DHABA CHICKEN CURRY

Instant Pot Edition

Name: Dhaba Chicken Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 6 chicken drumsticks OR thighs with bones (skin removed); 1 tbsp grated garlic (fresh); 1 tbsp grated ginger (fresh); 1 tbsp grated turmeric (fresh) KEY INGREDIENT; 1 tbsp chicken masala (or garam masala); 3 drops red food color (optional-can use 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder instead); 3 tbsp yogurt (optional); 2 tbsp sorghum flour, mixed with 4 tbsp water (set aside until the end); 2 oz water; 1 tsp sugar; salt; oil; red chili powder; meat tenderizer (optional); cilantro for garnishing (optional); green garlic (optional)

As much as I love my traditional Chicken Curry, I like to replace it with a different one every once in a while. Especially when I really don’t want to go through the time and effort of cutting and prepping onions, tomatoes, and stirring a pot for an hour. This simple and easy way to make a chicken curry is very different in flavor from traditional Indian Chicken Curries, but it still curbs that Indian taste like you wouldn’t imagine! FULL OF MASALA AND FLAVOR. My husband asks for this dish multiple times a month and I don’t blame him.

You know what the best part of making this dish is? LEFTOVERS! Eating it the next day is literally finger licking good. Think about it for a second. The cooked dish just marinated itself while it waited for a belly to fill! So go ahead and make extra to save yourself some time the day after AND have a satisfying meal.

I made this in an Instant Pot (IP). Don’t have an IP? You can use a traditional pressure cooker as well, but an IP is just so much easier to deal with. Clean up is a breeze too! It’s a new age cooker which takes the scare away from those crazy loud whistle blows. Get it Step by Step Instructions

Saute the chicken in the IP, add some water, and then close the lid. Set the IP to manual, 15 minutes, high pressure, and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and put IP on saute mode. Then add the sorghum mixture (more or less depending on the consistency you like). Let it cook for a few minutes, add green garlic (optional), and cilantro.

Recipe

Dhaba Chicken Curry

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Resting Time

5 mins

Total Time

25 mins

A heavy masala chicken curry packed with flavor and no guilt. This chicken curry will have you licking your fingers clean. Overall, it's quick and simple.

Servings: 3

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks OR thighs with bones (skin removed)
1 tbsp grated garlic (fresh)
1 tbsp grated ginger (fresh)
1 tbsp grated turmeric (fresh) KEY INGREDIENT
1 tbsp chicken masala (or garam masala)
3 drops red food color (optional-can use 2 tbsp kashmiri chili powder instead)
3 tbsp yogurt (optional)
2 tbsp sorghum flour, mixed with 4 tbsp water (set aside until the end)
2 oz water
1 tsp sugar
salt
oil
red chili powder
meat tenderizer (optional)
cilantro for garnishing (optional)
green garlic (optional)

Instructions

Prep the chicken by taking the skin off and then set it aside.
Mix ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt, food color, sugar, meat tenderizer, and masala together. Add the chicken to the mixture (marinate a few hours if possible).
Set Instant Pot to saute mode, add oil, and saute the chicken for 3-4 minutes. Be sure to scrape all the pieces from the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Add 2 oz of water, stir, and deglaze the bottom of the pot (this will help the instant pot to capture steam).
Put the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Manual 15 minutes, high pressure, and vent closed. Let the pressure release naturally once the cooking process is done. After the valve drops and pressure is out, you can open the lid.
NOW: Set the Instant Pot to saute mode, add the sorghum+water mixture, and then mix the contents well. This will thicken the water already in the pot. Hence, end up being the gravy/curry.
Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, add a handful of cilantro, green garlic, and serve with naan or rice.