Chicken Jalfrezi is a tomato-based curry made with boneless chicken pieces, bell peppers and onion.
Instead of calling the Indian takeaway, make your own easy chicken jalfrezi. Our healthy curry recipe also has two of your 5-a-day and a good dose of vitamin C.
If you are looking for an authentic Chicken Jalfrezi recipe that is easy to make yet bursting with flavor, you have come to the right place. All you need is one pot, 30 minutes, and everyday ingredients to make this crowd-pleaser.
Unlike most traditional curries, Jalfrezi is often stir-fried instead of stewed or braised. This lends it a thick, semi-dry texture instead of a soupy one like that of Classic Chicken Curry.
Chicken Jalfrezi has a short history. When the British were in East India, they (or their cooks) would sometimes throw leftover meat into curries. This invention led to the name “jal-frezi”, which translates to “hot/spicy” (jhal) and “fry/stir-fry” (fraizi).
Chicken Jalfrezi is much more popular in the UK than it is here in the states.
In recent decades, Jalfrezi has taken on a slight Indo-Chinese flare. Many versions, including mine, use a small amount of ketchup, soy sauce, or chili sauce.
Chicken Jalfrezi is a delightfully flavorful curry with tender, juicy chunks of chicken in a spicy tomato sauce studded with stir-fried peppers and onions. A mashup of Chinese techniques with Indian flavors, the stir-fry comes together in under thirty minutes, which makes it a perfect weeknight meal.
Best Chicken jalfrezi recipe: This chicken jalfrezi recipe features tender, juicy chicken, crisp onion, and bell peppers coated with tangy, sweet, and spicy tomato-based gravy. Make the most delicious jalfrezi chicken right at your home!
Chicken jalfrezi is one of the most popular curries in Indian restaurants worldwide.
Making this Indian stir-fry dish is easy once you have prepared all ingredients. It comes together in 30 minutes. Bonus? The flavors tend to intensify over time, so leftovers are even tastier.
It is a semi-dry dish with chicken, onion, bell peppers, tomatoes, chilies, and spices.
The chunks of onion and bell peppers impart a delicate flavor to the dish.
Sautéing the veggies first, then adding them towards the end of the cooking, provides enough flavor and bite you look for in an authentic chicken jalfrezi. This not only tastes amazing, but our mild spicy version will also leave you feeling good and satisfied.
Ingredients for Chicken Jalfrezi
Steps for Chicken Jalfrezi
Chicken Jalfrezi
Ingredients
2 tablespoon Oil
2 teaspoon Garlic chopped
250 grams of Chicken
Half teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon of Coriander Powder
Half teaspoon Chilli flakes
Half teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/4th teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon of Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/4th teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
Tomato puree of 2 medium size Tomatoes
Half teaspoon Salt
Onion and Capsicum Petals
1 teaspoon of Soya Sauce
Half tsp White Vinegar
1 tablespoon Tomato Ketchup
Tomato Petals
Steps
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai, add 2 tsp chopped garlic, sauté it for half a minute and then add 250 grams of boneless chicken cut into long strip pieces.
Stir fry the chicken in on high flame for 2-3 minutes then add 1/2 tsp salt mix it, reduce the flame, cover it and let the chicken cook till tender for 4-5 minutes.
After 5 minutes add 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/4th tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder,1/4th tsp black pepper powder. Now fry the chicken with all the spices for 1-2 minutes by stirring.
Then add a little water if you feel that the spices are getting dried while frying.
After frying the chicken with the spices add tomato puree, 1/2 tsp salt, mix it and cook it on a high flame, keep stirring till the tomatoes are cooked for 3-4 minutes.
When the tomato puree is cooked and dried and leaves oil, then add onion and capsicum petals to it.
Fry on high flame then add 1 tsp soya sauce, 1/2 tsp white vinegar,1 tbsp tomato ketchup now keep stirring, till all the sauces and spices are cooked properly together.
Stir fry them on high flame so the veggies do not get softened, and they will turn out to be crunchy, cook it for 2-3 minutes then add some tomato petals and fry for half a minute and then off the flame.
Remove this chicken jalfrezi in a serving dish.
Serve it with a steamy bowl of plain basmati rice or flavored rice like jeera rice, ghee rice, naan, roti, pulao, pilaf or even biryani.
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Chicken: Jalfrezi is usually made with boneless chicken pieces.
Oil: Any oil would work if it is not overpowering.
Garlic & ginger: You can finely chop them in a food processor or use a mortar & pestle to crush.
Tomatoes: A star ingredient here. You can use any fleshy tomato, you can, purée these in a food processor to get a saucy consistency.
Bell peppers (aka Capsicum): Green and red is the typical bell pepper combo, but you can use yellow or whichever you have on hand.
Onion: Apart from the onion used to form the base of the curry, some jalfrezis have crisp onion cubes along with the bell peppers.
Green chilies: Use as much as you would like to increase or decrease the heat.
Ground spices: Turmeric, coriander, red chili powder (or cayenne), garam masala, and black pepper are the main spices. I have also used Kashmiri chili powder or paprika for color and mild flavor. Kashmiri chili powder is a little bit spicier than paprika, but they can be used interchangeably in this recipe.
Tomato paste: Optional – for more concentrated tomato flavor and to introduce a little sweetness.
Tomato ketchup: Intensifies the tomatoey, tangy flavors. You can also use chili garlic sauce or hot and sweet sauce if you do not mind a little extra spice.
Soy sauce: Enhances the umami, savory, Indo-Chinese flavor.
Vinegar: Adds tang. You can use white vinegar.
Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and tang as a finishing touch.
Cilantro: Optional – for garnish
Points to Remember * If at any point the onions, spices, chicken, or even tomatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a splash of water. *Tender and juicy chicken pieces. Stir-frying the chicken for a couple of minutes before adding it back to the pan creates a lovely coating that seals the juices inside and prevents it from drying or being overcooked.
