This signature Chicken Rogan Josh recipe is made of tender chicken pieces and aromatic spicy onions and tomato-based curry sauce. Serve with plain rice, chapati or a choice of flatbread. Perfect hearty curry dinner the whole family will love!
If you are looking for a comforting restaurant-quality chicken curry this dish is a must-try! With our quick tips and simple method, you should be able to impress your dinner guest with this delicious chicken rogan josh without a hassle. Rogan Josh curry is a bit a spicier compare to other curry dishes. If you would like to pair with milder curry recipe, Chicken Saag and Chicken Handi are perfect match recipe to pair with.
What is Chicken Rogan Josh?
Chicken Rogan Josh is a famous aromatic chicken curry that originated in Kashmir, northern India. Now it's become one of the most popular curry dishes on the menu of Indian restaurants and takeaways in the UK, the US, and around the world.
This mouthwatering dish is famous for its beautiful combination of aromatic classic Indian spices and rich bold flavours. Tender bone-in chicken pieces are cooked in onions and tomatoes-based curry sauce, and packed with fragrant cardamon, fennel, cinnamon, cumin, and Kashmiri chilli. It goes really well with plain basmati rice, plain naan, garlic naan, or chapati.
In this post, I am sharing our family favourite tried and tested traditional Chicken Rogan Josh recipe with a simple cooking process and step-by-step photo instructions. Now let's get started and discover the real-deal chicken rogan josh!
Ingredients we need
Most of the ingredients used in this recipe are pantry staples and you can find them at the local supermarkets and grocery stores. Following is a quick guide and you can find details on the recipe card, at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken: I use bone-in curry-cut chicken pieces in this dish. Traditionally bone-in chicken or lamb is used for this recipe but feel free to add boneless chicken thigh or breast for a quick and easy recipe.
- Onion: Shallot onions are great for base curry sauce cut them into thin slices or finely chop them in the food processor.
- Tomatoes: I love to add fresh vine-ripened tomatoes to my curries. Instead of fresh vine tomatoes, you can use chopped tinned tomatoes. Adding tomatoes brings a sweet and tangy flavour to the curry sauce.
- Yoghurt: Add natural plain yoghurt to balance out the hotness of the spices and creates a creamy rich curry sauce.
- Kashmiri chilli powder: has a deep vibrant red colour and is ideal for this Kashmiri-style rogan josh recipe.
- Whole spices: I add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, and cinnamon sticks. These dried whole spices bring a complex, warm aroma to the dish.
- Curry powder: mixed ground spices like cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, chilli, black pepper, coriander, cloves, etc. You can add your choice of Indian curry powder or garam masala.
- Fennel powder: add whole roasted fennel seeds or roasted ground fennel powder. It has a unique warm sweet aroma.
- Ghee: has a high smoke point and it has a rich nutty flavour that adds a delicious taste to the curry sauce.
How to cook it
- Heat the pan on medium heat, melt the ghee and add oil to the pan. Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and let it sizzle for 4-5 seconds.
- Then, add the chicken pieces, sprinkle ½ tsp of salt and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set them aside.
- In the remaining pan, add onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Then add green chillies, garlic paste, and ginger paste. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the onions are light brown.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil starts to separate. Then place the chicken pieces back in the pan and add spices ( chilli powder, 2 tsp of curry powder, turmeric, and fennel ). Stir it well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then, add 1 tsp salt ( or salt to taste ) and pour the yoghurt and water in. Mix everything well, close the lid, and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally.
- Add 1 tsp of curry powder and a mixture of Kashmiri chilli powder and water to the curry. Gently stir and combine well with the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Finish with freshly chopped coriander. Serve with plain basmati rice, naan, chapati, or a choice of flatbread.
Top Tips
- Choice of meat: Recommend using bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs which have more flavour and are tender than boneless chicken breast.
- Sear the chicken: Sear the chicken on both sides until slightly brown to create a nice texture.
- Fresh herbs: For the best flavour use freshly chopped or grated ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes, etc.
