Hyderabadi Wedding-Style Red Chicken Curry (Shaadi Wala Chicken)

Ingredients

• 12 Cashews (10-15 cashews for the nut paste)
• 10 Almonds (For the nut paste)
• 3 tbsp Desiccated coconut (For the nut paste)
• Water (As needed for blending paste)
• 500 g Bone-in chicken (Cut into curry pieces)
• 0.5 cup Thick curd (Yogurt)
• 1.5 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 3 Green chilies (Slit)
• 1 cup Browned onions (Made from 2 large onions, thinly sliced and air-fried or microwaved until golden)
• handful Mint leaves (Fresh)
• handful Coriander leaves (Fresh, for marinade)
• 1 tbsp Green chili sauce
• 1 tbsp Red chili sauce
• 2 tsp Dark soy sauce
• 0.25 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2.5 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (Adjust according to spice preference; used primarily for color)
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• Salt (To taste)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tsp Ghee (For marinade)
• 1 tbsp Neutral oil (For cooking)
• few Curry leaves
• 2 tsp Fresh cream (For finishing)
• Chopped coriander leaves (For garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the nut paste: Place the cashews, almonds, and desiccated coconut into a blender. Add a small amount of water and blend until a completely smooth, thick paste forms.

2. 2

   Prepare the browned onions if not already available: Thinly slice 2 large onions. Toss them with a few drops of oil. Either microwave on high for 10-12 minutes (stirring every 2 minutes) until golden, or air fry at 180°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes until browned and crispy.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the prepared nut paste with the curd, ginger-garlic paste, slit green chilies, browned onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chili sauce, red chili sauce, dark soy sauce, turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and ghee.

4. 4

   Add the bone-in chicken pieces to the bowl and coat thoroughly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight for the best flavor development.

5. 5

   Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and let them crackle until fragrant.

6. 6

   Transfer the entire contents of the marinade bowl (chicken and all sauce) into the pan. Do not add extra water. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.

7. 7

   Cook on low-medium heat for 40-45 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the nut-based masala does not stick to the bottom or burn. The chicken will release its own juices to form the gravy.

8. 8

   Once the oil separates from the masala, the gravy turns a deep, dark red, and the chicken is tender (almost falling off the bone), stir in the fresh cream and chopped coriander leaves. Switch off the heat.

9. 9

   Let the curry rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to settle and the color to deepen further.

Notes

This curry tastes even better after resting for 1-2 hours or when reheated the next day, as the masala settles and deepens beautifully. Serve with soft roti, naan, or steamed rice.

Nutrition per serving

• Main Course
• Indian
• Hyderabadi
• Chicken Curry
• High Protein
• Slow Cooked
• Comfort Food
• Wedding Style