If you are looking for a change from your usual chicken recipes, try this easy and delicious chicken Salan which is a perfect pairing for any kind of Indian flatbreads or Pulao.
Its amazing blend of flavors with a peanutty, spicy, slightly tangy, and sweet taste will make this a family favorite in no time.
Feel free to use the button at the top of the page to go to the recipe directly or the table of contents below to go to any section of the page you want. The recipe card has all the information that is needed to make the recipe perfectly. However, I try to provide as much useful information in the post for the readers who are looking for it.
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How to make with step by step pics
Let's see how to make this super delicious Chicken Salan. The step-by-step pics given below should help you along the way while cooking.
Preparation
- Make slight cuts into chicken pieces or poke it with a fork all around before marination to absorb spices better.
- Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients for at least 20 to 30 mins for better results. Place the marinated chicken in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Dry roast the dry ingredients given under the masala paste except for tomatoes and water and cool them down. Note: Dry roast peanuts first, remove them for cooling and next dry roast fennel seeds, sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds. Add coconut in the last just before turning off the heat to avoid burning.
- Now add these to the blender along with diced tomatoes and little water if required, make into a fine paste and keep it aside.
- Dice the onions into small pieces.
How to Make Chicken ka Salan Recipe
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot and add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, curry leaves, turmeric powder and saute for a minute or two until you get a nice aroma.
- Add chopped onions with a ½ teaspoon of salt to help onions cook faster. Saute the onions until they start turning into golden color.
- Now reduce the heat and add ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and mix well. Cook for a minute making sure the spices are not burning.
- Next, add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook uncovered for around 7 to 8 minutes or until all the chicken pieces turn white.
- Then add the tomato & ground spices paste to the chicken and mix well. Cook covered for 10 mins while stirring in between to avoid burning.
- When the chicken is almost ¾th way cooked, add the tamarind paste mixed with little water and the jaggery and mix well.
- Check the taste and add salt if required. Remember you already added salt in onions and chicken, so add accordingly.
- Add Garam masala if using, cook until the chicken is properly cooked and the gravy doesn't have any raw taste.
- Add chopped cilantro and turn off the heat. Serve with parotta, naan, chapati, phulka, or any kind of Indian flatbread for best combination. This goes really well with any kind of pulaos like vegetable pulao, cumin rice etc...
Some more Chicken recipes you will love
Try any of these tried and tested chicken recipes given below the next time you are in the mood for something delicious.
- Chicken Karahi
- Chicken Palak | Spinach chicken curry (Stovetop & Instant pot)
- Andhra Chicken Fry | Kodi Vepudu
- Air fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Instant Pot Chicken Congee ( Rice Porridge)
Tips and Tricks
Here are some simple tips to make sure you make an excellent chicken ka Salan.
- Make sure to roast the peanuts properly. If you have an air fryer, you can roast the peanuts at 330F for around 10 to 12 mins in air fryer because these are the only ones in the ingredients given which take a little longer to roast. Dry roast the other ingredients separately from peanuts for even roasting and add coconut in the last to avoid burning.
- Use Organic and young chicken for best taste and don't forget to poke the chicken before marination for better absorbption of flavors.
- Adjust the spices according to your spice levels as this chicken salan recipe is a little on the spicier side.
- Try not to skip jaggery as it beautifully balances all the flavors in this recipe.
Storing and Reheating
Just like any other Chicken gravy curry, This keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop when you are ready to eat.
What to Serve with
Chicken Salan recipe pairs beautifully with parotta, naan, chapati, phulka, or any kind of Indian flatbreads. It also tastes delicious with any kind of simple pulao like vegetable pulao, Jeera rice, Bagara rice.
Recipe
Chicken Salan Recipe | Chicken Salna
Ingredients
Ingredients for Chicken Marination
- 2.5 lbs chicken thighs or drumsticks boneless is fine too
- Salt to taste around 1.5 to 2 teaspoons
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
Ingredients for making Salan masala paste
- ⅓ cup peanuts
- ⅙ cup sesame seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ⅓ cup dry coconut powder or fresh grated coconut
- 2 big tomatoes
- Enough water to grind into a paste
Other Ingredients for making Chicken Salan
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves
- 2- inch cinnamon
- 2 red chilies broken into pieces
- 4 Cardamom elaichi
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 big onion chopped approximately 2 cups
- 1.5 tbsp gg paste
- Salt to taste
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with water
- 1 tsp grated Jaggery bellam
- ½ tsp garam masala Optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Make slight cuts into chicken pieces or poke it with a fork all around before marination to absorb spices better.
- Marinate the chicken with the marination ingredients for at least 20 to 30 mins for better results. Place the marinated chicken in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Dry roast the dry ingredients given under the masala paste except for tomatoes and water and cool them down.
- Now add these to the blender along with diced tomatoes and little water if required, make into a fine paste and keep it aside.
- Dice the onions into small pieces.
How to Make Chicken Salan
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pot and add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, curry leaves, turmeric powder and saute for a minute or two until you get a nice aroma.
- Add chopped onions with a ½ teaspoon of salt to help onions cook faster. Saute the onions until they start turning into golden color.
- Now reduce the heat and add ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, and mix well. Cook for a minute making sure the spices are not burning.
- Next, add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook uncovered for around 7 to 8 minutes or until all the chicken pieces turn white.
- Then add the tomato & ground spices paste to the chicken and mix well. Cook covered for 10 mins while stirring in between to avoid burning.
- When the chicken is almost ¾th way cooked, add the tamarind paste mixed with little water and the jaggery and mix well.
- Check the taste and add salt if required. Remember you already added salt in onions and chicken, so add accordingly.
- Add Garam masala if using, cook until the chicken is properly cooked and the gravy doesn't have any raw taste.
- Add chopped cilantro and turn off the heat. Serve with parotta, naan, chapati, phulka, or any kind of Indian flatbread for best combination. This goes really well with any kind of pulaos like vegetable pulao, cumin rice etc...
Notes
- Use organic young chicken and marinate for at least 30 mins for the best flavor.
- When dry roasting masala ingredients, dry roast peanuts first, take them on a plate, and then dry roast the other ingredients, add coconut to the last just before removing the pan from the heat.
- If you don't have tamarind paste, then soak small lime size tamarind in hot water, extract juice without pulp, and add it to the dish.
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