Chicken Handi Recipe: How I Finally Got Indian Food Right in My Tiny Kitchen
How to Make Chicken Handi That Tastes Better Than Takeout – There was a time—and by “a time” I mean approximately seven years of stubborn trial and error—when I believed that authentic Indian flavors were simply beyond my reach as a home cook.
Chicken Handi
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Chicken
- 5 thinly sliced Onions
- 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
- 8 cloves chopped Garlic
- 1 tbsp Ginger paste
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 3 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Chilli powder
- 2 Green chillies
- 1 cup Yogurt
- ¾ cup Cream
- 3 tsp Dried fenugreek
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Take a large pot or wok, big enough to cook all the chicken, and heat the oil in it. Once the oil is hot, add sliced onion and fry them until deep golden brown. Then take them out on a plate and set aside.
- To the same pot, add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes turn soft. This would take about 5 minutes.
- Then return the fried onion to the pot and stir. Add ginger paste and sauté well.
- Now add the cumin seeds, half of the coriander seeds and chopped green chillies. Give them a quick stir.
- Next goes in the spices – turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Sauté the spices well for couple of minutes.
- Add the chicken pieces to the wok, season it with salt to taste and cook the chicken covered on medium-low heat until the chicken is almost cooked through. This would take about 15 minutes. Slowly sautéing the chicken will enhance the flavor, so do not expedite this step by putting it on high heat.
- When the oil separates from the spices, add the beaten yogurt keeping the heat on lowest so that the yogurt doesn't split. Sprinkle the remaining coriander seeds and add half of the dried fenugreek leaves. Mix well.
- Finally add the cream and give a final mix to combine everything well.
- Sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi and garam masala and serve the chicken handi hot with naan or rotis. Enjoy!
Nutrition
I’d try a recipe, end up with something that tasted vaguely like a sad cousin of what I’d eaten at my favorite Indian restaurant, and convince myself it was just one of those things best left to the experts. Like brain surgery. Or proper eyebrow maintenance.
But then this chicken handi happened in my life. Or rather, I happened upon it after one particularly desperate evening when my takeout place was closed (the AUDACITY) and I had chicken that absolutely needed to be cooked that day.
The results were nothing short of revelatory—the kind of dish that makes you want to call everyone you know and say, “Drop whatever you’re doing and come over for dinner RIGHT NOW.”
The Magic of Chicken Handi
Chicken handi gets its name from the round, deep cooking pot (the “handi”) traditionally used to prepare it in Indian cuisine.
But don’t worry if your kitchen equipment collection doesn’t extend to authentic Indian cookware—I made mine in a decade-old Dutch oven that has survived three apartment moves and countless cooking experiments.
The dish itself is a beautiful balance of aromatic spices, tangy yogurt, and rich cream that coats tender pieces of chicken in a way that makes you want to lick your plate when nobody’s looking. Or even when they are looking. I won’t judge.
The slow-cooked onions and the blend of whole and ground spices create layers of flavor that made me seriously wonder if I had somehow channeled the spirit of someone’s grandmother from Punjab.
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Trust me when I say that this chicken handi recipe will make your kitchen smell better than any candle ever could.
Getting Started: The Ingredients Matter
Before we dive into the actual cooking process, let’s talk ingredients. I’ve learned (the hard way, naturally) that with Indian cooking, the freshness of your spices makes an enormous difference.
Those ground cumin and coriander seeds that have been sitting in your cabinet since your last apartment? Maybe give them a respectful burial and start fresh.
For this chicken handi recipe, you’ll need:
- 1.2 kg (about 2.5 pounds) chicken, cut into pieces
- 5 onions, thinly sliced (yes, five—trust the process)
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 3 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 green chilies
- 1 cup yogurt
- ¾ cup cream
- 3 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
I’ve found that using bone-in chicken pieces gives the dish more flavor, but boneless thighs work beautifully too. And if you’re wondering, “Do I really need to track down dried fenugreek leaves?”—the answer is yes, if you possibly can.
They add a distinct dimension that’s hard to replicate.
I found mine at a local international market after a friendly but perplexed shopkeeper helped me identify them. (“The little dried leaves in the plastic bag? By the register? Yes, those!”)
The Not-So-Secret Secret: Building Flavor Layer by Layer
The secret to amazing flavor is pretty simple: it’s all about adding layers of taste, one on top of the other.
The Foundation: Caramelized Onions
Start by heating the oil in a large pot or wok—something big enough to eventually hold all your chicken.
