Coconut Chicken Curry

Coconut chicken curry, the flavours in this dish takes me back to this small little restaurant in Bangalore. A long time ago when I was working in Bangalore, I used to go this small place where they served Babycorn, Mushroom curry in coconut milk, fish in chilli coconut gravy. God the flavours were so delicious in those dished and stuck in my head for all those years.

This coconut chicken is inspired by those delicious curries but I have changed a few things for my husband’s palette.

If you follow me on Instagram and watch my stories you will know how much I adore coconut and how many things I cook with it, be in shakes, smoothies, desserts or curries. And speaking of curries, coconut and chicken is one combination which can never go wrong and the recipe I am sharing today is the one I cook most of the times when I am in hurry and my husband wants to eat chicken, I make this.

It’s spicy, pungent and rustic and the best thing is it’s a quick recipe. Goes really well with rice and rotis but my husband prefers to eat with rice.

Do give this recipe a try!

Ingredients for marination:

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 lemon squeezed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon mustard oil

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken in chopped coriander, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, pepper powder, salt, coconut milk and mustard oil. Keep it in the fridge for.

Ingredients for the curry:

• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
• 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon or to taste red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon or to taste black pepper powder
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons mustard oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3-4 black peppercorns
• Some coriander for garnishing
• 1 tsp lemon zest and lemon juice

Instructions:

Heat some oil in a pan, add the marinated chicken and sauté for about 2-3 minutes or till they become golden brown, take it out and keep it aside.

Add some more oil if needed, add cinnamon stick and black peppercorns. After 10 seconds add onions, garlic, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Sauté for about 5 minutes or till the onions golden brown.

Now add in the tomatoes and fry it for 3-4 minutes. Add chicken, salt, sauté till the spices and tomatoes coat the chicken. Now add the coconut milk and about 1/4 cup of water, mix it well.

Cover the pan with a lid. Cook till the chicken is nice and tender.

Garnish with coriander, lemon zest and juice.

Serve hot with rice or flatbread.