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An Indian copper serving bowl containing, chicken curry with spicy naga curry sauce.

Spicy Naga Chicken Curry

Quick and easy spicy Naga chicken curry recipe made with tender chicken thigh, Naga chilli pickle, tomatoes, onions, and flavourful spicy curry sauce. One of the most popular spicy chicken curry in the takeaways and restaurants in the UK. Serve with plain basmati rice, naan, or chapati.
5 from 9 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Bangladeshi, British Indian, Indian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 313kcal
Author: Khin

Equipment

  • Large pot or pan

Ingredients

  • 450 gram Chicken thigh About 15.8oz, Boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into medium bite-size pieces
  • 1 tbsp Garlic paste
  • 1 1bsp Ginger paste
  • 2-3 Onion Shallot onion or brown onions
  • 1-2 Tomato Finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Tomato puree Or tomato concentrate
  • 1 tbsp Naga chilli pickle Add more or less to your taste
  • tsp Salt or salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp Kasuri methi Dried fenugreek leaves
  • cup Water About 350ml, add more water if needed
  • 3 tbsp Vegetable oil Or ghee
  • 2-3 Green chilli Cut thin slices
  • handful Coriander Roughly chopped

Spices

  • 1 tsp Chilli powder Kashmiri chilli powder or regular chilli powder hot or mild
  • 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds Zeera seeds/Jeera seeds
  • 5-6 pod Cardamom Green cardamom pods

Instructions

  • Heat the oil to medium heat, add cumin and cardamom pods. Let the spices sizzle for a few seconds, then add the chopped onions and saute for 1-2 minutes, until soft.
  • Add garlic paste and ginger paste and continue stir until the onions are light brown. Then follow with the chilli powder, turmeric, and garam masala and stir for a few seconds.
  • Next, add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are reduced and oil starts to separate. Then stir in tomato puree. Add the chicken pieces, combine well with the curry paste, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Now add the warm water and follow with Naga chilli pickle, Kasuri methi, and salt to taste.
  • Close the lid and cook with low-medium for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.
  • Finish with green chillies and chopped coriander. Serve with plain rice or choice of flatbread. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Chicken - You can add chicken thigh, breast, bone-in chicken pieces, pre-cooked chicken, chicken tikka, or leftover grilled chicken. Cooking time can vary and you might want to reduce the cooking time if you use pre-cooked meat. 
  • Naga chilli pickle - I used Mr. Naga chilli pickle which is widely available in UK Indian grocery stores. Instead of Mr. Naga, you can use your choice of hot red chilli pickle like Carolina reaper chilli pickle. 
  • Can I use fresh Naga chilli instead of chilli pickle? - Do not recommend adding fresh chilli as a chilli pickle substitute, as the flavors are different. 
  • Adjust the chilli heat - If you haven't tried Naga chilli paste, start by adding 1 teaspoon and then build up to your desired heat. I usually add 1 tablespoon for 400-500 gram chicken. 
  • Masala - I used garam masala in this recipe, you can add your choice of meat masala or curry powder. 
  • Kashmiri chilli powder - has a distinct smokey chilli flavour and vibrant colour. You can also add regular chilli powder or paprika powder to your preference. 
  • Kasuri methi - is also known as dried fenugreek leaves, rub the methi leaves in your palm just right before using it. You can buy at Indian grocery stores or supermarket Asian aisles. 
  • Can I freeze it or reheat it? This curry is great for meal-prep and fridge and freezer friendly. Once it is completely cooled down, keep it in the air-tight container and store it in the fridge or freezer for later use. Reheat in the microwave or over a stovetop until piping hot just before serving. Add some water if the curry sauce is too thick. 

Nutrition

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1055mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg
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