When it’s hot, add those thinly sliced onions and prepare for what I call “the long game.” You’re going to cook these until they’re a deep golden brown, which might take 15-20 minutes.
Yes, it’s tempting to rush this step. No, you shouldn’t. I’ve tried. The difference between “eh, that looks brown-ish” and properly caramelized onions is the difference between a good chicken handi and a transcendent one.
Once your onions reach that beautiful deep golden stage, take them out and set them aside. They’ll be returning to the party later.
The Aromatic Base
In the same pot, add your chopped garlic and sauté just for a minute—garlic burns quickly and bitter garlic is not what we’re after here. Then add your chopped tomatoes and cook until they’re soft, about 5 minutes.
They’ll start to break down and form the base of your sauce.
Now return those beautiful caramelized onions to the pot and add the ginger paste.
The smell at this point will make you wonder why you ever bothered with takeout. Sauté everything well, letting the flavors meld together.
The Spice Symphony
Next comes the spice layer: add the cumin seeds, half the coriander seeds, and those chopped green chilies. Give them a quick stir to toast them slightly and release their oils.
Then add the turmeric and red chili powder, sautéing for a couple of minutes. Your kitchen now smells like an Indian restaurant, and your neighbors are probably getting jealous.
The Main Event: Adding the Chicken
Now it’s time for the star of the show. Add your chicken pieces to the pot and season with salt to taste.
This is where patience becomes your best friend—cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked through.
The slow sautéing here is crucial. It allows the chicken to absorb all those magnificent spices you’ve been building up.
I know it’s tempting to crank up the heat—especially if you started this recipe later than you intended and now everyone’s hungry and staring at you—but resist. I’ve made this mistake so you don’t have to.
When the oil starts to separate from the spices (you’ll see it creating little pools around the edges), you’ll know you’re on the right track.
The Creamy Finish
This is where chicken handi gets its luxurious texture. Turn the heat to the lowest setting possible and add the beaten yogurt.
The low heat is critical here—if it’s too high, your yogurt will split and while it will still taste good, it won’t have that silky texture that makes you want to mop up every last bit with naan.
Sprinkle in the remaining coriander seeds and half of the dried fenugreek leaves, mixing well. Then add the cream, stirring gently to combine everything into a harmonious whole.
For the final flourish, sprinkle the remaining kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and garam masala over the top. These last-minute additions give a fresh aromatic punch that elevates the entire dish.
Serving Suggestions
The beautiful thing about chicken handi is how versatile it is for serving.
Obviously, warm naan bread is ideal for scooping up that rich sauce—store-bought is fine, but if you’re feeling ambitious, homemade naan is surprisingly doable and deeply satisfying.
Rice is another excellent option; basmati rice with its fragrant character makes a perfect base for this dish.
If you want to round out the meal, a simple cucumber raita (yogurt with grated cucumber, a pinch of cumin, and salt) provides a cooling counterpoint to the warm spices in the chicken handi recipe.
And if you’re feeling fancy, a small side of pickled onions adds a sharp, bright note that cuts through the richness beautifully.
Troubleshooting Tips
Because I care about your chicken handi success, here are a few things I’ve learned the hard way:
If your sauce seems too thick, a splash of water or chicken broth will thin it out nicely. If it’s too thin, cook it uncovered for a few more minutes to reduce.
If you find the dish isn’t quite as flavorful as you’d hoped, it’s often because the spices need a bit more time to bloom. Next time, try toasting them a little longer before adding the wet ingredients.
And if you accidentally add too much chili powder (ahem, not that I would know anything about that), adding a bit more cream can help tame the heat.
A Recipe Worth Remembering
This chicken handi recipe has become one of my absolute favorites to make when I want to impress guests or simply treat myself to something special.
It’s the kind of dish that improves with a short rest, so don’t worry if it sits for 20-30 minutes before serving—in fact, I think it gets even better as the flavors continue to meld.
What I love most about this dish is that it taught me something I think we all need reminding of sometimes: don’t be intimidated by cuisines that seem “too complicated” or “too authentic” to recreate at home.
With a little patience and the right guidance, you can create something truly magical in your own kitchen, no matter its size or how fancy your equipment is.
And when you serve this chicken handi to friends and they inevitably ask where you ordered it from, you get to smile mysteriously and say, “Oh, I just whipped it up.”
Which is both completely true and gloriously underselling the masterpiece you’ve created.
