Achari Chicken is the traditional North Indian and Pakistani curry prepared in one pot with homemade Achar masala that infused a unique flavor and aroma into chicken. The salty and sour taste of pickle spices with tender and juicy chicken makes all the difference to stand out from other chicken curry recipes.
(Check out instructions to make on stove top and Instant pot Achari chicken recipe)
The combination of achar masala with chicken makes a perfect taste to serve at dinner or lunch. My family's favorite one-pot recipe that I love to serve with naan and rice. You can also cook Instant pot achari chicken using the same recipe which is quick and give more tender, juicy, and moist chicken in gravy as compared to stovetop.
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What is Achari Chicken?
The recipe idea is to combine the achar masala or Indian pickle spices with chicken to cook in a form of gravy or curry. Basically, it’s a chicken curry that is prepared with achar masala. It’s tangy, savory, salty, and packed with pickled flavor that makes it distinct from other curry recipes.
People from South Asia prepare different styles of pickles by adding different spices, edible oil, lemons, and vinegar. Here I am using the same spices to cook chicken curry that will amazingly add pickle flavor in the chicken. Many people in India and Pakistan know this recipe as Achari Murgh.
The irresistible taste and aroma of achari curry (pickled chicken curry) will tempt you to make it again and again. I personally love to make and refrigerate to serve with different dishes. Literally, it’s mouthwatering for desi taste buds. If you didn’t try this recipe yet, then give it a try as you will know most of the Indian spices that we are going to add in this recipe. Mustard seeds, nigella, fenugreek seeds, and mustard oil (edible) are the mandatory ingredients to cook this recipe with the addition of other spices.
Do you want to try? Indian Lamb Curry
Ingredients
For Achar Masala:
Whole round chili (Sabut laal mirch) | Coriander seeds (dhani ke beej) | Fennel seeds (saunf) | Cumin seeds (zeera) | mustard seeds (sarsoo ke beej) | fenugreek seeds (dana meethi) | Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
For Chicken Marination:
Chicken (with bones) | Ginger Garlic paste | Achar Masala | Red chili powder | Turmeric powder | Coriander powder | Garam masala | Yogurt
To Cook Chicken
Cooking oil | Fenugreek seeds | Mustard seeds | Cumin seeds | Onion Chopped | Nigella seeds | Fresh Tomato paste | Green Chilies | Lemon juice fresh | Chaat Masala
How to Make Achari Chicken
Let's Make Homemade Achar Masala Powder
- On a medium flame (temperature), roast whole round chili, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds for about 1 to 2 minutes. As it gets aromatic, remove from heat and let it cool to come on room temperature.
- Grind all the spices in a grinder to make a powder.
Homemade achar masala is ready! You can store the leftover in a glass container to use later. (Note: Use skillet for roasting spices)
3. Marinate the Chicken
I prefer to use chicken with bones. thighs, breasts, and legs are more recommended to use. Properly clean the chicken and marinate with ginger garlic, homemade achar masala that we prepared, salt, red chili, coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala and yogurt. Give a good mix and marinate the chicken for about 01 hour (overnight marination is great) to infuse all the spices in the chicken.
Steps for Cooking
4) Heat up the pan on stove top, add oil and make it a bit smoky. Add fenugreek seeds, cumin, and mustard seeds. Let it pop for few seconds. Then add chopped onion and saute as the onion get transparent in color.
5. Add nigella seeds and cook the chicken until it becomes translucent.
6. Now time to add marinated chicken and cook on high heat as it starts to change color.
7. Add freshly made tomato paste and cook on high heat to form a one-tone gravy. As the chicken starts to separate oil from the sides then add little water and cover with lid.
8. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes on low-medium heat.
9. Stuff the Green Chilies
It's preferred to take thick jalapeno chilies. If you don't have then take normal chilies and give a nice cut. It's better to remove the seeds. In a bowl, add chaat masala and freshly squeezed lemon juice and give it a good mix. Stuff the masala in chilies.
10. After 20 minutes of cooking chicken, place the chilies over the chicken and cook it again for 5 minutes on low heat to make it steamy.
Now the Achari chicken is ready to serve. Garnish with Julianne ginger or freshly chopped green coriander as per choice.
In the meanwhile, let's prepare the green chilies. In a bowl, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and chaat masala. Give it a good mix.
Make a vertical cut on chilies and try to remove the seeds. Now fill the chilies with lemon and chaat masala mixture.
After 20 minutes, place the chilies over the chicken and cook again for 5 to 10 minutes on steam.
Now the Achari chicken is ready to serve. Garnish with Julianne ginger or freshly chopped green coriander as per choice.
Instant Pot Achari Chicken
Yes, after marination the cooking process can be done using an instant pot which is simple, easy, and quick way to make. There is no difference between instant pot and stovetop cooking only the chicken is extremely tendered and juicy due to heat and moisture in an instant pot.
- First, start to click on Saute mode to heat oil and add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin and let it pop for few seconds then add chopped onion and stir until it turns to a translucent texture. During cooking onion, add nigella seeds and cook for about a minute. Now add the marinated chicken and give a good mix until the chicken starts to change its color. As the chicken changes the color then add homemade tomato paste and cook again for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- As the oil starts to separate, turn off saute mode and add half a glass of water and cover the instant pot lid and set the pressure valve on sealing state. Set the pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Give time to natural pressure release for about 12 minutes.
