Chicken in Tomato Ginger Yogurt Sauce

Introduction

You cook the onions to an even golden brown, then build the sauce with fresh ginger, garlic, chopped tomatoes, yoghurt, and lime juice. The result is a tomato-based chicken curry with a rounded tang and enough body to coat rice well. It fits a weekend cook or a make-ahead dinner because the chicken simmers for 30–40 minutes and reheats cleanly.

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

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.

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.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the ginger and the garlic.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Finally, chop the fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle them on to the curry just before you serve it with the rice.

Variations

• Use 8 chicken thighs instead of a whole jointed chicken if you want a richer sauce and more consistent cooking time; dark meat stays juicier through the 30–40 minute simmer.
• Use drumsticks for all the chicken pieces if you want a lower-cost version with the same flavor; expect slightly more bone and a looser fit in the pan.
• Swap the lime for lemon if that is what you have; the finish stays bright, but lemon gives a slightly sharper, cleaner acidity.
• Reduce the mild green chillies to 1 and leave out the seeds for a gentler heat; you keep the fresh chilli flavor without pushing the spice level.
• Stir in a little more yoghurt at the end if you want a softer, creamier sauce; it will mute the tomato acidity and make the curry rounder.

Tips for Success

• Take the onion to an even golden brown in step 2; if it stays pale, the sauce tastes flatter.
• Keep the heat low to medium when frying the spices so the coriander, cumin, and turmeric do not catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Simmer the tomatoes until they lose their raw look before adding the chicken; the sauce should look slightly thickened, not watery.
• After adding the yoghurt, keep the sauce at a gentle bubble rather than a hard boil to keep the texture smooth.
• Taste after the first squeeze of lime before adding more; tomato sweetness varies, so the full lime is not always necessary.

Storage and Reheating

Store the curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the rice in a separate container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Freeze the rice separately if needed, though the curry holds its texture better than the rice.

Reheat the curry on the stovetop over low heat, covered, until the chicken is hot through and the sauce is gently bubbling, about 10–15 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions in a covered dish in 1-minute bursts, stirring the sauce between rounds. Reheat rice until piping hot all the way through.

FAQ

Can you use boneless chicken instead of jointed chicken or drumsticks?

Yes. Boneless thighs work well, but they usually cook faster, so start checking earlier to avoid overcooking.

Do you need to skin the tomatoes, or can you leave them on?

You can leave them on, but the finished sauce will be less smooth and you may notice pieces of skin in the curry.

How spicy is this with 1–2 mild green chillies?

With the seeds removed, it stays moderate and more aromatic than hot. Adding the seeds pushes the heat up noticeably.

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes. The sauce settles and improves after a rest, so making it a day ahead works well; add the fresh coriander when reheating or just before serving.