Achari flavour is something which most of us get excited when we hear it as we all love pickles much; Indian Thali is never completed without pickles. But when the dish itself is full of achari essence, we find it more fascinating and, of course, scrumptious.
This easy, fuss-free achari chicken recipe requires one pot and takes less than 40 minutes to make. A handful of ingredients we have in our kitchen pantry combine to give a unique and rich course, giving your spread a higher score. Chicken Achari will always be a win-win dish whether it is a weekend or any occasion menu. Chicken Achari recipe is a curry using spices for making pickles ( achar). This curry is zesty, tangy and has a strong pickle flavour.
Table of Contents
1. About the recipe
2. Ingredients
3. Step-by-step method
4. Tips
1. About the recipe
Chicken Achari or Achari Murgh is a bold and spicy chicken curry made with Indian pickling spices. This Curry uses an unbelievably flavourful combination of spices such as Fennel, Nigella, and Fenugreek seeds for a warm, rich, pickled-flavoured curry with a smoky aroma. The chicken achari curry has a unique creamy texture from the yoghurt and tomato puree. And it has an amazing fragrance from the whole-pickled spices. Chicken Achari is a flexible dish that pairs best with any kind of Poori, Roti or Paratha.
The weekend is approaching, so add this Chicken Achari to your menu, giving chatpata surprise to your near and dear ones.
Let’s Start Cooking!
Serving Suggestion : 3 to 4
Preparation time: 5 to 7 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
2. Ingredients
- 500gm chicken( with bone or boneless)
- 4 tomatoes pureed or readymade tomato puree
- 100 gm yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds( saunf)
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds( kalaunji or mangrela)
- 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds ( methi)
- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds ( dhaniya)
- 1 tablespoon of crushed red chilli
- 2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon of coriander powder
- 1/2/teaspoon garam masala powder
- 75 ml oil ( mustard oil or any refined oil)
- 2 to 3 green chillies
- 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder or lemon juice.
- Salt
ACHARI MASALA
3. Step by Step method
- Heat oil in a deep pan or kadhai and put all the chicken pieces.
- Now add dry pickled spices (crushed coriander seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds and amchur powder ) and dry spices(red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder ).
- Add tomato puree, yoghurt, salt and ginger garlic paste. Mix all the ingredients.
- For 2 to 3 minutes, cook chicken on high flame, then cook on low flame. After 15 to 20 minutes, you will notice that the oil is separating from the gravy.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of yoghurt with crushed coriander seeds, red chilli, nigella seeds, fennel seeds and amchur powder. Mix all the spices in the yoghurt.
- Slit 2 to 3 green chilli, stuff it with the reserved mixture and add to the dish. If you don’t have amchur powder, lemon juice can be used.
- Cover and cook for another 7 minutes.
- Your Achari chicken is ready to eat. Garnish with fresh coriander and Serve with Paratha, naan, tandoori roti or chapati.
4. Tips
- Achari chicken is typically made with smaller curry-cut pieces. Chicken Achari is typically made with curry cut pieces.
- In this dish, I am using Kashmiri red chilli powder for a dark red colour; you can use normal red chilli powder for more spiciness.
- Yoghurt should be fresh, not sour.
- Try to have it closer to room temperature to prevent yoghurt from curdling.
- Use red and ripe tomatoes, which will give the curry a nice colour. Store-bought tomato paste can also be used.
- Simmering the gravy for the final few minutes takes the curry to the next level.
