Ultimate Savory Chicken Phaal Recipe: Simple yet Flavorful!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of ghee
• Finely chopped 1 red onion
• Finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic
• Finely chopped 1 piece of fresh ginger (4 inches)
• 1 ½ pounds of chicken breast, skinless and boneless, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon of ground fennel seed
• 1 ¼ teaspoons of lal mirchi (ground Indian red chile pepper)
• 1 ¼ teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
• 14 teaspoons of ground fenugreek
• ¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons of water (divided)
• Finely chopped 5 fresh red jwala chiles (use gloves)
• Finely chopped 7 habanero chiles (use gloves)
• Finely chopped 4 roma (plum) tomatoes

Step 1

Begin by heating ghee in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the red onion in the sizzling butter until it begins to take on a lovely brown hue, usually around 8 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and fresh ginger, stirring continuously until their aroma fills the kitchen, which takes about 1 minute more.

Step 2

Introduce the chicken pieces into the skillet, cooking and stirring until they acquire a delightful golden-brown color, approximately 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, prepare a flavorful paste by combining ground fennel, lal mirchi, cumin, coriander, ground ginger, fenugreek, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to achieve the desired consistency and mix well.

Step 3

Incorporate this aromatic spice paste into the chicken, frying it for an additional 2 minutes. Pour in a quarter cup of water and continue to cook the spices and chicken until most of the water evaporates, which should take about 7 to 8 minutes. Remember to stir constantly to prevent the spices from sticking and burning.

Step 4

For an extra kick, add jwala chiles, habanero chiles, and tomatoes into the mix. Cook and stir frequently until the tomatoes soften and begin to break down, usually around 10 minutes. If the chicken still shows a hint of pinkness inside, gradually add more water, one tablespoon at a time. Allow the chicken to cook through until the liquid has evaporated.