How do I know the chicken is fully cooked?

The pieces should be tender to the fork, no longer pink near the bone, and the juices should run clear after simmering.

Can I make Tariwala Chicken ahead of time?

Yes, it reheats very well and often tastes better after the flavors settle. Cool it fully, refrigerate, and reheat gently with a splash of water if needed.

Can I use chicken breast instead of bone-in pieces?

Yes, but the tari will be a bit less flavorful. Shorten the simmer time so the breast does not dry out.

What should the final gravy consistency be?

It should be light and pourable but still lightly coat the chicken pieces, not as thick as a restaurant-style masala curry.

What pairs best with this curry?

Roti, phulka, jeera rice, or plain steamed rice all work well because the light tari is ideal for soaking and scooping.

Home / Recipes / north_indian / Tariwala Chicken

north_indianMediumnon vegetariangluten freenut freelow carb

Tariwala Chicken

RATING

4.4/5(78)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A home-style chicken curry with a light, flavorful tari that clings to each piece without feeling too heavy. Onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and warm spices cook down into a simple gravy that tastes even better with roti or rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

40m

SERVES

1 KATORI

374 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 10 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prep the chicken and base ingredients.
1.Wash the chicken and drain well.
2.Chop the onions and tomatoes finely.
3.Slit the green chilies and whisk the yogurt until smooth.
temper · ~1 min
Heat the oil and crackle the whole spices.
Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf, and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
saute · ~7 min
Cook the onions until golden.
Add the chopped onions and cook on medium heat until soft and evenly golden. Stir often so they brown without burning.
TIPA well-browned onion base gives the tari a deeper color and fuller flavor.
saute · ~1 min
Cook the ginger-garlic paste and chilies.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Cook for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
saute · ~7 min
Add tomatoes and ground spices.
1.Add the tomatoes and mix well.
2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt.
3.Cook until the tomatoes soften and the masala looks thick and glossy.
TIPKeep the heat medium-low after adding powdered spices so they do not scorch.
saute · ~3 min
Add yogurt and cook the masala.
Lower the heat and stir in the whisked yogurt a little at a time. Cook until it blends into the masala and the oil begins to show at the edges.
saute · ~8 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces and mix well so every piece is coated. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken changes color and starts releasing its juices.
simmer · ~20 min
Add water and simmer the curry.
Pour in the hot water and bring the curry to a gentle boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until the chicken is fully cooked and the tari is light but flavorful.
TIPStir once or twice while simmering so the masala does not catch at the bottom.
garnish · ~2 min
Finish with garam masala and coriander leaves.
Sprinkle in the garam masala and chopped coriander leaves. Simmer uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes to bring everything together.
serve
Serve the Tariwala Chicken hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Drain the chicken well before cooking so the masala fries properly instead of turning watery.
2
Brown the onions evenly to a deep golden stage; pale onions will give a flat, thinner tari.
3
Add the whisked yogurt on low heat in small additions to prevent curdling in the masala.
4
Use hot water for the gravy so the chicken keeps simmering and the oil does not split suddenly.
5
For a true light tari, stop simmering when the gravy lightly coats the spoon rather than reducing it too much.
6
Bone-in pieces work best here because they flavor the thin gravy as the curry simmers.
7
Rest the curry for 10 minutes before serving so the tari settles and clings better to the chicken.