Chicken Curry without Coconut

Name: Chicken Curry without Coconut (No Coconut Chicken Curry)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 4 tbsp Coconut Oil; 1 large Onion (peeled & sliced thinly); 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste; 1 medium Tomatoes (sliced thinly); 2 sprig Curry leaves; 2 no Green Chillies (slit); 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder; 2 tbsp Coriander powder; 1 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp Black Pepper powder; 2 tsp Garam masala powder; 500 grams Bone-in Chicken (curry cut); 1 cup Water ( as needed); 2 tsp Salt (or to taste); 1 large Onion (peeled & chopped); 2 medium Tomatoes (chopped); 2 tsp Fennel Seeds; 2 sprig Curry leaves; ¼ cup Coriander leaves (chopped finely)

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Spicy and flavourful chicken curry is made with fresh chicken, onion, tomato and spices. The best part is that the curry is made without coconut and yet it turns out rich, creamy and delicious. The chicken is slow cooked with onion, tomato and spice base to create a flavourful curry. This South Indian style chicken curry pairs beautifully with plain steamed rice, chapathi, parotta, pulav, biryani, idli or dosai.

Chicken Curry without Coconut

Most of the time my chicken curry has coconut, somedays I need a curry which has no coconut and uses for simple onions and tomato masala. This is the curry which I came up with. You need onions and tomatoes in two different forms, one sliced and another ground.

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About Chicken Curry (No Coconut)
Ingredients
Step by Step Pictures
Expert Tips
FAQ
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The ground onion tomato mix gives you the thick consistency without making it watery. The flavours of this is much better too. I made this curry during one weekend and it turned out so good that it instantly became a hit in our home.

About Chicken Curry (No Coconut)

Chicken curry is one of the staple weekend menus at most of the South Indian households.

You don't need any fancy ingredients to make it, just simple everyday ingredients like onion, tomato, and spices is more than enough to create a scrumptious curry.

This chicken curry is packed full of flavours that tastes just like a restaurant style gravy. The chicken is slow cooked in a one pot along with onion, tomatoes and spices, which allows the flavours to blend beautifully over time.

The onion and tomato paste naturally thicken the curry and result in a smooth and satisfying taste without the need of coconut or cashews.

You can also prepare the chicken curry using a pressure cooker or instant pot to save time, but slow cooking in one pot brings out the flavours and intense taste.

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Ingredients

Oil : Oil helps to cook the spices and chicken properly. You can use any cooking oil like gingelly oil, coconut oil, groundnut oil or vegetable oil of your choice.
Spices : Spices like chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder and pepper powder are added to give the curry its bold taste, aroma and color.
Chicken : Bone-in chicken pieces work best as they absorb the masala and spice flavours beautifully. You can also marinate the chicken with a little spice powder, curd and ginger garlic paste to make it more tender and juicy.
Ginger garlic paste : Use freshly grounded ginger garlic paste as this adds strong, aromatic flavour. It is also an essential ingredient in most South Indian curries.
Onion & Tomato : Onion and tomatoes form the base of the curry.
Green chilli : Green chilli gives a fresh heat and flavour to the curry. Adjust the quantity based on how spicy you prefer.
Curry leaves & coriander leaves : This gives the signature South Indian aroma and fresh flavour that instantly lift the taste of the curry.
Ground masala : Onion, tomato, fennel seeds and curry leaves are grinded into a thick paste. As it is a no coconut or cashew based curry, this paste helps to thicken the curry naturally and enhances the overall flavour.

Step by Step Pictures

Grinding Masala

1)Take onions, tomatoes, fennel seeds and curry leaves in a blender.

2)Grind the ingredients to a fine paste without adding any water. Set it aside till use.

Make Masala base

3)Heat oil in a kadai. I am using coconut oil. Add in onions, curry leaves, green chillies.

4)Saute till it turns golden brown. You have to cook the onions till it gets slightly golden.

5)Add in ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes. The raw smell should leave from the mixture.

6)Now add in sliced tomatoes and saute that till it turns mushy.

7)After few minutes of sauteing the tomatoes will get slightly mushy.

8)Now add in the ground masala and mix well. This is what makes the curry thicker without addition of coconut.

9)Cover the kadai and let it cook for 10 mins till the masala is cooked and starts leaving the sides.

10)Now add in the spice powders. I have added red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder.

11)Now add in spice powders and saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Adding chicken

12)Add in chicken. I am using chicken with bone-in.

13)Once chicken is added, mix it into the masala and cook for 5 to 8 minutes with the masala.

14)Season the chicken with salt.

15)pour enough water to form the curry. Don't add too much water, else the curry will get watery.

16)Cover and simmer the curry until the chicken is cooked.

17)Cook the chicken on low for 30 to 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked.

Garnishing

18)Cover the kadai and simmer it for 30 to 40 mins till the chicken is cooked.

19)Serve.

Expert Tips

Chicken Marination - Marinate the chicken with a little salt, spices and curd before cooking. This helps the chicken to cook tender, juicy and extra soft.

Be Careful with Water - Chicken naturally releases some water while cooking. So, add water carefully or only as needed.

Flavour Balance - If you don't like tangy curry, then reduce the amount of tomatoes. You can also saute the onion, tomato, curry leaves and fennel seeds slightly before grinding.

Thicker Curry - If preferred, grind some cashews along with the masala paste and add it to the curry. This will make the curry thicker and richer.

Serving - Serve this aromatic and flavourful chicken curry with plain steamed rice, idli, dosai, pulav, biryani, or parotta for a delicious and satisfying meal.

Storage - Store any leftover chicken curry in the refrigerator. Allow the curry to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will stay well for about 3 to 5 days

Reheating - Reheat them slowly on the stove or in the microwave oven. If the curry has thickened, add some water to adjust to your desired consistency.

FAQ

Can I use boneless chicken ?

Yes, you can. The boneless chicken tends to cook faster, so keep an eye on cooking time to avoid overcooking and to prevent the chicken from becoming dry.

Can I make it ahead of time ?

You can prepare the curry a day before and serve it later. In fact, the flavours deepen over time and taste even more delicious.

Can I make this in a pressure cooker ?

if you don't have enough time for slow cooking, then use a pressure cooker or instant pot to cook the chicken curry.

How long should the curry simmer ?

After adding the grinded paste and chicken, cover and simmer the curry for about 30 minutes. This helps the flavours to blend well with chicken and create an aromatic, rich curry.

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