Chicken Bhuna Masala Recipe with step by step photos and video. Chicken Bhuna Masala is classic Indian spicy chicken semi gravy that goes well with any kind of Indian flat breads or jeera rice. Bhuna basically means frying at high temperature . Marinated chicken is precooked and added to well fried onion tomato mixture and cooked to perfection.
There are many variations to make chicken bhuna masala . As the name suggests,”bhuna” , more you fry the masala till aromatic more delicious the curry will be. I always prefer to pre cook marinated chicken to remove raw smell and then add into the Bhuna Masala.
What If you don’t precook chicken and directly add into bhuna masala ? The marinated chicken retains raw smell inspite of cooking it well later, also raw smell of garlic may turns you off. Always raw smell of garlic should vanish before it comes in contact with water , hence its recommended to precook chicken to remove all kind of raw smell. This is the practice, I have been following since ages and prefer to follow the same as it always results in good tasty food.
Pro Tips and Variations to Chicken Bhuna Masala
1.Marintion : Along with spices , it is always recommended to add oil (fat) and acidity (lime juice / vinegar / yogurt) to meat while marinating . This helps meat to be tender without drying out after cooking.
2. Curds / Yogurt : Whisking curds along with gram flour / besan or refined flour , help curds not to split when it comes in contact with heat.
3. Onion Tomato Masala : More you fry onion and tomato , the taste of the dish enhances. Browning onions and cooking tomatoes till oil floats , yields a delicious gravy . Its preferred to add minced or finely chopped tomatoes rather than tomato puree.
4. Pre cooking Chicken : I prefer to cook chicken in spices just for 5-8 minutes until raw smell goes off. But if add chicken directly to bhuna masala and then cook chicken .
5. Cooking Oil : Mustard Oil is always used to make Bhuna Chicken masala but other oil can also be used. I have used 2 Tbsp to fry onion tomato masala but adding more oil upto 4 Tbsp will really yield a more tastier masala. I have reduced oil in this recipe to cut down calories , if its an occasional indulgence then you can add upto 4 Tbsp of oil.
If you are interested , do check these chicken recipes from my blog
- Palak Chicken | Spinach Chicken
- Mangalore Chicken Sukka
- Koli Saaru | Karnataka Style Chicken Curry
- Chicken Gassi
RECIPE CARD FOR CHICKEN BHUNA MASALA
Chicken Bhuna Masala
Ingredients
For Marination
- 500 grams Chicken – curry cut pieces,skinless
- ½ Tsp Ginger Paste
- ½ Tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 Tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ Tsp Roasted Jeera Powder
- ¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Oil
For Bhuna Masala
- 2 Tbsp Mustard Oil
- 3 Green Cradamom Pods
- 1" inch Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Cloves
- ½ Tsp Fennel Seeds
- 4-5 BlackPeppercorns
- ½ Tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
- 4 Dry Red Chillies
- 3 no’s Onions medium size – finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 Tbsp Ginger Paste
- 5 no’s Tomatoes medium size – minced or finely chopped
- ½ Cup Curds/Yogurt
- 1 Tbsp Gramflour / Besan
- 2 no’s Green chillies – slit
- 1 Tbsp Kasuri Methi / Dry Fenugreek
- 1 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 Tbsp Coriander Learves
- Salt to taste
For Pre cooking Marinated Chicken
- 1 Tsp Oil
- 1 Green Cardamom pod
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1 Bay leaf
- ½ inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Clove
- ¼ Cup Onion – finely chopped , optional
Instructions
For Marination
- In a mixing bowl add chicken, ginger paste , garlic paste , red chilli powder , coriander powder , roasted jeera powder , turmeric powder ,salt , oil , lemon juice
- Mix well everything
- Cover and set aside for minimum 30 minutes.
For Bhuna Masala
- In a thick bottom , deep pan , heat 2 Tbsp of mustard oil.
- Add all whole spices and saute for 1-2 minutes , till it releases aroma.
- Now add in finely chopped onion , ginger , garlic paste and saute for 1-2 minutes.
- Keep on medium heat and saute in between until onion turns brown in colour.
- Add red chilli powder , coriander powder and mix well.
- Now tip in finely chopped / minced or grated tomatoes , its recommended to add finely grated/minced tomatoes rather than tomato puree. As minced tomatoes add lot more to texture in this particular recipe. Tomato puree make this gravy bit runny which is not required in the recipe.
- Mix well , add salt as per taste , stir and cook till water reduces completely and oil starts to release from corners. It takes some more time around 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
- Whilst , in a pan heat 1 tsp of oil , add whole spices and cook marinated chicken for about 6-8 minutes , till colour changes and it starts to release its water.
- In a bowl , whisk ½ cup curds along with besan /gram flour.
- By now , tomatoes will be cooked completely , with specks of oil on top. Now add in whisked curds.
- Mix well everything.
- Add in half cooked chicken ,.
- Add ½ cup water to pan in which chicken is pre cooked , rinse and add same water into the curry.
- Mix well everything , cover lid and cook for 12-15 minutes on a medium heat.
- Once chicken is well cooked, add 2-3 green chillies slit , garam masala and kasuri methi .
- Give a quick stir and turn off the stove.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or jeera rice.
Video
Step by Step Directions to make Chicken Bhuna Masala
For Marination
In a mixing bowl add chicken, ginger paste , garlic paste , red chilli powder , coriander powder , roasted jeera powder , turmeric powder ,salt , oil , lemon juice.
Mix well everything
Cover and set aside for minimum 30 minutes.
For Bhuna Masala
In a thick bottom , deep pan , heat 2 Tbsp of mustard oil.
Add all whole spices and saute for 1-2 minutes , till it releases aroma.
Now add in finely chopped onion , ginger , garlic paste and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Keep on medium heat and saute in between until onion turns brown in colour.
Add red chilli powder , coriander powder and mix well.
Now tip in finely chopped / minced or grated tomatoes , its recommended to add finely grated/minced tomatoes rather than tomato puree. As minced tomatoes add lot more to texture in this particular recipe. Tomato puree make this gravy bit runny which is not required in the recipe.
Mix well , add salt as per taste , stir and cook till water reduces completely and oil starts to release from corners. It takes some more time around 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
Whilst , in a pan heat 1 tsp of oil , add whole spices
and add marinated chicken . Cook for about 6-8 minutes , till color changes and it starts to release its water.
In a bowl , whisk ½ cup curds along with besan /gram flour.
By now , tomatoes will be cooked completely , with specks of oil on top.
Now add in whisked curds.
Mix well everything.
Add in half cooked chicken ,.
Add ½ cup water to pan in which chicken is pre cooked , rinse and add same water into the curry.
Mix well everything , cover lid and cook for 12-15 minutes on a medium heat.
Once chicken is well cooked, add 2-3 green chillies slit , garam masala and kasuri methi .
Give a quick stir and turn off the stove. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or jeera rice.
it looks delicious…… Mouth watering…… I am going to try it