Chicken Dopiaza Curry Recipe
Have you ever come across Chicken dopiaza curry? This is like a Chicken Bhuna, or Chicken karahi, and has a nuanced flavor. The recipe is super easy to make; there is no need for fluffy spices, and just a few basic spices are enough to create flavors.
Last day, I cooked Chicken Dopiaza, and everyone praised the dish. This chicken curry is now very close to my heart because of the ease of cooking. Only a the Garam Masala and few basic ingredients are enough to elevate the look and taste of the recipe.
After chicken korma the chicken Dopiaza curry has some kind of sweetness because of the onions, and the recipe has a drooling aroma that wafts in the kitchen.
I hardly like any store-bought measles, and the cool part is, you don’t need any of those complicated spices for this recipe. Just grab some onions, tomatoes, ground spices, and Garam masala—that’s the magic combo, making this dish all tangy and delicious.
Why We Called It Chicken Dopiaza?
If you know Urdu or Hindi, you must know “do” and “Piaz.” So basically, ‘do’ means two, and ‘Piaz’ means onions.
In Chicken Dopiaza curry, we usually use onions two times; yes, you hear that right!
First, we use white onion at the initial browning stage, and later, we use the onions at the end of the recipe. So when the onions caramelize, they add a sweet and savory depth to the overall flavor profile of the dish.
What We Love Chicken Dopiaza Curry?
And I love Chicken Dopiaza curry for several reasons.
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Not Too Spicy: My husband dislikes spicy and fiery dishes. But Chicken Dopiaza is mild and zesty and has a much-balanced flavor profile. That’s why my homies love this recipe.
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Super Easy To Make: This recipe is a piece of cake. This is the one if you’re ever feeling a bit daunted in the kitchen.
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Thick Gravy: Unlike the Bhuna Masala or Chicken Achari, this recipe has a thick gravy, and you can enjoy as much as your heart desires.
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Versatile: The Chicken Dopiaza is incredibly versatile. You can throw in potatoes, peas, capsicum, and other vegan options. I’ve gone for peas and potatoes in mine.
Ingredients:
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Chicken: The primary ingredient of the recipe is chicken. I’m using a mix of boneless and bone-in chicken. I prefer small chicken pieces over chicken quarters.
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Oil: I’m using one cup of canola oil. You can opt for Olive oil or soybean oil.
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Onions: Chicken dopiaza curry is all about Onions. First, you need one chopped onion that we will use at the start and half a red onion at the final stage. The onions are a secret ingredient that balances the spices and adds a pleasant texture.
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Ginger Garlic Paste: Sautéing ginger garlic paste in the curry gives it a more robust and aromatic flavor. This is a crucial ingredient of the recipe.
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Chopped Tomatoes: I chopped tomatoes in a food processor. You can also go with tomato paste. Chopped tomatoes provide more thickness in the curry.
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Some Green Chilis: I’m 2 – 3 green chilis for Chicken Dopiaza. You can use them according to your taste palates. But keep 2 more spices for garnishing.
Check Out: Chicken Nihari
Spices That We Will Use:
- Garam Masala: In Garam Masala, I will use cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, Nigella seeds (Kalonji), and a few cloves. Besides this, dry coriander, Cardamom, and funnel seeds are also key ingredients to enhance the taste.
- Ground Spices: In ground spices, I use turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. You can also use the chicken masala (store-bought), which is optional.
How To Cook Chicken Dopiaza
- Saute Onions & Garam Masala: Grab the pan, add oil, and heat it on high flame. Now add Garam Masala and chopped onion. Just cook this medley for two minutes or until the onions turn brown.
- Add Chicken: Turn the flame to medium, and add the chicken. Stir the stew and place the lid for the next 3 minutes. You don’t need to add water right now.
- Add Ginger Garlic Paste and yogurt: You can also add the ginger and garlic paste in the second step, but to increase the taste of the garam masala, I prefer to add it after 3 minutes. Plus, add some dairy yogurt. The stew will simmer in the yogurt’s moisture, so again, you don’t need to add water. Stir the spoon and sear it for the next 3 minutes. Keep the flame medium.
- Toss Ground Spices and tomatoes: Now remove the lid, and add chopped tomatoes and all the ground spices. Not this time I am adding a half cup of water to avoid the chicken sticking at the bottom. Plus, don’t forget to turn the flame low. Stir it for a minute.
- Add Peas and Green Chilis: I’m adding some green chilis and frozen peas. Peas are additional, and you can skip them. But we love peas; they add a solid boost to the texture of Chicken dopiaza curry. Stir the curry and leave it for at least 15 minutes. Don’t forget to stir it from time to time.
- Add Red Onion: Toss the red onion petals on the curry and give them a little stir.
Nabeel’s Pro Tips
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Add one tablespoon of chicken masala to make this curry tangier. But if you want to maintain the real and traditional taste of chicken dopiaza, then skip it.
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Besides bolding the hues of gravy, you can use Kashmiri red chili powder. A half teaspoon of this spice is enough, blowing the taste and making it more zesty.
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If you want more tender and juicy chicken, marinate it with yogurt and ground spices, then add it in step 2. But don’t forget to lessen the amount of ground spices in step 4.
What To Serve With Chicken Dopiaza Curry?
Along with this chicken curry, the chutney is a perfect match. Whether using a mint chutney or imli, both work best to relax the taste buds.
Apart from that, chapati or roti is a must-have item, or you can use any kind of wheat bread with chicken dopiaza. Last time, we savored this delicious recipe with rice, and it was a delicacy and unique experience.
FAQs
Variations:
Chicken dopiaza is a very versatile recipe, which is why I love this recipe so much.
You have seen that I added peas and potatoes to the curry, which is optional but makes the texture much more appealing. Besides this, you can also opt for capsicum or palak, etc, to make the recipe more nutritious.
Add heavy cream or yogurt to make a creamy chicken dopiaza; this will make the gravy smoother, thicker, and creamy.
If you want more simple chicken karahi then check out Peshawari Chicken Karahi
Chicken Dopiaza Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 0.8 KG Chicken
- 1 Cup Oil
- 2 – 3 tbsp Dairy Yogurt
- 1 White Onion
- Red onion (petals only)
- 3 Tomatoes (chopped)
- Peas (optional)
- Potatoes (optional)
- 1 tbsp Garlic and ginger paste
- ½ tbsp Cumin (Zeera)
- ⅓ tbsp Black pepper powder
- 3 – 4 Cardamom
- ⅓ tbsp Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
- ½ tbsp Dry Coriander
- 2 Cinnamon
- ½ tbsp Fennel Seed
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Chicken masala– store-bought (optional)
- 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan, and add Garam Masala and chopped onion. Fry the onions for two minutes or until the onions brown.
- Reduce heat, add chicken, stir the stew, and cover for 3 minutes. No need for water yet.
- Add ginger and garlic paste and yogurt to make the gravy favorable. Also, mix in yogurt for moisture—no water is needed. Stir and sear for 3 minutes on medium heat.
- Remove the lid, add tomatoes and ground spices. Add half a cup of water to prevent sticking, reduce heat, and stir it for a minute.
- Add green chilis and optional peas for texture. Stir and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finally, toss in red onion petals and stir.
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