chicken recipes – Recipes for the regular homecook

Chicken with Bamboo Shoot(Dry) | Khorisa dia Murgir Mangso

Authentic Assamese dishes are my all-time favourite because they remind me of my roots and my home. Having a knick for experimenting with food and an undying love for home cooked meals, I do have my versions of several of my favourite authentic dishes; one of these dreamy experiments is this righteous Khorisa dia Murgir Mangso or Chicken with Bamboo Shoot recipe. This is a spicy, flavourful and extremely delicious dry chicken dish (which can easily be curried) made with minimal spices and a very flavourful variety of bamboo, constituting for a perfect dinner for the days you’re missing home a little too much. Once you try it with hot roti, naan or a piping hot bowl of steamed rice, there’s no going back; you will absolutely fall in love with everything about it.

I understand how trying bamboo can be new and slightly scary for many of us. However, I am going to make sure that all these doubts disappear after you finish reading this and making this dish for yourself; just stay with me here.

What is Bamboo Shoot?

Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible parts of the many different species of bamboo plants. These are used as vegetables in several Asian recipes, basically constituting a unique powerful and pungent flavour to the curries and broths, upping your overall curry game.

Bamboo shoots are edible when they’re young as they tend to harden as they mature. Monsoon is just round the corner and it is the best time to get your hands on some perfect tender bamboo shoots, however nowadays you can easily find bamboo in grocery stores any time of the year. Tender bamboo shoots that are collected, are defoliated, soaked in water for 2-3 days, then are boiled in water to remove its bitter taste after which it is ready for consumption, to go into a dish. The water used to cook fresh bamboo is discarded as it tastes bitter & unpleasant. These tender fresh bamboo shoots are then used in cooking. But again, you can find defoliated toxin free bamboos in stores easily these days, boil it and it’s good to go!

Ingredients in this Chicken With Bamboo Shoot

The ingredients of this recipe are so minimal; it’s almost unbelievable how it turns out to be so flavourful and fragrant. You can get almost everything at home, even bamboo shoots if you’re lucky, but what’s one quick trip to the grocery store in exchange of a wholesome comfort meal? Now, let’s look at the heroes, i.e. key ingredients:

Khorisa or Bamboo Shoot

As the name suggests, Bamboo Shoot is the star of this dish, a powerful and pungent ingredient responsible for elevating several Asian dishes. In this recipe I use Khorisa, which is an ethnic fermented bamboo shoot product of Assam. It is generally made from young edible bamboo shoots of Bambusa balcooa ( Bholuka Bah) and Dendrocalamus hamiltoni (Kako/Pecha Bah).

These are fermented and after discarding the excess water and can then be stored in jars for almost a year and is known as poka Khorisa. The fermentation adds up to the pungent and strong sour flavour making it a beautiful addition to spicy curries. It can be dried in the sun to make Hukan Khorisa, used in curries and recipes like this one or be simply mixed with some mustard oil, chillies and salt to make pickles.

Chicken

For the chicken in this recipe, I have used a whole chicken in curry cut. You can make this with any kind of cut you prefer, even boneless. Because this is a traditional recipe usually made with local chicken varieties, making it with bones helps give more flavour to the recipe.

Mustard oil

The fat we use to cook our dishes makes a huge difference to the overall taste of it. Mustard oil is a strong, bitter oil slightly tending towards the hotter side of the spectrum. It enhances the flavour of curries and is the base of majority of authentic desi cuisines. Mustard oil with bamboo shoots is an absolute fool proof combination, be in curries or pickles.

Dry Spices

You need the most basic off the shelf spices that are found in all Indian kitchens like turmeric, coriander, salt and pepper. The taste would enhance if these spices are lightly roasted and freshly ground at home. Store bought spices do not lend the flavours fresh spices do.

