Chicken jalfrezi is a savory curry cooked with soft, juicy pieces of chicken in a spicy tomato sauce sprinkled with stir-fried peppers and onions. The stir-fry is a combination of Chinese methods and Indian spices that comes together in about thirty minutes, making it an ideal spicy dish. My mother prepares this dish a lot, and it is one of my favorites. You should give it a go too! This recipe goes well with basmati rice, chapattis, or naan bread.

Chicken Jalfrezi is a pleasantly refreshing stir-fry that’s easy to make and tasty. You’ll just love the soft, juicy pieces of chicken stir-fried with peppers and onions! It is a popular entrée in the United Kingdom and the Indian subcontinent.

If you’re seeking an original Chicken jalfrezi dish that’s simple to make yet packed with flavor, you’ve come to the perfect spot. To create this crowd-pleaser, all you really need is a pot, 30 minutes, and some common household items.

Chicken jalfrezi does not have a lengthy history in India. It was created by British Raj cooks as a method of using up leftovers using a Chinese cooking technique. Instead of sautéing the chicken and peppers for hours like in typical curries, the components for jalfrezi are swiftly stir-fried.

Chicken jalfrezi is a tomato-based curry that includes boneless chicken chunks, bell peppers, and onion. jalfrezi is stir-fried instead of simmered or braised, but so is the case with most traditional curries. This gives it a thick, semi-dry texture rather than the soupy texture of classic chicken curry. This helps to maintain the texture and taste of the onions and peppers.

The history of Chicken jalfrezi is brief. When the British were in India, they (or their cooks) would occasionally toss leftover meat into curries. The term ‘jalfrezi’ comes from a combination of the words ‘hot/spicy’ (jhal) and ‘fry/stir-fry’ (fraizy). In Bangladesh, it is most commonly known as “Chicken jhal fry”.

Every cook has their own style of cooking chicken jalfrezi, like with other dishes in the Indian culinary repertory. The majority of variants feature protein, peppers, onions, and tomatoes stir-fried with aromatics and spices such as ginger, garlic, cloves, and cumin seeds.

Because Chicken jalfrezi is a stir-fry, you should do all of your prep ahead of time because it comes together rapidly once you start cooking. I begin by browning the chicken in order to render some fat and generate some brown appearance on the chicken. The chicken is then removed to prevent it from overcooking.

The entire spices are sautéed in oil to bring out their tastes before the ginger and garlic are roasted. The majority of the vegetables are then added and stir-fried until they’re vivid in color but not so long that they lose their texture. Finally, the chicken is returned to the pot with some tomato puree to allow the flavors to mingle.

Garam masala and salt are used to season the combination, and I like to add a little sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, as well as some chili powder to provide some fire.

Chicken Jalfrezi is best served over naan or pulao, although it can also be served over pasta. If you have a little more time and want to make a meal out of it, serve it with Chicken Biryani and a side of Eggplant Curry.

For a long time, I couldn’t spot much difference between Chicken jalfrezi and Chicken Shashlik (tomato boneless chicken with bell pepper). So, even though no one has asked me this, I thought I’d explain to my earlier self:

Jalfrezi has a significantly stronger South Asian taste profile than Shashlik, which is fully Indo-Chinese. Jalfrezi, unlike Shashlik, is cooked using fresh tomatoes. Jalfrezi features a drier, spice-infused sauce, whereas Shashlik has more gravy and also no South Asian spices.

Let’s jump into the recipe.

How to make this Chicken Jalfrezi juicier:

Reduce the tomatoes in Step 3 to preserve more sauce. You may also add 1/4-half a cup of water at the end and mix it in with the sauce.

Adjusting the heat level:

This jalfrezi is medium-spicy as is. You may always alter the heat by adjusting the amount of green chili pepper and red chili powder.

How To double the recipe:

Simply double all of the ingredients. You may also need to sauté the tomatoes for a longer period of time to minimize their size.

So, what are you waiting for? Try this at your home and have the taste of authentic beef tomato curry. Also, share this recipe with your friends and family. I must say, this beef tomato curry is going to be a top priority to go with your next meals!