Chicken Bhuna is a popular Indian chicken dish to order at restaurants. It has simple everyday ingredients and is easy to make at home. This curry isn’t soupy; instead, it’s nice and thick. The sauce sticks perfectly to the chicken pieces. The secret? Cook the onions and tomatoes for a long time until they get sweet and caramelized. Then chicken is cooked in this thick, flavorful sauce. As the chicken cooks, it gives off moisture, making the curry even thicker and tastier! Some people prefer to not use tomatoes when making chicken Bhuna. I like to add a little tomatoes, but feel free to leave them out as I do in my malai chicken curry. You can also use my onion tomato bhuna masala to make this chicken bhuna. It will reduce the cooking time by a lot, making it perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner!
Watch How to Make Chicken Bhuna
What does Bhuna Mean?
Bhuna refers to a specific way of cooking – it means “to fry” or “sauté.” Making bhuna masala usually involves frying onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and spices in ghee or oil to make a thick, dry sauce. Then vegetables or meat are added to make a curry.
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Bhuna
✔ It has rich bold flavors ✔ Adjustable Spice Level ✔ Great for leftovers ✔ It is versatile – you can add veggies along with chicken.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken Bhuna Masala?
Make the Bhuna Masala Spice Blend
Heat a pan on low heat. Add the whole spices and dry roast for 3-5 minutes until you get the aroma. Spices: We’ll make a special spice blend with coriander seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin seeds. Marination: Marinate the chicken in salt, turmeric, chili powder, and lime juice to make it tender and flavorful. Curry Base: You’ll need oil, ghee, onions, ginger, garlic, and tomato. Finishing Touches: Add more chili powder for heat, yogurt for creaminess, and fresh cilantro and julienned ginger for garnish.
Let the spices cool, then transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Marinate the Chicken
Mix the chicken with yogurt, salt, turmeric, chili powder, lime juice, and half of the bhuna masala. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes.
Sear the Chicken
Heat oil in a pan and add the marinated chicken.
Cook the chicken pieces in hot oil until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Make the Bhuna Masala Sauce
In ghee, sauté cumin seeds, chilies, and onions. Add ginger, garlic, and tomato puree. Cook until the oil starts to separate.
Simmer the Chicken
Add the chicken, remaining bhuna masala spice mix, and chili powder (optional) to the gravy and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in yogurt and cook for a couple of minutes. Make sure to keep stirring continuously until the yogurt is incorporated.
Simmer and Serve
Cover and simmer the chicken on low heat for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and julienned ginger, and enjoy!
How to Serve?
Chicken Bhuna is best served with roti, paratha or naan. Add a side of raita and kachumber salad. We also like to add a veggie stir fry along side for a complete meal. Spice it up (or down): Adjust the chili powder according to your spice preference. Bhunai: The most flavor in this recipe is from browning the onions and cooking the masala until the oil separates. Yogurt: Use full-fat yogurt for the best flavor and creaminess. Tomatoes: I prefer to puree fresh tomatoes in a blender. But you can use canned tomato puree as well. Dairy-free: You can skip adding yogurt, and replace it with coconut milk. Substitutions and Additions: You can use paneer or boiled eggs in the same gravy. You can add veggies such as spinach, bell peppers, carrots, or mushrooms if you like. Storing Leftovers: Leftover Chicken Bhuna can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan. This curry will also freeze well. You can also enjoy Chicken Bhuna is with fluffy basmati rice.
How to Store?
Chicken Bhuna will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you want to enjoy it further, freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, reheat gently on medium heat until warmed through in a microwave or a pan.
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