Let’s take a look at the recipe:

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 45 minutes

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

3 tbsp mustard oil
2 cups finely sliced onions
1 tbsp fresh ginger paste
2 green chillies, slit in half (add more if you want it spicy)
2 tsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
500 g chicken, curry cut
1 cup bamboo shoot, finely sliced or chopped
1 cup hot water
1/2 tsp garam masala [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Heat some mustard oil in a deep pan.
Add the sliced red onions and is cook it in two phases. Phase 1- Till the onions turn translucent. Phase 2- Till the onions completely turn brown.
Once the onions are completely brown, add in the ginger paste, the slit chillies and the garlic paste. Mix well and cook till the raw smell of garlic is gone.
At this point add in the salt and turmeric and cook for a few minutes.
Now add the rest of the dry spices- coriander and black pepper powder, and cook for another few minutes.
Add a splash of water to help the spices cook better and homogenise in the mixture.
Now, add in the chicken and cook it on high flame, stirring every so often.
Once the chicken in almost half cooked, add in the bamboo shoot and mix.
Add in the hot water. I am adding 1 cup for this recipe as it is a dry variation, however you can adjust the quantity of water depending on how much gravy you’d like.
Cover and cook on low flame for 20 minutes.
Take off the lid and give it one last mix before serving it hot with some plain roti, naan or steamed rice. [/directions]

This is one of my favourite comfort meals and you should definitely try it if you’re new to bamboo or just craving a hot plate of filling wholesome meal.

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Tomato Chicken Curry | Dinner Recipes

There are certain kinds of recipes that stay your favorite all life. They evoke memories, take you back to happier times and definitely make your meal special. This simple chicken curry holds that kind of significance for me.

It is one of the most comforting recipes that I love whipping up every now and then in my kitchen. This recipe is easy, takes a little bit of patience, and comes together as a gorgeous combination with rice and parathas. Just like everyone has their own version of homemade chicken curry, this one is mine. And it never disappoints!

The main difference in this chicken curry comes from everything being used in its paste form. This mainly means that you have to cook the onion and tomato paste for a tad longer than usual, making sure it is cooked through to make way for a rich gravy. And it tastes best that way. The highlight, of course, is the fresh tomatoes which add lots of flavor, texture, and color to the chicken gravy.

The curd or yogurt is also a common man’s addition to make any gravy taste and look royal. I have used curd here as well, the thickest kind you can find around you. Please do not opt for “slim” or “toned” versions of dairy, because full fat is what we need!

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 40 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

1 kg of chicken
4 tbsp mustard oil
3 medium onions, ground to a paste
4 medium tomatoes, ground to a paste
1 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
100 g thick curd
1 tsp garam masala
500 ml hot water
2 green chilies
Chopped coriander for garnish
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces with a kitchen towel. Set aside.
Heat mustard oil in a pan. Once it starts smoking and turns into a pale yellow color add the onion paste. Saute for about eight minutes on medium flame till the raw aroma of the onion disappears and the water from it evaporates.
Add the fresh ginger garlic paste to the onions and saute for two to three minutes.
Once the onions and ginger garlic cooks, add the fresh tomato paste. Saute this till all the water from the tomato reduces and a thick paste gets formed. This step is absolutely crucial otherwise you will have a curry with raw tomato smell.
Season with salt, cumin powder (jeera), black pepper powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder. Mix well till the spices completely assimilate with the rest of the ingredients in the masala.
Once the tomato forms a thick paste and is completely cooked, add the chicken pieces. Saute the chicken pieces gently mixing it into the tomato and onion masala. Make sure every part of the chicken gets assimilated well with the masala. Stir for five to seven minutes till chicken starts to cook.
Pour in hot water into the masala and stir well. Cover and cook this on a medium flame for twenty minutes.
Take the lid off and check if the consistency of the gravy is at your desired level. Based on the consistency you want, you can let the curry simmer for more or less time.
Add garam masala and fresh coriander leaves for garnish. Serve hot with rice, pulao or flaky parathas! [/directions]

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Happy cooking!

Chicken Pulao

Indian pulaos are one-pot dishes that combine wholesome flavours and spices to create magical tastes. The predominant ingredient in most pulaos is the garam masala. The most basic garam masala is a spice made by grinding dry-roasted cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.

This chicken pulao recipe is a quick fix for those special cravings. It is a one-pot recipe and comes out beautifully in about 40 minutes. It can be had as a meal in itself.

