Aloo Chicken

By Zainab Shah

Published April 17, 2024

Aloo Chicken
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(924)
Comments
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This version of a traditional Punjabi chicken and potato stew uses some shortcuts — boneless chicken and chicken stock instead of whole chicken thighs, and cashew butter in place of ground cashews — to produce a quick, one-pot meal with complex flavors. The quality of the stock heavily influences the end result, so reach for the best. Onion, ginger, garlic, chile powder and garam masala layer on sweetness and heat while cashew butter adds a rich nuttiness. Serve with lemon wedges for a final hit of brightness. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 
  • ¼cup ghee or oil
  • 1teaspoon cumin seeds  
  • 1large red onion, chopped
  • 1tablespoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger (from a 3-inch piece)
  • 1tablespoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic (about 6 cloves)
  • 2pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into ¾ inch pieces  
  • Salt
  • 1½teaspoons Kashmiri or other mild red chile powder 
  • 1teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½teaspoon ground turmeric 
  • 1½teaspoons garam masala 
  • 3roma tomatoes, chopped, or ¼ cup chopped canned tomatoes 
  • 1tablespoon cashew butter
  • 3medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ¾ inch pieces
  • 2cups unsalted chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 1 to 3Thai green chiles, chopped, to taste
  • 2tablespoons cilantro 
  • Lemon wedges, for serving 
  • Rice or roti, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

697 calories; 26 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 55 grams protein; 1644 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat ghee in a medium-pot, about 10-inches wide, on medium for 30 seconds. Add cumin seeds and continue cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onion softens and starts to become translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the chicken and a large pinch of salt. Increase the heat to high and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the chicken turns golden and most of the liquid in the pot has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chile powder, cumin powder, turmeric and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt.

  3. Step 3

    When the tomatoes start to break down, after 2 to 4 minutes, stir in the cashew butter followed by the potatoes, stock, green chiles and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Top with cilantro and remaining ½ teaspoon garam masala. Serve with lemon wedges and rice or roti.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
924 user ratings
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Comments

Jessica

Just made this tonight and it was a huge hit. I didn’t have Kashmiri chili so I used a blend of sweet & spicy paprikas and I didn’t have cashew butter so I used tahini. I used homemade chicken stock & also added approx 1/4 coconut milk at the end. The squeeze of lemon really rounds out the flavor! Definitely adding this to the rotations!

Stone

This is a great recipe! Especially with thighs. Any good cook knows that fat is flavor, and that is yet another reason why thighs are superior to breasts. Chicken thighs are a fattier cut of meat, which means they're going to have more intense, rich flavor than their white meat counterparts. Also, when creating recipes for people of all levels, thighs are more forgiving and won’t dry out like a breast.

Morizou

Worked nicely with a block of firm tofu, cubed, in lieu of chicken. Used oil and vegetable broth for a vegan version; also added about 3 cups cooked chickpeas with the potatoes. Delicious atop steamed rice! (Cooking for one, I expect the leftovers to be quite lovely, too.)

Melissa

Absolutely YUM. Used tahini in place of cashew butter because that’s what I had. Simmered longer until it was stew-like. Served over basmati rice. Plenty of lemon squeezes, cilantro & garam masala sprinkled on top. Yum’

Dawson

This was sooooo good! I made my own cashew butter with just a cup of whole cashews, 4 tbsp of avocado oil, and a little bit of water. I let the whole cashews soak in boiling water for about 30 min, then i added the cashews to a blender along with the oil and the water from the soak, and it made a nice smooth cashew butter. It made about 1 1/2 cups of butter.

Vicki

Delicious and simple. Didn't have fresh chilis, so used sweet paprika and powdered cayenne. Will make this on a regular basis.

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