Tender Slow-cooked Chicken Curry

We always tend to rain praises over the tender, melt-in-the-mouth delectable chicken dishes that we so relish in restaurants. Slow cooking is the secret! It’s the perfect way to cook chicken that’s packed with flavor, is far from chewy and just melts in your mouth.
The chicken I bought this time was adequately adiposed 🙂 .This only helped add oodles of flavor to gravy. The spices, coriander, juices from the melting fat… all create an amazing ecosystem for the chicken to cook.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1.15 hrs
Serves: 3

Ingredients:
Chicken – half kg, cut into medium chunks
4 tbsp Vegetable oil
3 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
1 green / red chili, finely chopped
2 big tomatoes, charred and pureed (charring gives that added flavor). You can also use tinned tomatoes
1 big bunch of coriander, finely chopped along with stems
2 tbsp garlic paste
3 tsps kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder (add more if you like it hot)
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp finely crushed black pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 deg.
2. Rub the chicken with pepper powder and lemon juice and leave it aside to marinate.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom, oven-friendly pan.
4. Add chopped onions, chili, garlic paste and fry. Sprinkle a pinch of salt to soften.
5. Add chopped coriander and fry till the onions are translucent and the mixture is gravy-ish and aromatic.
6. Add all the spice powders and fry for a minute, till the spices start releasing their aromas.
7. Add the pureed tomatoes and simmer.
8. Lastly add the marinated chicken, salt and water and cook on slow flame for 2-3 minutes.
9. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and leave it in the oven for 55 minutes.
10. Squeeze a bit of lime, garnish with coriander and serve hot with fragrant basmati rice or butter laden parathas.

The aroma that wafts when you lift the foil…aah!!! it’s worth a million bucks!

P.S.: Don’t chuck the coriander stems. Cook them. They are stocked with flavors and the results are magical.
Same with the fat. The juices from the fat add flavor to the gravy and keep chicken moist and tender.