Chicken Masala

Name: Chicken Masala
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 700 g chicken (bone-in curry cut); ½ cup (120 g) yoghurt; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tsp red chilli powder; ½ tsp turmeric; ½ tsp salt; 3 tbsp oil; 3 large onions (350 g), finely sliced; 2 medium tomatoes (200 g), finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 cloves; 2 green cardamom pods; 1 × 1 cm cinnamon; 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; ½ tsp turmeric; 1.5 tsp kala masala (Maharashtrian black masala) OR goda masala; 1 tsp salt; 100 ml water; 1 tbsp fresh coriander + mint, finely chopped; 1 tsp ghee; The extended onion frying (15–18 min to near-caramelised) is non-negotiable — under-fried onion produces a grey, bland masala; Kala masala contains stone flower and charred coconut — its deep, slightly smoky flavour defines Pune chicken masala; The final dish should be "dry masala" style — thick masala coating chicken pieces, not a swimming gravy

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

A thick, rich Pune-style chicken masala with deeply fried onions, whole spices, and a finish of kala masala and fresh coriander. More robust and drier than the standard rassa — the masala clings to each chicken piece rather than sitting in a pool of gravy.

⏱️50 minPrep

🔥10 minCook

🕒60 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Chicken Masala

Marinate (No heat): Mix chicken with all marinade ingredients. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature.
Deep-fry onions (Heat: medium-high): Heat oil in a kadai. Fry sliced onions on medium-high for 15–18 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until very deep golden-brown — almost caramelised. This is the longest step but the most critical — the deep-fried onion is what makes Pune chicken masala rich and distinctive.
Build base (Heat: medium): Push onions aside or remove half. Add whole spices to the oil — cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon — fry 30 seconds. Add ginger-garlic paste — fry 2 minutes. Add tomatoes — cook 7 minutes mashing until fully broken down. Add dry masalas — stir 1 minute.
Add chicken (Heat: high then medium): Add marinated chicken. Turn to high heat. Cook chicken in the masala for 8 minutes, turning pieces, until sealed and the yoghurt marinade is absorbed. Add 100 ml water and salt. Reduce to medium. Cover and cook 25 minutes until chicken is completely tender. Stir every 8 minutes.
Finish (Heat: off): Uncover last 5 minutes to reduce to a thick, clinging masala. Drizzle ghee. Add coriander-mint. Taste and adjust salt.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 460 kcal | 40 g | 12 g | 27 g | 2 g | Pune is Maharashtra's intellectual and cultural capital, and its home-style chicken masala reflects a bold, no-compromise approach to flavour. Pune households take great pride in their kala masala — families have their own carefully guarded recipes for this unique Maharashtrian spice blend. The city's military cantonment history means Pune's meat dishes have a robust, forthright quality. ---

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