Hyderabadi Shadi-Style Achari Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken pieces (Cut into pieces; edible raw weight)
• 0.5 cup Thick yogurt (Curd)
• 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1.5 tbsp Red chili powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice (For the marinade)
• 1 tsp Vinegar
• Red food coloring (A pinch)
• 2 tbsp Achari masala (Use the homemade masala below)
• 1 tbsp Red chili sauce
• 1 tbsp Green chili sauce
• 0.5 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Black pepper powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• Curry leaves (A handful for the marinade, plus more for tempering)
• Cilantro (A handful, chopped)
• Lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon; added to the marinade as written)
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds (For achari masala)
• 0.5 tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi; for achari masala)
• 0.5 tsp Kalonji (Nigella seeds; for achari masala)
• 3 Dried red chilies (For achari masala)
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds (For achari masala)
• 2 tbsp Oil (For cooking the marinated chicken)
• 0.5 cup Water (Added to the cooking pan)
• Garlic cloves (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Oil (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Mustard seeds (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Cumin seeds (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Fenugreek seeds (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Curry leaves (For tempering; amount not specified)
• Dried red chilies (A few, for tempering)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the achari masala by combining the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji, dried red chilies, and coriander seeds. Grind or crush them into a coarse spice mixture.

2. 2

   Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, lemon juice, vinegar, red food coloring, achari masala, chili sauces, soy sauce, curry leaves, chopped cilantro, and the additional juice of half a lemon specified in the ingredient list.

3. 3

   Mix thoroughly until every piece of chicken is evenly coated. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour; for deeper flavor, refrigerate for 4–6 hours.

4. 4

   Transfer the marinated chicken to a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and ½ cup water.

5. 5

   Cook the chicken over low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. The gravy should thicken and the oil should begin to separate at the edges.

6. 6

   Add the black pepper powder and garam masala, followed by curry leaves and chopped cilantro. Stir carefully so the chicken remains intact.

7. 7

   Simmer for another 5–7 minutes, allowing the spices and herbs to flavor the chicken. Check that the thickest pieces reach at least 165°F / 74°C internally.

8. 8

   For the tempering, heat some oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and a few dried red chilies.

9. 9

   Let the tempering cook until the seeds crackle and the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, taking care not to burn the spices.

10. 10

    Pour the hot tempering over the cooked achari chicken. Serve immediately, spooning the spiced gravy and tempering over each portion.

Notes

The post lists lemon juice twice in the marinade instructions, so both listed amounts are retained. The quantities for the finishing tempering are not specified; add them to taste. Serve with rice, naan, or roti.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• South Asian
• Hyderabadi
• spicy
• chicken
• gluten-free
• marinated
• stovetop