Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Spices
- 15 g ghee
- 50 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic, minced
- 5 g curry powder
Proteins & Base
- 150 g chicken breast, diced into 2cm cubes
- 100 g diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
- 60 g plain yogurt, full fat, room temperature
- 2 g salt
Garnish
- 5 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 487 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 911 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 104 mg
- Potassium
- 831 mg
- Calcium
- 143 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 74 mg
- Phosphorus
- 380 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 366 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.7 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.25 mg
- Niacin
- 15.2 mg
- Folate
- 23 mcg
- Water
- 204 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the ghee in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and curry powder. Cook until highly fragrant, constantly stirring with a spatula to prevent the spices from burning, about 1 minute.
Add the diced chicken breast to the skillet. Sear the chicken pieces on all sides until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Wash your hands, cutting board, and any utensils that touched the raw chicken immediately to prevent cross-contamination.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Remove the skillet from the heat entirely and let it rest for 2 minutes to drop the temperature. Gently stir in the room-temperature plain yogurt until a smooth, creamy sauce forms. Do not return the pan to the heat.
Transfer the curry to a serving bowl or plate over rice, and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.
Chef's Notes
- Using full-fat, whole milk yogurt is crucial as the higher fat content provides essential stability against curdling when introduced to warm sauces.
- Toasting the curry powder in fat during step 2 blooms the fat-soluble flavor compounds, unlocking a much deeper and more complex flavor profile than adding it directly to the liquid.
- Cutting the chicken into uniform, bite-sized pieces ensures even cooking and maximizes the surface area for the tangy yogurt sauce to cling to.
- If using canned diced tomatoes, adding a tiny pinch of sugar during the simmer can help neutralize any metallic acidity from the canning process.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Yogurt may separate slightly upon thawing but will remain safe to eat.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat. Do not boil, or the yogurt will curdle.
Troubleshooting
Yogurt curdled and separated into small white flecks in the sauce
Cause: The yogurt was added while the pan was still over active heat, or low-fat yogurt was used which lacks stabilizing fat.
Fix: Cannot be completely fixed, but stirring vigorously with a splash of warm water can partially re-emulsify the sauce.
Prevention: Always remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly before stirring in full-fat, room-temperature yogurt.
Chicken is dry and tough
Cause: The chicken pieces were cut too small or simmered for too long after reaching a safe internal temperature.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Cut chicken into uniform 2cm pieces and use a meat thermometer to ensure it does not cook past 74°C.
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from the homestyle chicken curries of Northern India, adapted for an accessible and rapid preparation. The combination of tomatoes and yogurt is a foundational base in many regional Indian gravies, providing both a bright tanginess and a velvety richness that masterfully balances robust spice blends.
