HOT & SPICY CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken Thighs (bone‑in, skinless, cut into bite‑size pieces)
• 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil (refined or unrefined, for frying)
• 2 large Onion (thinly sliced)
• 6 cloves Garlic (peeled and minced)
• 2 tablespoons Ginger (freshly grated)
• 4 pieces Green Chili (slit lengthwise, seeds left for heat)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (half of the total turmeric used in the recipe)
• 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder (half of the total chili powder used)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (toasted and ground)
• 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds (toasted and ground)
• 1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds (toasted and ground)
• ½ teaspoon Black Peppercorns (toasted and ground)
• 10 sprigs Curry Leaves (fresh, torn)
• ½ cup Mint Leaves (fresh, loosely packed)
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• to taste Salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken

   Rinse the chicken pieces, pat dry, and place in a mixing bowl. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well and let marinate for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

2. Toast Whole Spices

   In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a mortar and grind to a fine powder.

   Time: PT5M

3. Make the Spice Paste

   In the mortar or blender combine the ground spices, garlic, ginger, green chilies, mint leaves, and half of the curry leaves. Add a splash of water if needed and grind to a smooth paste.

   Time: PT5M

4. Sauté Onions

   Heat coconut oil in the large pot over medium‑high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

   Time: PT8M

   Temperature: Medium‑high

5. Cook the Spice Paste

   Add the prepared spice paste to the pot. Fry, stirring constantly, until the oil begins to separate from the masala (about 7 minutes).

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: Medium

6. Add Chicken

   Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot. Stir to coat each piece with the masala. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes, then add ½ cup of water, cover, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: Low

7. Finish with Fresh Herbs

   Uncover the curry, add the remaining curry leaves, and simmer for another 3 minutes until the sauce thickens to your liking.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: Low

8. Serve

   Transfer the hot chicken curry to a serving dish. Serve with steamed rice, appam, or Kerala parotta.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

5 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g