Achari Chicken Curry Recipe Whiskaffair

on Jan 11, 2021, Updated Nov 29, 2023 Here are some more chicken curry recipes that you may like: Coconut Curry Chicken, Chicken Masala Curry, Kadai Chicken, and Chicken Angara. Sometimes, when unsure what to cook for meals, I stand before my pantry and try to get some inspiration. I am sure many of you must be using this strategy. On one such occasion, I found a bottle of my homemade achari masala powder and decided to use it to make something interesting. And that’s how this achari chicken was made. Imagine a chicken curry with spicy, tangy, and slightly bitter pickle-like flavors. It’s a whole package which you don’t want to miss!

About Achari Chicken Curry

Achar in Hindi means pickle. Achari Chicken Curry (Achari Murgh), as the name describes it well, is an aromatic, tangy, and flavorful North Indian curry with the delectable flavors of Indian pickling spices. Indian pickles are very different from their US cousins. They are loaded with spices and oil and pack a punch. The recipe uses spices, which are also used to make an achaar. The base of this curry is tomato and yogurt. I like to cook this curry in a pan over the stovetop, but you can also make it in an instant pot or a traditional pressure cooker. I make this recipe in my 3-quart instant pot or a large pan. If doubling the recipe, use a bigger (6-qt) instant pot or a bigger pan. The cooking time in the instant pot will remain the same, but it will slightly increase if you cook it in a pan. Like most Indian curries, this one also tastes the best the next day. So, try to plan to make it in advance. Chicken – I generally use skinless bone-in chicken to make curries, as the bones give the curry a lovely flavor. If you don’t like chicken with bones, you can also use boneless chicken breasts or thighs. The cooking time will be reduced as the boneless chicken pieces cook much faster than the bone-in pieces. Oil – This curry tastes best when made in mustard oil. You can use any cooking oil to make this curry if you don’t have mustard oil. Whole Spices – You will need some whole spices used to make achaar (pickle). These spices are fenugreek seeds (methi dana), fennel seeds (saunf), brown mustard seeds (sarson), cumin seeds (jeera), and nigella seeds (kalonji, onion seeds). When added to hot oil, these spices release earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter flavors. Do not overdo the spices; otherwise, the curry will become bitter. If you don’t have one or two spices, skip adding them. Achari Masala Powder – Achari Masala Powder is a spice mix used to make Indian pickles. You can make a big batch of this achari spice mix at home and keep using it in your recipes. You can also buy this masala if you are on a time crunch. Masala From Ready Pickle – In addition to the dry achari masala spice mix, I recommend adding some already prepared achaar masala from your mango pickle to enhance the taste of this curry. I have used the achaar masala from my Rajasthani aam ka achar recipe. You can use any homemade pickles, though. Store-bought pickles also work well. Yogurt (Dahi, Curd), Onions, and Tomato Paste make the curry base. You can also use canned tomato puree or homemade pureed tomatoes. Other Ingredients – You will also need ginger-garlic paste, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, all-purpose flour (maida), lime juice (or lemon juice), and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves). Adding some flour to the yogurt prevents it from curdling while cooking and makes the curry creamier. You can also add some cubed bell peppers to this curry. Add the following ingredients once the oil is hot, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.

¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ½ teaspoon fennel seeds ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ¼ teaspoon nigella seeds

Add 2 cups of thinly sliced onions and cook until they turn slightly brown (6-8 minutes). Stir frequently at regular intervals. Add 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste and cook until onions turn golden brown (4-5 minutes). Reduce the heat to low. Add the following ingredients and mix everything well.

¼ cup tomato paste (or ½ cup canned tomato puree or 1 cup homemade pureed tomatoes) 2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoon achari masala spice mix ½ cup of water

Cook for 4-5 mins, stirring frequently. Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and 1 cup yogurt whisked with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour to the pan and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and the oil separates on the sides of the pan. It will take 40-45 minutes for the chicken to cook perfectly. Stir a few times while cooking. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon of masala from the ready-made pickle. I generally use the masala from the ready mango pickle. Mix everything well. Check for salt and add more if needed. Chicken Achari is ready. Garnish the curry with chopped cilantro. I also like to garnish it with ginger juliennes and slit green chilies. Serve hot with phulka or steamed rice. Follow the steps until adding yogurt. Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the valve to the venting position. Use a kitchen cloth or a spoon to move the valve to avoid steam burn. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon of masala from the ready-made pickle. I generally use the masala from the ready mango pickle. Mix everything well. Check for salt and add more if needed. Instant Pot Achari Chicken is ready. Garnish the curry with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with phulka or steamed rice. Close the cooker’s lid and pressure cook the chicken for 2 whistles on high heat. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 tablespoon of masala from the ready-made pickle. I generally use the masala from the ready mango pickle. Mix everything well. Check for salt and add more if needed. Garnish achari chicken with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with phulka or steamed rice.