When people think of vindaloo, they usually think spicy curry! That's true but when you make your own vindaloo, like this 30 minute chicken vindaloo, you are in control of how spicy or mild you make it. This is a curry house version of vindaloo and not to be mistaken with the authentic Goan pork vindaloo on my other blog that is also not to be missed.
About this recipe.
This 30 minute chicken vindaloo is similar to the 30 minutes vindaloo in my cookbook The Curry Guy One Pot. It’s a bit different in that you blend the onions before adding them. There is more than one way to get from A to B.
In this method, you can easily do all the blending before you start cooking. This is an authentic Indian technique which works really well and is similar to the way I cooked the Butter Chicken in my book The Curry Guy BBQ.
Jump to:
Ingredients
As with many curries, this 30 minute chicken vindaloo has a lot of ingredients in it. Get them prepared and ready before you start cooking. It’s much easier that way. When it comes to the chillies and chilli powder, follow the recipe for a good spicy vindaloo or adjust these to taste. There’s no point making a curry so hot no one will eat it!
- Boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- FOR THE MARINADE
- Garlic and ginger paste
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- Ground turmeric
- Salt
- Juice of one lime
- FOR THE CURRY
- Ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- Green cardamom pods
- Star anise
- Indian bay leaf
- Green bird’s eye chillies
- Scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped
- Onions
- Salt
- Garlic and ginger paste
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Paprika
- Garam masala
- Ground black pepper
- Madras curry powder
- Sugar (more or less to taste)
- Passata
- Chicken stock or water
- Potato
- White distilled vinegar
- Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- Limes to serve
- Coriander (cilantro)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Below you will find my step by step photos of when I made this 30 minute chicken vindaloo. You can, however prepare and cook things at a time that is convenient to you. Blend the onions a day before serving, for example or get the chicken cooked.
- Step 1: Mix the chicken with the marinade ingredients until completely coated. Leave for 30 minutes to 4 hours. You can go straight to cooking if time is an issue.
- Step 2: Fry the chicken in one layer for 4 minutes in ghee or oil over a medium-high heat. Then flip it over to cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. The chicken may not be completely cooked at this point.
- Step 3: Using the same pan, heat 2 tablespoon ghee or oil over a medium-high heat. Stir in the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, star anise and Indian bay leaf to infuse in the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Step 4: Add the chopped chillies and fry for about 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Step 3: Blend the onions into a smooth paste. This can be done before you start cooking if more convenient.
- Step 4: Stir the blended onions into the chillies and spices in the pan and fry, stirring regularly for about 7 minutes to soften or until they begin to turn a golden brown.
- Step 3: Stir in the ground spices and sugar and then add the passata and the stock or water and bring to a simmer.
- Step 4: Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the simmering sauce. Cover the pan and let it simmer over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the cooked potatoes, if using. Then stir in the vinegar, kasoori methi and salt to taste.
- Step 4: Garnish with coriander and sliced chillies if you like.
Substitutions
For that famous curry house chicken vindaloo flavour, I recommend using the ingredients above and in the recipe card below. You can, however substitute other ingredients to suit your dietary needs or to use up leftovers in the fridge.
Try lamb or beef - Any protein can be used to make this vindaloo. You might like to try lamb or beef. If so, cut it quite small so that it becomes tender fast. I did this in my 30 Minute Lamb Rogan Josh recipe if you want to have a look.
Vegetarian - Why not replace the chicken for cubed paneer? simply follow the steps in this recipe and brown the paneer in the pan instead of the chicken. You can even marinate it in the same way! You might also like to add additional vegetables to bulk it up. Try mushrooms, sliced bell peppers, courgettes (zucchini) or cubed squash.
Use Different Chillies - In the recipe I use finger chillies and scotch bonnet chillies. The finger chillies aren't really hot but the scotch bonnet are. If you don't want a really spicy vindaloo, I recommend not using the scotch bonnet chillies. You could add more finger chillies if you like as a substitute or keep the chillies to a minimum for a milder curry.
