Indian
Achari Chicken
Bone-in chicken is simmered in tangy pickle-spice gravy with mustard, fennel, nigella, fenugreek, and mango achar.
4 servings · 35 minutes prep · 45 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed
- 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp kosher salt, for marinade
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp mustard oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chiles, slit
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chile powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, for sauce
- 1 tbsp mango pickle masala or finely chopped Indian mango pickle
Directions
Method
- Coat the bone-in chicken with the plain whole-milk yogurt, lemon juice, first kosher salt, and turmeric. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Heat the mustard oil or avocado oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the black mustard seeds, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds, and cumin seeds and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the red onion and cook until deep golden, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chiles and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, Kashmiri chile powder, ground coriander, garam masala, and final kosher salt. Cook until the masala thickens and the oil separates, 10-12 minutes.
- Add the chicken and all of its marinade. Cook, stirring and turning the pieces, for 5 minutes so the masala coats the chicken.
- Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and simmer gently until the chicken reaches 175F near the bone and is tender, 22-25 minutes.
- Stir in the mango pickle masala and simmer uncovered until the gravy clings to the chicken, 3-5 minutes.