This recipe is very special to me because it was an essential part of my childhood. Pulao used to be served with chicken or mutton curry in birthday parties or to the guests. Although my family never really made chicken pulao, the fundamental ways to cook any pulao remains the same. Chicken pulao is something I have been making for myself and my loved ones over the years, and it has always remained a favourite.

The rice in this pulao can be any fragrant one. I prefer using broken rice for pulao, as it gives the entire meal a different flavor. Here, I have used good quality Basmati rice. The quality of the rice should be of supreme concern in this meal.

I mostly make chicken pulao with joha rice. Joha rice is a variety of rice grown in India and is notable for its aromatic and excellent taste. My home state, Assam, is the largest cultivator of this rice, and hence I am very particular about using it in most of my recipes involving rice. But you can go ahead and use high quality and aromatic broken basmati too.

I like my pulao to have a little sweetness since that is how I have eaten it throughout my life. There is a delicate hint of sugar and part of the flavor also comes from some dry fruits that this dish includes. Another important tip that I would like to share is to always use fresh ingredients. For example, the ginger garlic paste should be freshly ground. The only ready-made spice that I have used here is the meat masala.

Even though this recipe is made in a pressure cooker, you can also go ahead and make it this way. If the rice is soaked for some time, it takes lesser time to cook.

Making Perfectly Fluffy Rice

Soaking

For this pulao, find yourself the best quality long grained basmati rice. Wash the rice thoroughly with water till its clear. Next, soak it for exactly 30 minutes in room temperature water. After that, strain the water and keep the rice as dry as possible. I used a sieve to release the water and keep it undisturbed. Do not soak for more than 30 minutes as the rice will become too wet and will cook very fast, and end up sticking to each other. Soaking for longer duration might also break the rice. Soaking is an essential pre-requisite to get the perfectly fluffy rice that you see in this egg pulao.

Correct water quantities

Next is the perfect amount of water for the rice to cook. I have added the exact measurements for this recipe, but the usual and easy rule to follow is – For every cup of rice that you use, use half cup more water than that. For example, if you use 1 cup of rice, use 1.5 cups of water. If you use 2 cups of rice, use 2.5 cups of water. And the water should always be hot if you’re making the rice in a pot. Otherwise, the temperature difference might ruin the rice. This rule applies only if you soak the rice for 30 minutes before cooking it.

Low flame and rest

Lastly, perfectly fluffy rice is always cooked in low flame. If you’re making rice in a pot, make sure you cover and cook it in the lowest flame possible. And once its done, do not serve immediately. Turn off the gas and let it rest for another 10-15 minutes. This will give the perfect edge to the rice and make it bloom to its best ability.

Here is the recipe for my version of a Chicken pulao. Every step brings out a different flavour and uniqueness. I hope you enjoy it.

Preparation time – 30 minutes

Cook time – 60 minutes

Serves – 4-5 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the chicken marination:

1 kg chicken (curry cut)
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

For the rice

500 g biryani rice
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ghee
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
2 bay leaves
20 raisins
15 cashews
1 green chilli, slit in half
2 cups finely sliced onions
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp sugar [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Wash the rice thoroughly under running water till all excess starch is drained. Soak in water for 30 minutes.
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel. Rub the chicken pieces with salt and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix really well and marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pot. Add the ghee. Temper with all the whole spices – cinnamon stick, cardamom, clove and bay leaves.
Add the raisins and the cashews and fry it on low heat for just a few seconds, making sure they don’t burn.
Add the onions and green chilli and fry on medium heat for 7-10 minutes till they turn translucent and start to brown.
Add sugar at this point. Sugar will help the onions caramelise and also add a beautiful brown colour to them.
Once the sugar is mixed, add the marinated chicken. Mix well for 10 minutes on medium flame.
Cover and cook the chicken on low flame for 20 minutes.
Take lid off and five one good mix. Season with salt, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well.
Once done, add the soaked rice and mix everything gently so that rice grains remain intact.
Pour hot water and mix. Add garam masala and stir it into the rice.
Cover and cook on low flame for 1-20 minutes till rice is cooked.
Take off flame and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Serve hot with salad and raita. [/directions]

I hope you try this delicious chicken pulao super soon! If you have any doubts, comments, or feedback, please reach out to me in comments or my social media handles.