Seafood - Prawns work really well in a vindaloo as does any meaty fish like cod, halibut or swordfish. When adding seafood, add it right at the end of cooking when your sauce is seasoned and cooked to your liking. If you add prawns too soon, they will overcook and become rubbery. Meaty fish will break apart when added too soon.
Equipment
You don't need any special equipment to make this 30 minute chicken vindaloo. Just a good sturdy pan or wok will do the job.
You will need a blender to blend the onions into a paste. A chefs knife might also come in handy.
Storage
Curries like this 30 Minute Chicken Vindaloo actually taste better the next day. So feel free to make it a day or two ahead of serving.
Fridge:
Store cooled vindaloo in an airtight container and eat within 2–3 days. Reheat on the hob or microwave until piping hot. Reheating on the hob (stove) is my preferred method. To do this, heat it up gently over a medium heat until hot.
Freezer:
Freeze cooled rogan josh in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen on the hob or in the microwave until steaming hot.
Top Tip
Don't be silly with the chillies! Yes, I know... vindaloo is famous for being a very hot curry. I love it but most of my family doesn't when I make it too hot. Go easy on the chillies and chilli powder if you aren't sure how hot it will be. You can always add more at the end of cooking if you find it too mild.
FAQ
Of course! This is a 30 minute recipe so I kept the work to a minimum. If you make tandoori chicken tikka, you can add that instead. It will add a delicious layer of flavour.
It shouldn't blow your head of but it is spicy. It's nowhere near as spicy as some curry house style vindaloos but you can easily adjust the chillies and chilli powder to make it as spicy or mild as you like.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
More sides on the way! This 30 minute chicken vindaloo goes great with...
Recipe
30 Minute Chicken Vindaloo
You're going to get a restaurant quality chicken vindaloo with this recipe. Instead of using a base sauce as is done in restaurant style curries, you are going to use more authentic methods to make a vindaloo. The spice level can easily be adjusted to taste.
Ingredients
- 800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- FOR THE MARINADE
- 2 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 2 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Juice of one lime
- FOR THE CURRY
- 3 tablespoon ghee or rapeseed (canola) oil
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 2 star anise
- 1 Indian bay leaf
- 2 green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
- 2 scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar (more or less to taste)
- 250g ( 1 cup) Passata
- 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock or water
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces and boiled until cooked through (optional)
- 2 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt to taste
- 2 quartered limes to serve
- 3 tablespoon coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, stir the chicken pieces together with the 2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste, one tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt until the meat is completely coated. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. You can also just go straight to cooking if time is an issue.
- Blend the onions until you have a smooth onion paste and set aside.
- When ready to cook, heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When bubbly hot, add the marinated chicken in one layer and fry on one side for 4 minutes. Then flip the chicken pieces over to fry the other side for 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add two tablespoon ghee or oil to the pan and stir in the star anise, cardamom pods and Indian bay leaf, if using. Allow these ingredients to infuse into the oil or ghee for about 30 seconds and then stir in the chopped finger chillies and scotch bonnet chillies. Fry for another minute, stirring continuously, being very careful not to burn the spices.
- Now pour in the blended onions and fry for about 7 minutes, stirring regularly until the onions are turning a golden brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir it into the onion mixture for about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground spices and sugar and stir well to combine before pouring in the passata and chicken stock or water.
- Bring it all to a steady simmer and then return the chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, lift the lid and add the vinegar and cooked potatoes, if using. Over a medium-high heat, reduce the sauce down to thicken to your personal preference.
- To finish, add the kassori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) by rubbing them between your fingers over the sauce. Try a mouthful and adjust the flavours to taste. You can always add more chilli powder for a spicier sauce. Just let it simmer in the sauce for a couple of minutes.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Serve hot with lime wedges that can be added to taste at the table and garnish with the chopped coriander.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 837Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 289mgSodium: 3394mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 7gSugar: 11gProtein: 62g
Leave a Reply