- Now time to open the instant pot, be careful as it will release heat even though the pressure is naturally released.
- Instantly place the green chilies filled with lemon juice and chaat masala over the gravy and cover the lid again for few minutes. Give pressure for 2 minutes.
- Now the instant pot achari chicken is ready to serve.
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Tips & Variations
- Always roast Achari Masala on medium to low heat and keep stirring while roasting. As it becomes aromatic then switch off heat and let it cool down before grinding.
- Don’t add nigella seeds while roasting and grinding the achar masala. It will be added while making curry.
- Use Karahi cut chicken pieces with bones as it makes tasty gravy. Alternatively, chicken breast can be used.
- If you are cooking in mustard oil then make it should be edible otherwise use any vegetable or canola oil.
- Always cook the chicken on high heat.
- Use jalapeno-style green chilies which are thick in shape with a mild spice flavor.
Achar chicken is salty, and sour in taste infused with the flavor of Achari masala that makes it distinguished from other curry recipes.
Store Leftover
The leftover achari chicken can store in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days in an airtight glass container. Make sure to release the heat before storing in the container otherwise the chicken will leave the smell after reheating.
If you want to store for a long time then pack in an airtight bag or container and place in freezer. Storage time in freezer is 01 month. To be on safe side, make sure to consume before a month as there is no food preservative.
Must Try with: Aloo Naan
Serving
It’s a traditional achari chicken recipe Pakistani and Indian style packed with pickled spices best to paired up with roti, naan, or rice.
I personally like to serve it with naan (preferably homemade garlic naan), dosti roti makes a perfect flavor. Try with tandoori naan and roghni naan in lunch.
If you like to serve it with rice then try with cumin rice, garlic butter rice, or simple basmati steamed rice. Don’t forget to serve raita and veg salad to enhance flavor and make it a complete meal.
If you want to make a big platter then here are few options to try as a side: Shami kebab, roasted tomatoes, or different style of salads.
I love to serve healthy tea options or any detox water after that. Try orange peel tea! As it’s simple and easy to make at home.
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Achari Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- For Achar Masala:
- 4 Whole round chili
- 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ⅓ teaspoon Nigella seeds Don't add to grind the mixture, add during cooking.
- Marinate The Chicken
- 500 g Chicken
- 2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon Achar Masala
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- ½ cup Yogurt
- Cooking Chicken
- 1 tablespoon Cooking oil
- ⅓ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- ⅓ teaspoon Mustard seeds
- ⅓ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ⅓ cup Onion Chopped
- ⅓ teaspoon Nigella seeds
- ½ cup Tomato paste
- Prepare Green Chilies
- 4 Green Chilies
- 2 teaspoon Lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon Chaat Masala
Instructions
- To prepare the Achar Masala: Roast Whole round chili, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds on medium heat. When it cool down then grind it to make a fine powder.
- Preparation of Chicken: In a bowl, add chicken pieces with bones and marinate with ginger garlic, achar masala, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and yogurt. Mix all the ingredients to coat the chicken and leave it for 1 hour to penetrate the masala in chicken.
- Cooking on Stovetop: In a pan, heat oil and add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and cumin. Let it pop for few seconds then add chopped onion and saute for few seconds. Now add nigella seeds and cook the onion until it become translucent in texture.
- Add marinated chicken and cook on high heat until chicken changes the color. Then add tomato paste and cook again on high heat to make a one tone gravy. As the chicken starts to seperate oil and cover with lid and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes on low/medium heat.
- In the mean while, let's prepare the green chilies.
- In a bowl, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and chaat masala. Give it a good mix.
- Make a vertical cut on chilies and try to remove the seeds. Now fill the chilies with lemon and chaat masala mixture.
- After 20 minutes, place the chilies over the chicken and cook again for 5 to 10 minutes on steam.
- Now the Achari chicken is ready to serve. Garnish with julianne ginger or freshly chopped green coriander as per choice.
Instant Pot Achari Chicken
- First, start to click on Saute mode to heat oil and add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin and let it pop for few seconds then add chopped onion and stir until it turns to a translucent texture.
- During cooking onion, add nigella seeds and cook for about a minute. Now add the marinated chicken and give a good mix until the chicken starts to change its color.
- Add homemade tomato paste as the chicken changes color and cook again for about 2 to 3 minutes. As the oil starts to separate, turn off saute mode, add half a glass of water, cover the instant pot lid, and set the pressure valve on sealing state. Set the pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Give time to natural pressure release for about 12 minutes.
- Now time to open the instant pot, be careful as it will release heat even though the pressure is naturally released. Instantly place the green chilies filled with lemon juice and chaat masala over the gravy and cover the lid again.
- (Give pressure for 2 minutes). Now the instant pot achari chicken is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Use skillet to roast Achari Masala ingredients on medium to low heat and keep stirring while roasting. As it becomes aromatic then switch off heat and let it cool down before grinding.
- Don’t add nigella seeds while roasting and grinding the achar masala. Add while making curry.
- Use Karahi cut chicken pieces with bones as it makes tasty gravy. Alternatively, chicken breast can be used.
- If you are cooking in mustard oil then make sure it should be edible otherwise use any vegetable or canola oil.
- Always cook the chicken on high heat.
- Use jalapeno style green chilies which are thick in shape with mild spice flavor. If you don't have then use the normal green chilies.
Nutrition
Sham
Wow, it looks so good! I will definitely try this achari chicken 👏