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Happy cooking!

Chicken Dak Bungalow

As a true Assamese, my favorite thing to have in any curry is potatoes! Fellow Assamese people will understand what I mean. And Bengali food also uses potato in all its glory, which is why it is one of my favorite cuisines as well. But chicken dak bungalow is all the more special because it has chicken, potatoes and eggs, all in one curry! Sounds like an Eastern dream to me.

Do not get intimidated by the name here. Chicken Dak Bungalow is a heritage recipe from the British era. Dak bungalows refer to the rest houses in the British era that were used to host government officials and other travelers. During these visits, the khansama or the steward would make delicious food using local ingredients for the guests using meat and other vegetables.

As for my story, I was used to having it at some of my favorite restaurants serving Bengali food. That helped me explore more about this dish and make it for myself at home. It is a simple chicken curry at the end of the day to be very honest. But the key to a delicious chicken dak bungalow lies in its marination. And before I go ahead and share it. I would clearly like to state that this is my own version that I have come to develop from my own understanding of this recipe and my own limited knowledge of food. All I can be sure of is that it is one tasty curry!

Here’s a look at the ingredients and procedure.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30-40 minutes

Serves – 4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For the marination:

Chicken, 1 kg
Thick curd, 150 g
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tbsp mustard oil

For the curry:

1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 hard-boiled eggs
2 potatoes, cut in four cubes each
4 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 cup hot water
2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Make sure they are dry before you marinate.
In a bowl, add curd, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger paste, garlic paste and mustard oil with the chicken pieces. Use your hands to mix it all well, ensuring each chicken piece is thoroughly layered with the curd mix.
Cover with a plastic sheet and marinate for at least three hours. Overnight marination works best, but do not marinate for more than ten to twelve hours, otherwise, the chicken might get too soft.
Heat mustard oil in a wok. Add salt and sugar to the oil and give it a light stir. Fry the boiled eggs and potatoes on medium heat till they turn golden. Set aside for later.
In the same kadhai, add some more mustard oil. Once it gets hot and starts to smoke add the onions. Saute for five to eight minutes on medium heat till onions get translucent and brown.
Once the onions are fried well, add the marinated chicken to the kadhai. Gently stir everything together. Continue this till everything comes together really well.
Let the chicken start cooking in its own juices for about ten minutes. Keep the flame on medium and keep stirring from time to time. Ensure the chicken does not stick to the kadhai. Add a little hot water if required.
Once the chicken is cooked halfway, add the fried potatoes to it. Add hot water, cover and cook on medium heat for ten more minutes till the potatoes and chicken are done.
Reach your desired consistency and add the boiled eggs. Serve hot with rice or pulao. [/directions]

I hope you do try this simple, mouth-watering chicken dak bungalow recipe. It is a perfect option for guests coming over, or if you want to whip up a feast for your family on a special occasion (or just a Sunday).

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Perfectly Sweet, Spicy and STICKY Orange Chicken

It is the season of oranges! I can see them everywhere right now and they are just so delicious and beautiful. I am a big fan of oranges. One of my favorite things to do is to chew on some fresh oranges in the winter sun. Beautiful!

In Delhi, we get a lot of the kinnow variety of orange. Also known as Mandarin, this orange is bright, softer, super sweet and very juicy. I have used freshly squeezed kinnow juice in this recipe. You can use any variety available locally near you.

This orange chicken is one of my favorites. Super simple to make and very aromatic. The combination of brown sugar and orange juice makes for a sticky syrup, which adds a perfect glaze as well as taste to the orange chicken recipe. The chicken is shallow fried here. You can deep fry it as well if you want an extra crispy version.

