Homemade Chicken Jalfrezi in a deliciously thick, spicy sauce. I love this for a quick weeknight meal when I'm craving a good curry. Serve it with my quick and easy pilau rice – all ready in 40 minutes.
We love a good curry at home, and you'll often find me whipping up a quick Thai curry on a busy weeknight, or making a slow cooker curry when we've got friends round for dinner. It's also the number one food I crave when we come back from holiday.
We have so much fun trying all the local cuisines and basically eating everything in sight (like we did in France recently - still can't believe I put on 5 ½lbs in 4 days), but when I get back home, dinner is a saucy curry with lots of rice.
This jalfrezi is a great one to make when you're craving that spicy-curry kick.
I like to marinate the chicken first. No too long - 10-15 minutes is enough (you can marinate for longer if you like). Then after that, we're talking 30 minutes from start to finish.
Fry the marinated chicken:
Then add onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, spices and peppers:
Once those spices are releasing their fragrance, add in tinned tomatoes and stock, then simmer for 10 minutes or so until thickened.
Lots of spices, a nice kick of heat and plenty of sauce to soak into the rice.
Speaking of rice - did you know how easy it is to make pilau rice at home?
Simply fry up some onion and spices, then add the rice and water and cook as normal. This is how the onions and spices look before adding the rice and water:
The spices give it a lovely fragrance, without overpowering the rice, and the turmeric gives it that gorgeous golden yellow colour.
Dish the Chicken Jalfrezi up with that lovely fragrant Pilau rice, and sprinkle on some red onion and coriander before serving.
What to serve with your curry:
- Homemade Chapati
- Saag Aloo from this recipe
- Boiled Rice or Restaurant Style Pilau Rice
- A Fresh Tomato & Onion Salad
- These spicy Lamb Samosa cups make a great starter
- And these Pistachio and White Chocolate Blondies are a great dessert to finish off the meal.
The Video:
More Delicious Curry Recipes
Love a good curry? Here are some more curry recipes:
- Family Favourite Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala
- My NEW Delicious Vegetarian Curry
- Slow Cooked Beef Massaman Curry
- Chinese Style Curry with Juicy Meatballs
- Persian Style Chicken Curry With Walnuts and Pomegranate
- Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Curry
- Easy From Scratch Thai Yellow Curry With Fish
- Healthier Slow Cooked Spicy Beef Curry
Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 3 chicken breasts (about 500g) - chopped into bitesized chunks
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large onion - peeled and sliced
- 1 red chilli - sliced
- 1 green chilli - sliced
- 2 cloves garlic - peeled and minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 red bell pepper - sliced
- 1 green bell pepper - sliced
- 14 oz (400g) tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken stock - ensure this is a gluten free stock if required
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Small bunch chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- Fresh coriander and chilli flakes to serve
Pilau Rice:
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion - peeled and finely diced
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cardamom pods
- 6 cloves
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 300 g long grain rice
- 600 ml boiling water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Coat the chicken in the cumin, coriander and turmeric and leave to marinade for 10 minutes, covered in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, make the rice. Heat the oil and butter in a pan until the butter melts. Add the onion and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add in the cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, turmeric and bay leaves. Heat through, whilst stirring for a further minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat in the spices.
- Add the boiling water, stir once and bring back to the boil, then place a lid on the pan and turn the heat down to very low. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, turn the heat off. Leave the lid on and the rice should retain its heat until the curry is ready.
- Once the chicken has marinated (whilst the rice is cooking), heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and add the chicken. Cook on a high heat for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is sealed.
- Add the onion to the pan, turn the heat down to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens.
- Add the red and green chilli, garlic and ginger and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add in the garam masala, turmeric, salt, cumin and ground coriander. Stir to coat the onions, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add in the red and green pepper, tinned tomatoes, chicken stock and tomato puree.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Stir in the fresh coriander and serve with the pilau rice, topped with fresh coriander and a few chilli flakes.
Video
✎ Notes
What about a gluten-free jalfrezi?
Yes, this chicken jalfrezi recipe is already gluten-free - but it's a good idea to check your own brands to be sure.Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes, add in more veggies in place of the chicken, and use vegetable stock. I like to marinate cubes of courgette and mushrooms in place of the chicken.Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make the jalfrezi ahead, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. Reheat in a pan over a medium heat until the chicken is hot throughout.Will it freeze ok?
Yes, you can freeze the jalfrezi and the rice. Freeze separately in freezer-proof containers with lids as soon as the curry and rice is cool. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a pan - as per above. Reheat the rice by adding two tablespoons of water and placing the rice in an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and cook in the oven at 150C/300F for approx 20 minutes until the rice is hot throughout.Can I make chicken jalfrezi in the slow cooker?
Yes - bring the curry up to the boil (step 12), then transfer to a slow cooker. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.Swap out the chicken for lamb:
Lamb jalfrezi is delicious - but it takes longer to cook to become tender. If you want to replace the chicken with lamb, then add a little more liquid (I would add an extra 140z/400g tin of chopped tomatoes) and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or stock if it starts to look too dry. Nutritional Information is per serving including rice.Nutrition
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Posted in Sept 2019 updated July 2020 with new hints and tips and for housekeeping reasons.
Nicola Prior says
I thought this would be too spicy for me but loved it! My partner says this is the best curry I've made.
Mr l l forecast says
Hi nicky, hope your well.
Could I replace the tinned chopped tomatoes with passata? As I do like my curry to be more sauce like.
Just a thought and with some tomato and onion quartered.
Many thanks
Laurence
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Laurence, yes that would be fine 🙂
Anna Edwards says
Very tasty, quick and easy to make, really impressed! And believe me I love my curries, will definitely make this again !
Karen says
Made this for dinner absolutely delicious my husband is taking the rest for his dinner tomorrow as his on a long day this is by far the best curry we have made and believe me we had made quite a few we recommended to friends and family love it if we could could give it more then 5stars we would
Thank you
Trevor Maltby says
First attempt at this, first time sticking exact to ingrediments,.
Loved it, just enough spice n heat to create what i call 'the dribble', but don't wish to gross you out.
This is gonna take some topping, but i'll keep trying the other sanctuary recipes i've saved.
Thanks guys, i love it.
Richard Woollacott says
Great recipe.
Abi says
Made a few of your meals and they have been great, made this one today and YUM!! It was sooo good!! Will be making it again!!
Mike Smith says
Hallo Nicky
Chicken Jalfrezi - questions:
Cooking for two only. Do I half the 4 spices for the marinade?
Similarly, using the slow cooker do I half the spices here also?
My wife likes curry but has digestion problems: can I leave out the chillies without altering the dish substantially?
If I use lamb - how long do I cook it for in the slow cooker?
Many thanks
Mike
Gareth Towers says
Amazing recipe!!!! Simple to make and not overly complicated. The end result will tantalise the tongue!!! Taste is 5 star!!!
Simply a must try!
😊 Thanks
Hayley says
I haven’t made this recipe yet but I was just wondering... i would be cooking for 6 or 7 people so if I was to add more chicken would I also need to add more spice etc? I’m always unsure if it would change the taste
Ray mok says
Yes double it. I use 1 kg chicken breast and double the spice, but don’t think it is too salty or spicy.
Vanessa says
Really lovely family meal, it was so popular last weekend it’s been requested again this weekend even by my fussy kids! Would personally add salt to the rice recipe.