Authentic chicken curry – mom’s recipe!

April 23, 2024

Today I would like to present a traditional chicken curry recipe from my home country of Pakistan and India. There it is also called“Murghi ka Salan“. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make an authentic chicken curry yourself! I hope you enjoy my chicken curry recipe from my home country 🧡.

Chicken curry recipe (Murghi ka Salan)

“Murghi ka Salan” literally translates as“chicken sauce” and is often served at weddings. Together with warm naan bread, this spicy dish is an absolutely unique taste experience. The classic“Indian chicken curry“, which is often ordered from an Indian restaurant, is a modified version of this. Some aspects have been adapted to suit Western tastes. For example, breast meat is often used, as it is more suitable for restaurant dishes, and it is often refined with whipped cream – which is very tasty. But today we want to prepare a traditional and authentic chicken curry!

Traditional chicken curry

My mom and her mom etc. have always used a whole Desi (organic) chicken. This is skinned beforehand and cut into several pieces. Of course, this step is more time-consuming, but I think it’s worth it! An organic chicken with bones gives the sauce a very special flavor, which is why it’s called“The Chicken Sauce” – the result is simply indescribably delicious and for me cannot be compared to chicken curry from a restaurant!

Chicken curry made easy!

I have tried to keep this recipe as simple as possible without any fuss. You can find all the spices I have used in any Indian or Asian supermarket. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients, the exact quantities can be found below in the recipe card. Let’s go!

Chicken curry – the ingredients

Oil for frying: This dish requires no cream, butter or cream cheese at all. So don’t be surprised at the slightly larger amount of oil at the beginning.
Chicken meat: I took 4 chicken thighs, removed the skin and cut them into 2-3 pieces. The skin can be easily removed with a paper towel. If you don’t mind the skin, you can leave it on.
Onions: I pureed the onions for a more intense flavor and a better consistency in the sauce. If you don’t have a blender for pureeing, you can also finely chop the onions.
Garlic & ginger: I crush garlic and ginger into a paste in my mortar. Alternatively, you can also grate or finely chop them.
Tomatoes: I also puree the tomatoes. Alternatively, you can finely chop them. If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can also use strained tomatoes or chopped canned tomatoes.
Spices: Cumin seeds, chili powder, paprika powder, garam masala, coriander powder, turmeric.
Other: Fresh chilies, fresh coriander, lemon

Chicken curry – The preparation

Step 1: Finely chop the onions in a food processor. Heat the oil in a deep pan or saucepan. Add the onions and cumin and sauté.
Step 2: Meanwhile, crush the garlic and ginger in a mortar. Crush the tomatoes in a food processor or chop finely.
Step3: Once the onions are lightly browned, add the garlic-ginger paste and sauté for a further 2-4 minutes.
Step 4: Add the meat and spices and brown everything all over. Deglaze with the tomatoes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with water and bring everything to the boil.
Step5: Add chilies and simmer on medium-low heat with lid closed until oil is visible on top (about 20-30 minutes).
Step 6: Top with fresh coriander and a little lemon and enjoy with rice or naan bread.

Which side dish for chicken curry?

Basmati rice: The fragrant and slightly nutty taste of basmati rice harmonizes perfectly with the spicy sauce and the tender chicken meat in the curry.
Naan bread: Freshly baked naan bread is a delicious accompaniment to any curry dish. You can either buy naan bread or make it yourself at home. You can find the recipe for my naan bread here.
Chapati: Chapati is a thin, soft flatbread made from Indian/Pakistani wholemeal flour that is an ideal accompaniment to chicken curry. It is light yet filling and is perfect for dipping into the sauce. You can find my chapati recipe here.

Tips and notes

You can add soup vegetables such as peas or carrots to suit your taste.
Instead of a whole chicken, you can also just use chicken thighs.
If there is too much liquid, leave to simmer for approx. 5-7 minutes with the lid open

The video for the chicken curry recipe

What do you think of my chicken curry recipe?

If you have tried the recipe, I would be very interested in your opinion. Just leave me a comment below or let me know what you think of this recipe on Instagram. I’m always happy to receive praise, more tips and friendly criticism.

Best regards

Authentic chicken curry recipe

5 from 10 votes

Today I am presenting a traditional chicken curry recipe from my home country of Pakistan and India. There it is also called "Murghi ka Salan". You'll be amazed at how simple the recipe is. I hope you enjoy my chicken curry recipe from my home country 🧡.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Other 5

Total Time 50

Servings: 6 People

Course: Chicken dish, Chicken recipes, Curry Recipe, Dinner, festive meal, Meat dish, Weekend dinner

Cuisine: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan

Calories: 277

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

80 ml neutral oil for frying eg. Rapeseed or sunflower oil
4 Chicken thighs approx. 900g
2 large onions approx. 250 - 320g (pureed)
7 Garlic cloves approx. 50g
20 g Piece of ginger peeled
2 medium-sized tomatoes approx. 200g
2 fresh green chilies
Approx. 700 ml water

Spices:

1,5 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
2 Carnations optional
1 tsp Chili powder less or more to taste
½ tsp Chili flakes
½ tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala

Other:

Handful of fresh coriander
Juice of half a lemon

Equipment

1 Schmorpfanne

Method

Finely chop the onions in a food processor. Heat the oil in a deep pan or saucepan. Add the onions and cumin and sauté.
Meanwhile, crush the garlic and ginger in a mortar. Crush the tomatoes in a food processor or chop into small pieces.
As soon as the onions start to brown slightly, add the garlic-ginger paste and sauté for a further 2-4 minutes.
Add the meat and spices and brown all over. Deglaze with the tomatoes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with water and bring everything to the boil.
Add the chillies and simmer over a medium-low heat with the lid on until the oil is visible on top (approx. 20-30 minutes).
Top with fresh coriander and a little lemon and enjoy with rice or naan bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 12gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 59mgPotassium: 168mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 59IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg

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Hi, I’m Shiba

I’m glad you’re here. My dishes are very much inspired by the cooking skills of my mother, who comes from Pakistan. I also present Palestinian dishes that I learned about from my husband’s family. So you’ll find lots of dishes from 1001 nights here!

I hope you enjoy browsing and cooking.

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