Here’s a look at the ingredients and procedure.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30-40 minutes

Serves – 2-3 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

For marination:

Boneless chicken thighs cut into equal pieces, 500 g (make sure they have been patted dry)
Fresh ginger paste, 1.5 tsp
Fresh garlic paste, 1.5 tsp
Sesame oil, 1 tsp
Dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp
Cornflour, 30g
Salt to taste

For the recipe:

Vegetable oil, 4 tbsp
2 green chilies, finely chopped
3 medium onions, finely chopped
Brown sugar, 1 tsp
Crushed garlic, 1 tsp
Crushed ginger, 1 tsp
1 medium capsicum, cut in cubes
Black pepper powder, 1 tsp
Salt to taste
150 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp dark soy sauce
Chopped spring onion greens for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Mix the boneless chicken thighs with ginger paste, garlic paste, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, cornflour, and salt. Marinate this for 20 minutes.
Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok. Shallow fry the marinated chicken in batches, till they are crispy from all sides. Set aside.
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in another wok. Add the chopped green chilies, followed by the chopped onions. Saute for a minute.
Add the brown sugar and mix well. Saute for another two minutes till onions turn translucent.
Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Cook this till the raw aroma of the ginger and garlic disappears.
Once the onions merge well with the ginger and garlic, add the chopped capsicum. Cook this for another minute.
Season with salt and black pepper powder. Stir well.
Pour in the freshly squeezed orange juice. Cook till it reduces by half.
Wait for the orange juice to turn into a sticky and thick sauce. Add the fried chicken to the mixture.
Gently mix the fried chicken with the rest of the ingredients.
Drizzle in some dark soy sauce and stir well till the color changes to a darker version of the original.
Take the wok off from heat.
Garnish with spring onion greens, sesame seeds, and orange zest.
Serve hot with plain rice or fried rice. Enjoy! [/directions]

I hope you do try this simple, mouth-watering recipe.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me with a comment or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook.

Happy cooking!

Chicken With Poppy Seeds and Cashew | Chicken Recipes

Poppy seeds or khus khus is an oilseed obtained from poppy. It is used extensively in Bengali and Assamese cuisine, and I have been quite familiar with it since my childhood. It is what we also call posto in Bengali cuisine.

While I love alu posto and potol posto, I also like the usage of poppy seed paste in chicken curry. This chicken curry recipe with poppy seeds and nigella seeds is creamy, luxuriously thick and extremely delicious.

It goes very well with parathas, roti or rice. I like mine in a semi gravy but you can get the consistency as per your preference.

chicken recipes — Chicken with poppy seeds and cashew

Before you make this recipe, make sure you soak the poppy seeds in lukewarm water for at least 3-4 hours. This step is essential to get a thick paste when you grind the seeds.

You also need to soak 6-7 cashews in water for about the same time before grinding it into a fine paste with some water.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 50-60 minutes

Serves – 4

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

1 kg chicken
1 bay leaf
50 g poppy seeds
2 medium onions, ground to a paste
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
6-7 cashews, ground to a paste
2 green chilies
20 g ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
3 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp meat masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
500 ml water
1 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Soak the poppy seeds in lukewarm water for three to four hours. Drain them and put it in a grinder. Add the green chilies to it with one tablespoon of water. Grind it to a thick paste.
Heat mustard oil in a kadhai. Allow it to come to a smoking point. Add a bay leaf and nigella seeds at this time.
Make a fine paste with the onions and add it to the mustard oil at this time. Stir for two to three minutes till onions start to get translucent.
Time to add the ginger garlic paste. Stir all the ingredients together in the kadhai till the raw aroma of it dissipates.
Once the onions are cooked, add the tomatoes and stir till tomato starts releasing its own water to form a thick gravy. This would take about ten more minutes.
If the mixture gets stuck to the kadhai, add just a dash of water to prevent it from happening.
Season with salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric powder, and meat masala. Mix well for another minute.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the chicken pieces. Fry the chicken in the tomato and onion paste for about fifteen minutes till they start to brown and all the water gets released. Make sure the chicken pieces are clean and dry, otherwise there will be too much water.
Once the chicken is semi-cooked, add the poppy seeds paste and cashew paste, and mix well. Make sure every piece of the chicken gets coated in this thick masala. Be gentle with the stirring so that you do not break any meat.
Keep stirring at regular intervals for another five minutes. Add water, cover and cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat. This is an essential step to ensure the chicken gets super soft.
Take the lid off and check the chicken. It will be done by this time. As the last step, sprinkle some garam masala on top and give it one last stir.
Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander leaves and green chili.
Serve hot with parathas or roti. [/directions]

Related recipe – Kasturi Chicken

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Happy cooking!

