Chicken in Tomato Ginger Yogurt Sauce

Introduction

The sauce in this chicken curry starts with peeled tomatoes, browned onion, ginger, garlic, and a small amount of yoghurt stirred in at the end. You get a tomato-forward curry with a sharp finish from lime and enough cooking time to fully tenderize chicken thighs or drumsticks, so it works well for a weekend dinner or make-ahead meal.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4-6 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cm (1-inch) piece ginger root
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1-2 mild green chillies
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• Salt
• Freshly-ground black pepper
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) water
• 1 free-range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 thighs and/or drumsticks
• 2 tbsp yoghurt
• 1 lime (or lemon)
• 1 small bunch of coriander leaves
• Cooked rice, to serve

Instructions

1. To skin the tomatoes, nick the skin of each tomato with the point of a sharp knife, then put the tomatoes in a bowl next to the sink and pour over some very hot water from the kettle to cover. Count to 20, then carefully pour away the water. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, halve the tomatoes, squeeze out most of the pips and juice into an empty bowl, and discard. Chop the flesh roughly and put it down on a plate to one side.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Fry the onion in the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time so that it turns an even golden brown. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
3. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the ginger and the garlic.
4. Slit the chilli using a sharp knife. Slice the flesh away from the cluster of seeds in the middle. Avoid touching any part of the chilli with your fingers if you can, as it is very easy to get chilli in your eyes, and that will sting. You can use a fork to hold the chilli down or wear rubber gloves. Chop the chilli finely.
5. Measure the ground spices into a teacup. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli to the pan, stir them around and fry for another minute or so. If you want your curry to be hot as well as spicy, include some or all of the chilli seeds. Then add the spices in the cup into the onions. Fry the spices for a minute or two, stirring all the time so that they do not stick. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Pour in the water and the tomatoes, bring to the boil, turn down the heat a little and let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
7. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and stir them around so they are covered with the sauce. Put the lid on the pan, turn the heat down and let the chicken cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Chicken thighs will take longer to cook than breast pieces.
8. Now add the yoghurt to the chicken and stir it in. When the sauce is gently bubbling again, scoop up a little in a teaspoon, blow it cool and taste it. The sauce will probably taste quite sweet because of the tomatoes. Cut the lime in half and squeeze its juice into the sauce. Stir and taste again, and decide whether you want to add the second half.
9. Finally, chop the fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle them on to the curry just before you serve it with the rice.

Variations

• Use 8 boneless chicken thighs instead of bone-in pieces if you want faster cooking and easier serving; the sauce stays the same but the finished dish is a little less rich from the lack of bones.
• Increase the 1-2 mild green chillies or include more of the seeds in the chilli step if you want more heat; the curry will taste sharper and hotter without changing the tomato base.
• Swap the lime for the lemon listed in the ingredients if that is what you have; lemon gives a slightly softer acidity, while lime tastes brighter and more pointed.
• Stir in a little more yoghurt at the end if you want a milder, creamier sauce; it softens the tomato acidity and rounds out the spice.
• Serve it with flatbread instead of cooked rice if you want a less filling side; the sauce is loose enough to spoon and scoop.

Tips for Success

• Take the onion to an even golden brown in the second step, not dark brown; that builds sweetness without giving the sauce a bitter edge.
• Keep the pan at a gentle simmer after adding the chicken pieces; a hard boil can tighten the meat and reduce the sauce too fast.
• Add the yoghurt only after the chicken is cooked and the sauce is not boiling hard; that helps it blend in smoothly.
• Taste after the first squeeze of lime before adding the second half; the tomatoes vary in sweetness, so the final balance depends on the batch.

Storage and Reheating

Store the chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the cooked rice in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Freeze the rice separately if needed, though the texture is better if you make fresh rice when serving.

Reheat the chicken gently on the stovetop over low heat until hot all the way through, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also microwave it, covered loosely, in short bursts and stir between each burst so the yoghurt-based sauce reheats evenly. Reheat rice in the microwave with a spoonful of water, covered, until steaming.

FAQ

Can you use boneless chicken in this recipe?

Yes. Boneless thighs work well and usually cook a bit faster, so start checking them after about 20-25 minutes in the sauce.

Do you have to peel and seed the tomatoes?

For the intended texture, yes. Peeling and removing most of the pips and juice gives you a smoother sauce with less bitterness and less excess liquid.

Can you leave out the green chillies?

Yes. The curry will still have flavor from the ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, and turmeric, but it will be noticeably milder.

Can you use a dairy-free yoghurt?

Yes, as long as it is plain and unsweetened. Choose one with a thick texture so it blends into the sauce without making it watery.