Achari Chicken

Note: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Quick and easy recipe to make achari chicken or pickled chicken with the spices that you already have at home!

Achari chicken served in a green bowl with a side of rotis

Quick and easy recipe to make Achari Chicken or Pickled Chicken with the spices that you already have at home!

When I made Achari Chicken for the first time, my husband was completely bowled over. It was a big win for me because it came at a time when I was relatively new to cooking, and most of my attempts at cooking ended up with all curries being totally overwhelmed with huge amounts of masala or spice powder.

Every time, I would mess up our dinner, my husband would remind me that I had great potential when it came to cooking since I made the best Achari Chicken he had ever eaten. Before you say..Aww! Let me tell you this my husband is a smart man. He believed that he had only two choices – it was either encouraging me to cook or being responsible for making dinner every day, and he chose the former.

Save the recipe form

💌  Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below, and we will send it straight to your inbox. As a bonus, you'll receive recipe ideas every week!

Anyways coming back to the recipe, when I made Achari Chicken in the past, I always used store-bought masala, but this year I decided to stock up on only basic spices in the kitchen and make do with what I have, and that’s what I did.

Achari chicken served in a green and brown bowl with parathas on the side

Here are our other favorite chicken recipes for you to try out, along with a whole collection of biryani recipes– 

  1. Chicken Chettinad biryani – a famous spicy biryani from the southern part of India
  2. Butter chicken – A deliciously mild and creamy chicken curry 
  3. Chicken Tikka Masala – Marinated chicken cooked in a velvety sauce
Recipe card – save the recipe

📩  Save this recipe!

Enter your email below, and we will send it straight to your inbox. As a bonus, you’ll receive recipe ideas every week!

Achari chicken served in a green bowl topped with green chili 
Click on the stars to rate!
5 from 1 vote

Achari Chicken Recipe

Quick and easy recipe to make Achari Chicken or Pickled Chicken with the spices that you already have at home!
Pin Print Save
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 2 pounds chicken thighs chopped to pieces of desired size
  • 4-5 Anaheim peppers or Bhavnagari chillies
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds rai seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin jeera seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds saunf seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds methi seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nigella kalonji seeds (optional)
  • 1 cup onions chopped finely
  • 4-5 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger finely grated
  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander – cumin dhania – jeera powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice or to taste
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • Water as needed

Instructions
 

  • Make 2 slits in the chillies or peppers making sure the stem is intact.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken and fry them on each side until browned (approximately 3-4 minutes each side). Don’t overcrowd the pan, fry them in batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • Add the chillies or pepper, saute them for a minute or two and set them aside.
  • Add mustard seeds to the oil and when they begin to sputter, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and nigella seeds (if using).
  • Saute them for 10-20 seconds and then add the chopped onion slices and fry them till they soften (approximately 10-12 minutes).
  • Add garlic and ginger and fry them for a minute or so.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and fry them till the mixture becomes mushy and begins to leave oil.
  • Add yogurt, salt, garam masala, coriander – cumin powder and chilly powder and mix well. Add water as needed to get it to the consistency you desire.
  • Add the chicken back to the wok and continue cooking on medium heat till it is done (approximately 10 minutes).
  • Add chillies or peppers along with lime juice. Cover the wok and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with hot with roti or rice
Read the post…For helpful information on ingredient swaps, storage tips, meal prep ideas, and variations!

Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 27gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 529mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 650IUVitamin C: 14.8mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1.8mg
Diet: Gluten-free, Nut-free
Course: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Keywords: Best, Hyderabadi, spicy
Cuisine: Indian
Did you enjoy this recipe or have a question?Please leave a comment below. Don’t forget to rate!

Get dinner on the table faster!

Learn my meal planning + prepping secrets to make fresh Indian food without spending hours in the kitchen.

An overhead shot of Gujarathi kadhi along with rice, rotis and a side of lemon

FREE EMAIL COURSE

Simmer to slimmer logo

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




2 Comments