Chicken Bhuna Curry Recipe

“Bhuna” doesn’t actually refer to a curry – the word describes the cooking process of spices, where they are fried over a medium heat to reveal their favours. Below is my chicken bhuna recipe that follows this method of cooking. The chicken breast meat is added to the spices and basically cooks in it’s own juice.

To cook this meal allow 2 hours to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. Serves 4.

Curry ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, 6 tbsp plain natural yoghurt, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 lemon, tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp paprika, 3 cardamoms, tbsp salt, 1 tbsp ground chilli, 1 tbsp cumin, vegetable oil, olive oil, fresh coriander.

Pilau rice ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, cinnamon stick, 2 cardamom pods, 1 tbsp fennel seeds, vegetable oil.

Method: Preparing the Chicken

1. Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl. Add the garlic by crushing it in and also mix in the spices – garam masala, turmeric, paprika and cumin. Then crush in the cardamoms (after removing the husk) and add the ground chilli and salt.

2. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon.

3. Cut the chicken into small chunks and put into the bowl. Use your hands to completely cover the chicken pieces in your marinade.

Method: The Pilau Rice

1. Chop the onion into fine pieces and add to a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry gently.

2. Wash the rice with cold water and add to the pan with the onion. Crush in the garlic and add the cinnamon, fennel seeds and cardamom. Mix the rice and other ingredients well before pouring water completely over the rice. Turn up the heat.

3. Once the water begins to boil allow it to do so for a further 5 minutes. After this time, put the lid on the saucepan, turn off the heat and allow it to settle for 20 minutes.

Method: The Curry

1. Place a frying pan over a high heat and pour in 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot add the chicken to the pan. Fry it on the heat until the chicken is cooked through.

2. Add a little garam masala and coriander to the pan with the chicken and fry for another 1/2 minute or so.

3. Put the rice around the edge of 4 plates and add the chicken in the middle – just the way my mum used to! Serve with a naan bread to mop up any leftovers.

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