Chicken Jalfrezi
A quick, thick-sauced chicken stir-fry with crisp-tender peppers, onion wedges and fresh ginger. It's bright, lightly tangy and ready in under an hour.
Published 29 Sep 2026Updated Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Large deep frying pan or wok with a lid, chopping board, sharp knife, mixing bowl
Method
In a bowl, mix the chicken with the yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Leave it to marinate while you cut the vegetables.
Heat the oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 20 seconds, then add the finely chopped onion.
Cook the onion, stirring often, until soft and light golden, about 8 minutes. If it browns too fast, sprinkle in a spoonful of water.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add the marinated chicken. Sear, stirring now and then, until the pieces turn opaque on the outside, about 6 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, coriander powder and cumin powder. Cook, stirring and pressing the tomatoes down, until the mixture turns thick and the oil starts to separate at the edges, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the hot water, scrape up anything stuck to the pan, then cover and simmer on low until the chicken is cooked through (74°C inside) and the sauce is thick, about 8 minutes.
Uncover and add the onion wedges, both capsicums and the green chillies. Stir-fry on medium-high until the vegetables are just tender but still have a little bite, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over the garam masala, kasuri methi and half the ginger matchsticks. Stir, turn off the heat and rest for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.
Serve topped with the remaining ginger and the fresh coriander.
Cooking tips
- Use thigh meat if you can. It stays juicy in the quick, high-heat cooking; if using breast, cut slightly larger pieces and reduce the covered simmer by a couple of minutes.
- Add the peppers and onion wedges late so they stay bright and slightly crisp. Jalfrezi should not be soft and stewed.
- The sauce should cling to the chicken rather than pool. If it looks watery, cook uncovered for a few more minutes over high heat.
- For more heat, add an extra green chilli or a pinch more chilli powder with the tomatoes.
Substitutions
- Replace the chicken with paneer (add it with the peppers, no marinating needed) for a vegetarian version.
- No tomato paste: use one extra tomato and cook a little longer.
- Without kasuri methi, leave it out and finish with a little extra garam masala and coriander.
- Use a yellow capsicum in place of the red one, or add a handful of sliced fresh tomato wedges at the end.
Serve with
"Serve hot with fresh roti, naan or plain basmati rice, with sliced onion, lemon wedges and a cooling raita on the side."
Storage
"Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It freezes for up to 2 months, though the peppers will be softer after thawing."
Reheating
"Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot throughout (at least 74°C). Do not reheat more than once."
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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