to use pieces of onion in this recipe, replace one of the capsicum for half an onion diced into large squares. If you do not have fresh tomatoes, you can use some extra tomato puree instead. About 2-3 tablespoons will suffice. If you’d like a richer, creamier masala then you can add a 3-4tbsp of double cream or coconut milk - I’d recommend adding it in at the same time as you add the capsicums. If you’d like to make a vegetarian version of this recipe, you can use paneer instead of boneless chicken. Just substitute the same amount of chicken for paneer - cube the paneer and fry it, ensuring the paneer has turned golden evenly before adding into the curry. It won’t need to cook for long - 10 minutes maximum to soak in all the flavour. To make thing easier for you, I also have a Paneer Jalfrezi recipe here. Potatoes would be a great idea too!
🍽️ How can I serve Chicken Jalfrezi?
The sky is the limit! Honestly, this is my FAVOURITE part about this curry. It’s so versatile! You can eat it with rice, or any kind of bread such as my Roghni Naan or roti. Poppadum’s work a treat too on the side. You can enjoy it without any carby companions too - just grab a fork and this is a great meal to enjoy too, thanks to the boneless chicken! It goes great served alongside a cooling salad and raita (yogurt sauce).
❓ Frequently asked questions
Enjoy, with love x
📋 Recipe
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