Thai Basil Chicken

My love for Thai cuisine has only grown recently. I was completely unaware of how amazing Thai food is until I actually started trying it out a lot at restaurants and Thailand itself. And man was I blown away!

The best part about Thai cuisine according to me is its freshness and the use of seasonal produce. There is way too much variety, be it for vegetables, herbs or fruits. Thailand is one place where I would even love to live for a while and learn about their cuisine from the local people. Any sponsors?

Why this Thai Basil Chicken?

This Thai basil chicken is an explosion of flavours in the mouth. It has all the elements that makes it a winner – sweetness, some fieriness to open your senses, crunch and colour. The use of just the right herbs and sauces make it taste like you’re eating at a professional pan-Asian restaurant. And it makes for a super doable weeknight meal. Here are some more reasons why you need to make this asap:

It is quick and super easy to make.
Tastes brilliant with some rice.
Ingredients can be found in any supermarket.
It makes for a wholesome meal.
It is healthy.
You can customize the flavors as per your wish.

A pleasant accident!

The background story to this chicken recipe is quite interesting. I had gone to my local farmer’s market on a whim and ended up buying a host of Thai spices and aromatics (along with other unplanned checks on my invisible food list). I was obviously craving for some Thai goodness in my mind. I came home and tried this stir-fry. I must say I was surprised by the results. It’s too good to be true kind of a chicken recipe!

What kind of basil can you use?

As the name suggests, basil is the star ingredient of this recipe. I absolutely love basil and do not leave any chance to use it in my food. Thai basil chicken is a very common dish in Thailand and found almost everywhere. Thai people usually make it with the holy basil (Indian tulsi) that grows abundantly over there. That is the traditional way of cooking it.

The holy basil is more pungent and sharp in its taste as compared to normal basil. But you can also use Italian basil, and the taste is still marvelous. I personally prefer Italian basil over the Thai basil.

Few techniques to keep in mind

Preparing the minced chicken

As you can see from the pictures, this recipe used chicken in its minced form. I have minced it myself because that way I know it is as fresh as it can get. Don’t fret already, it’s very simple!

All you have to do is take a chef’s knife and beat the boneless chicken breast till it flattens out. Then you need to mince the breast into tiny pieces by breaking it using vertical force with your knife. It is then cooked with Thai spices and aromatics, basil and kaffir lime being the best addition. Note them all down and surprise yourself with this amazing chicken recipe.

Adding the herbs

This recipe required the addition of two herbs – Kaffir lime leaves and basil leaves. The time of adding both these herbs will vary in the recipe. The addition of Kaffir lime leaves is before the basil leaves as it is a sturdy leaf that does not wilt. And the more you cook it, the more it releases its flavor. So the Kaffir lime leaves can be added to the chicken once it’s half cooked.

The basil leaves, on the other hand, are very tender. So they need to be added right at the end after switching off the flame. This ensures that their freshness is intact and you do not get a recipe with wilted leaves.

Use of chili

Over here, I have used just a bit of Naga chili or bhoot jolokia, which is also the hottest chili in the world. But you can add any chili you like. Just make sure it’s hot as this recipe tastes good when spicy. But again, that is also up to your taste. The traditional recipe uses bird’s eye chili, which a super hot Thai chili.

