Chicken Curry: Authentic Indian Recipes, Techniques, and Common Mistakes
When you think of chicken curry, a spiced, saucy dish made with chicken, onions, tomatoes, and a blend of Indian spices. Also known as chicken masala, it’s one of the most requested dishes in Indian homes and restaurants worldwide. But here’s the thing—there’s no single recipe. In Kerala, it’s coconut milk and curry leaves. In Punjab, it’s butter and cream. In Bengal, it’s mustard oil and a hint of sugar. What ties them together isn’t the ingredients—it’s the technique: slow-cooked spices, layered flavors, and meat that falls off the bone.
Many people confuse chicken curry, a broad category of spiced chicken dishes with gravy. Also known as chicken masala, it with tikka masala, a creamy, tomato-based dish with grilled chicken pieces. Also known as butter chicken, it. Tikka masala starts with tandoor-grilled chicken, then gets bathed in a rich, smooth sauce. Chicken curry? The chicken simmers right in the sauce from the start. One’s a finish, the other’s a foundation. And if you’re using store-bought curry powder? You’re missing the point. Indian home cooks toast whole spices—cumin, coriander, cardamom—then grind them fresh. That’s where the depth comes from.
Yogurt is another secret. It tenderizes the chicken, balances the heat, and helps the spices stick. But rinsing it off before cooking? Big mistake. That yogurt is your flavor carrier. And don’t overcook it. Chicken curry isn’t stew. Simmer until the oil separates—that’s when the spices bloom and the sauce thickens naturally. Too much water? You’ll end up with soup. Too little? Burnt spices and bitter taste.
What you’ll find below isn’t just recipes. It’s the real talk from Indian kitchens—how to fix watery curry, why some versions are red and others are golden, what to serve with it, and which dishes actually aren’t curry at all. You’ll learn why butter chicken isn’t curry, how tandoori chicken gets its char, and what makes a curry healthy without cream. These aren’t generic tips. They’re the tricks passed down in homes across India. Ready to cook like someone who’s been stirring pots for generations?
