This Chicken Jalfrezi recipe is inspired from an Indian restaurant we used to get takeout from. It’s a favorite at our house and it pairs well with rice and either Naan or Roti. Chicken and veggies in a spicy tomato curry, really quick to make and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!
Chicken Jalfrezi
This chicken Jalfrezi is one of my husband’s favorite dishes he used to get all the time from this Indian restaurant we went to often. Unfortunately, they have since closed down so here I am with my own version of it. It’s loaded with chicken and veggies in a spicy and tangy curry.
I love trying all sort of dishes from different cuisines and then trying to duplicate them myself at home and this really comes in handy since we don’t have many nearby restaurants. We live outside the city now in a small hamlet so we really only have a couple small restaurants here. Making my own recipes for all these dishes is pretty much a necessity now.
But this chicken Jalfrezi is nothing to be scared of. Although the ingredient list may look long, it really isn’t, most of them are spices which you probably already have in your pantry, especially if you’ve been cooking my recipes. Not to mention you can have this on your dinner table in just 45 minutes. Your family will thank you.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Breast – I used boneless and skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs work as well.
- Vegetable Oil – Other types of oil that will work are olive, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower, canola, or avocado.
- Bell Peppers – This is the main veggie in this curry, which is why I like to use both red and green bell peppers because it gives our curry beautiful colors.
- Onions, Garlic and Ginger – Essential flavor enhancers to any good curry, so use lots of garlic and ginger.
- Tomato Sauce – Tomato sauce or tomato passata works as well the difference is that in passata the tomato purée is uncooked whereas in tomato sauce the tomatoes are cooked. This is what makes the curry tangy.
- Green Chillies – This is what will bring up the heat factor in our dish so feel free to omit it if you don’t like spicy food. I couldn’t find green chillies so I used a jalapeño which works just as well.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro, some for adding to the curry and some for garnish.
- Spices – We are using lots of spices here such as turmeric, chili powder, smoked paprika, coriander, cumin and garam masala.
- Water – I added about half a cup of water but you can add more or less depending on how saucy you want your curry to be.
How To Make Chicken Jalfrezi
- Cook the chicken: In a large skillet add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes until no longer pink. Sprinkle the turmeric, chili powder and the ¼ teaspoon of salt over the chicken. Stir everything together and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the veggies: In the same skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onion is translucent but not burnt. Add in the sliced garlic and ginger, red and green bell peppers and cook for another 4 minutes then stir in the tomato sauce. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes over low heat while stirring.
- Add the spices: Add the smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt to the skillet. Stir well and cook for another minute. Add the chicken back to the skillet, the sliced green chillies and cook for 2 more minutes over medium heat.
- Simmer and finish: Add the water to the skillet, stir well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in about half the cilantro then garnish with the rest and serve over rice.
FAQs
Jalfrezi is a popular Indian spicy curry dish originating in Bengal. It usually consists of a main ingredient such as meat, fish, paneer or vegetables cooked in a thick spicy and tangy sauce.
Absolutely! If you double it, just double all the ingredients, not just the chicken! You might also need to cook everything in a bigger skillet.
Absolutely, you can use other veggies such as green beans, peas, or even potatoes. If using potatoes I would parboil them first before adding them to the dish.
Tips For Making Jalfrezi
- My best tip is to get all your ingredients prepped first, this always makes cooking any dish a breeze, regardless of how long the ingredient list may be.
- If you can’t handle spicy food, feel free to leave out the green chillies, though jalfrezi is supposed to be a tangy and spicy curry.
- I only added half a cup of water but if you want your curry saucier, add up to one cup of water.
- Make this vegan by replacing the chicken with firm tofu instead.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer any leftover chicken Jalfrezi to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
It’ll be easiest to reheat in the microwave, giving it a stir every 30 seconds or so. You can also reheat on the stovetop. Add the chicken Jalfrezi to a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until completely heated through.
Freezing
This chicken Jalfrezi will last 4-6 months frozen. Let the chicken completely cool down to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and freezing.
Let the chicken Jalfrezi thaw overnight in the fridge before following the reheating instructions detailed above. While you can reheat straight from the freezer, it will be much easier to work with if it’s thawed first.
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Chicken Jalfrezi
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into 1 inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon turmeric ground
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion cut in ¼ inch slices
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 inch ginger piece julienned
- 1 medium green bell pepper cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1 inch cubes
- ⅓ cup tomato sauce or tomato passata
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoon coriander ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chicken Jalfrezi
- 2 green chillies sliced, or 1 small jalapeño
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: In a large skillet add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes until no longer pink. Sprinkle the turmeric, chili powder and the ¼ teaspoon of salt over the chicken. Stir everything together and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the veggies: In the same skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until the onion is translucent but not burnt. Add in the sliced garlic and ginger, red and green bell peppers and cook for another 4 minutes then stir in the tomato sauce. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes over low heat while stirring.
- Add the spices: Add the smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt to the skillet. Stir well and cook for another minute. Add the chicken back to the skillet, the sliced green chillies and cook for 2 more minutes over medium heat.
- Simmer and finish: Add the water to the skillet, stir well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in about half the cilantro then garnish with the rest and serve over rice.
Video
Recipe Notes
- My best tip is to get all your ingredients prepped first, this always makes cooking any dish a breeze, regardless of how long the ingredient list may be.
- If you can’t handle spicy food, feel free to leave out the green chillies, though jalfrezi is supposed to be a tangy and spicy curry.
- I only added half a cup of water but if you want your curry saucier, add up to one cup of water.
- Make this vegan by replacing the chicken with firm tofu instead.
- Transfer any leftover chicken Jalfrezi to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- This chicken Jalfrezi will last 4-6 months frozen. Let the chicken completely cool down to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and freezing.
- To reheat in the microwave, giving it a stir every 30 seconds or so. You can also reheat on the stovetop. Add the chicken Jalfrezi to a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until completely heated through.
I LOVED THIS RECIPE! Used Steers Prego sauce instead of tomato sauce, cooked the chicken longer and increased certain spices – was a total absolute winner!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This recipe was great although I never measure and my wife & I love heat so I used hot smoked paparika and I used curry powder in my rice and I added it to the chicken & veggies. Lots of jalapeno slices and it rocked!
Oh my goodness! This is absolutely delicious!
This was delicious. I didn’t have the mild green chilies or a jalapinio on hand so i used some of our prized Mira Del Sol chillies. They added a good amount of spice.
Served it over white rice. Next time going to try it over Ginger rice.
Glad you liked it!
Can I make this in my instant pot?
You can, I would probably saute all the vegetables together and then add the meat and everything else. I’d say 5 minutes on high pressure should be enough.
Spicy and delicious! Will make this again Just ordered your new book Looking forward to it coming next week
Thank you so much!!
It looks so yummy but why is it called a curry dish when there is no curry in it?
A curry doesn’t necessarily have curry powder in it. Curry is the general term used for an Indian type of stew with vegetables, meat and a heavily spiced sauce.
Thank you! I did not know that!!