The Recipe

Preparation time – 15 minutes

Cooking time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

500 g minced chicken
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
150 ml chicken stock
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
7-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Thai green bird’s eye chilies, finely chopped
100 g green beans
2 fresh Kaffir lime leaves
50 g basil leaves, finely chopped
1/2 naga chili (bhoot Jolokia)
Salt to taste [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

Make the Thai sauce first. In a bowl/cup, mix the following and stir well – oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and chicken stock. This is the sauce we will use for cooking, and is the highlight of the flavors.
Heat cooking oil in a wok. You can also use sesame oil for extra punch. Add the minced chicken breast and fry it in the oil till it disintegrates completely.
Cook the minced chicken for about five minutes, till the water from the chicken evaporates. Add the onion, garlic, and chopped chilies to the same wok and fry till onions become translucent. You can use any kind of chilies here in case you do not have bird’s eye chili.
Add the green beans to this mix and stir until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Season with salt.
Pour in the sauce into the chicken and cook until the meat soaks in the goodness of the liquid. Make sure it does not become too dry.
Roughly chop two fresh Kaffir lime leaves and add to the chicken and give it a slight mix.
Turn the gas off and add the chopped basil to the chicken. Keep stirring till the basil turns into a beautiful dark green color.
Add some Bhoot Jolokia or Naga chili in the end, if you like it extra spicy like me.
Serve with white rice.

[/directions]

I hope you try this recipe out. I have been getting a lot of engagement from the video that I posted on my Instagram and Facebook page. I honestly love this Tha basil chicken recipe and it is so easy to pull it off. You can also make it with pork. Vegetarians can try the same with vegetables or tofu. And you will feel like you are at a great Thai restaurant.

I am all about quick and tasty dinners. And this, my friends, is the ultimate of all minced chicken recipes that are going to fill you up with comfort and happiness. Do let me know how you like it. Happy cooking! Here’s the video. Do subscribe to my YouTube channel for all my videos.

Related recipe – Street-style Pad Thai Noodles

Pepper Chicken

This pepper chicken recipe is extremely quick and perfect for those days when you just do not have the time or energy to make an elaborate meal. I have made this with boneless chicken breast, which reduces its cook time by almost 30 minutes. Feel free to use chicken with bones if you enjoy that more, but that will take longer to cook.

Going by its name, the hero ingredient of this recipe is lots of pepper. Now, the main thing to consider here is to use fresh peppercorns, as opposed to the black pepper powder directly from the store. Using fresh pepper will give you a much sharper taste, packed with flavor and the health benefits that pepper offers. This recipe also works wonders if you have a cold or are feeling under the weather.

Like all my other recipes, this recipe is packed with flavor and taste but does not take too much time or effort. The number of ingredients is also very limited.

Here’s a look at the ingredients and procedure.

Preparation time – 20 minutes

Cook time – 30 minutes

Serves – 3-4 people

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

500 g boneless chicken
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp oil
15 g black peppercorns
10 g ginger
10 g garlic
2 green chilies
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 tsp mustard seeds
A handful of fresh green curry leaves
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fennel powder
250 ml water
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

This recipe is a dry version. It is made in two steps. The first step is making the masala for the curry with a few basic vegetables and spices. The second step is mixing the chicken with this curry paste to make the final dish.

For the paste:

Heat oil in a pan.
Add the peppercorns, chopped ginger, garlic, onion, chilies, and tomato.
Cook this for about five minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a grinder and grind it all to form a fine paste. This is the paste we will use in the next step to cook the chicken.

For the curry:

In a kadhai, heat ghee. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Do not burn the seeds, keep the flame on medium heat.
Add the fresh curry leaves to the ghee and give it a stir with the already spluttered mustard seeds.
Add the boneless chicken pieces and cook for about ten minutes. Keep stirring so that the chicken does not stick.
Once the chicken releases all its water, add the pepper and tomato paste. Cook this till the raw aroma disappears and the chicken cooks in the paste completely.
Season with salt, cumin powder, fennel powder, and turmeric powder.
Cover and cook for another ten minutes. Add water as per the consistency that you want.
Remove cover and garnish the chicken with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
Serve hot with plain rice, pulao or parathas. [/directions]

The total time taken for this recipe is 30 minutes. It is a burst of flavors in the mouth, be it the fieriness of the fresh pepper, the creaminess of the tomato, the unique scent of the curry leaves or the heat of the green chilies.

Want the recipe on the go? Download the image below and save it for later use! 😀

Do try it and I am sure you will not be disappointed. And for more such delightful food, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Soaking

Correct water quantities

Low flame and rest

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