- Adjust the spiciness: Traditionally chicken rogan josh is a spicy dish but you can customize the level of heat to your preference. Add less chilli powder, use mild paprika powder, or omit chillies if you prefer a milder taste.
- Frying onions: Onions should be cooked until light golden brown before adding chicken and tomatoes. That will help deepen the flavour of the curry sauce base.
FAQ
Typically rogan josh is served with plain basmati rice, naan, or chapati. You can also pair it with side dishes and salads like Indian onion salad, Chicken pakora or Raita to balance out the spicy curry.
You can also try this dish with bone-in or boneless red meat like, beef, lamb, mutton, etc. Cooking time can be carried according to the types and meat cut you use.
Chicken rogan josh is a spicy curry dish and it contains a good amount of Kashmiri chillies and fresh green chillies but you can adjust the spiciness to your preference by adding less or more chillies.
Slow cooking is the best method to achieve tender meat results and it allows the flavours to develop. You can either cook it over the stovetop or cook it in the slow cooker.
Yes, it's a great dish to cook in advance and serve it later for meal prep and special occasions. Once it is completely cool down store it in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer. Like other Indian curries, the flavours will deepen and taste better the next day.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken Rogan Josh
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or pan with lid
Ingredients
- 700 grams Chicken Curry cut bone-in chicken pieces leg, thigh, drumstick etc. ( About 24.6oz )
- 2-3 Shallot onion Cut thin slices
- 1 tbsp Garlic paste Or finely grated garlic
- 2 tsp Ginger paste Or finely grated ginger
- 2-3 Tomatoes Finely chopped
- 4-5 tsp Natural yoghurt
- 2 tbsp Ghee Or unsalted butter
- 2-3 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1½ tsp Salt Or adjust the salt to taste
- 2 tsp Kashimiri chilli powder mixed with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl
- 2-3 Green chillies cut thin slices
- handful Coriander roughly chopped
- 1 cup Water about 230ml, add more water if needed
Spices
- 3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder Or regular chilli powder or paprika
- 2 tsp Turmeric
- 3 tsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Fennel powder see details in note
- 4-5 pods Cardamom pods
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
Instructions
- Heat the pan into medium heat, melt the ghee and add oil in the pan. Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and let it sizzle for 4-5 seconds.
- Then, add the chicken pieces, sprinkle ½ tsp of salt and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set it aside.
- In the remaining pan, add cumin seeds, and onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Then add green chillies, garlic paste, and ginger paste. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or until the onions are light golden brown.
- Next, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft and oil starts to separate.
- Now, place the chicken pieces back in the pan and add ground spices ( chilli powder, 2tsp of curry powder, turmeric, and fennel powder). Stir it well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then, add salt to taste and pour the yoghurt and water in. Mix everything well, close the lid, and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
- Add 1tsp of curry powder and a mixture of Kashmiri chilli powder and water to the curry. Gently stir and combine well with the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Finish with freshly chopped coriander. Serve with plain basmati rice, naan, chapati, or a choice of flatbread.
Video
Notes
- Curry powder - you can add your choice of Indian curry powder or garam masala.
- Kashmiri chilli powder - it has a unique vibrant red colour and flavour. You can substitute it with regular chilli powder or paprika powder.
- Kashmiri chilli + water mixture - adding this chilli water brings bright red colour to the dish but it's optional.
- Bruise the cardamom pods gently to release the aroma before you add them to the curry.
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- This recipe is for 4-6 servings and the nutritional facts are calculated approximately without rice or naan.
Johnald says
A very tasty recipe, easy to make , halved the recipe just enough for two.
Paula says
This was lovely! Quick and easy to make. I didn’t need the water as used canned tomatoes and a water came out of chicken. I am lactose intolerant and swapped yoghurt for vegan double cream. I used onions instead of shallots.
Khin says
Wonderful! Glad that you enjoyed it, Paula.
Justin Fulton says
Just wanted to say this recipe is amazing. So aromatic, comforting and delicious!
First time I have made Roghan Josh and it was perfect - Thank you 🙂