This authentic Chicken Rogan Josh recipe is an easy and exquisite Kashmiri-style dish that is packed with flavors. It has the perfect combination of savory, aromatic and spicy that will surely rev up your appetite. This Indian chicken curry recipe is so popular in takeaway restaurants.
You may serve this dish with Turmeric Rice or Buttered Peas for a delicious family dinner.
If you are not a fan of heat, then worry not; the Chicken Rogan Josh is actually a medium curry. It’s not going to be a battle of wills for you to get through this dish. But if you’re the daring, adventurous kind of diner, then you can always up the spiciness for a truly memorable meal.
The Chicken Rogan Josh is also a versatile dish. I recommend pairing it with steaming rice to really enjoy the savoriness of this dish. But it can also be paired with a perfectly baked Naan, or if you’re trying to cut down on carbs, then cauliflower rice works with this dish as well.
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What is Rogan Josh?
The Rogan Josh Recipe was traditionally made during special occasions and often consisted of lamb as the meat. But I like to make life easier for you. Lamb is a great meat for sure, but it takes a whole lot of time to soften the meat, so I opted for chicken to save you time and energy.
It might have been a traditional dish reserved for weddings and other important events, but the Chicken Rogan Josh has become a cultural hit. It is now a staple of Indian restaurant menus. With this recipe, you don’t need a take-out; you can impress your loved ones by making it on your own, easy peasy.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
This Easy Chicken Rogan Josh Recipe is a crown favorite for budding at home chefs because of the following:
- The Chicken Rogan Josh is easy to make because it has chicken as its meat. Chicken meats are soft and need not be cooked in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.
- Aside from being packed with flavor, this recipe is also healthy. It is heavy on protein and is sure to hit your macronutrient protein goals for the day.
- As a South Asian Cuisine, the recipe showcases the spices that are normally not present in regular American Cuisine. This cuisine is not only full of spices, but it is also chock full of culture.
- This recipe is very versatile; it is a family-friendly recipe that works well with kids as it’s not packed with spiciness, but it can still be made into an adult-friendly dinner by increasing the heat. This does not take away the recipe nor sacrifice any of the flavors in the dish.
- This recipe also works well with any kind of beverage you prefer. So, if you are a soda person, this recipe is the perfect drinking buddy for you.
Ingredients
Since this recipe is bursting with flavors from spices, here are the ingredients that you will need.
Olive Oil: Itl is a healthy cooking oil that brings out the flavors in the dish. I suggest using Extra Virgin Oil to get the most benefits from it’s omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that it contains.
Cardamom Pods: cardamom pods have a unique flavor of spicy and sweet. It brings out the warmth in any dish and is best paired with meat and curries.
Cinnamon Sticks: Add more depth to your dish and enhances its savory qualities.
Bay Leaf and Cloves: add not only flavor to your dish but also renders it with its delectable aroma.
Onion & Garlic: onion and Garlic Cloves also add zing to the dish as an additional flavoring.
Fresh Ginger: fresh ginger is filled with antioxidants that rid the body of any unwanted toxins. It is also aromatic and brings about the savory flavors of the dish.
Chicken Breasts: the start of the Rogan Josh Recipe are chicken breasts. These are packed with protein that can absorb different flavors well. It is also soft and easy to cook.
Passata: It is made up of crushed tomatoes; it lends a tangy flavor to your dish and makes the soup of your dish thicker and creamier.
Chicken Stock: the base of your soup, chicken stock helps bring out the flavor of the meat and complements the spices in your dish.
Tomato Puree: tomato puree works well with passatas to add flavor as well as thicken the soup of the dish.
Sugar: adds sweetness to your spicy dish. Sugar helps balance the heat in your dish.
Chicken Rogan Josh Spices
South Asian Cuisine is known for its spices, and this recipe does not shy away from it. Spices found in this recipe are the following:
Paprika: has a sweet and fruity flavor. It is also the source of the recipe's bright red color.
Ground Coriander: the ground corianders add balance to the sweet and fruity flavor of the paprika because it has nutty and earthy flavors.
Ground Cumin: is a very versatile spice that is most known to bring out the flavors of the meat in a dish.
Garam Masala: Garam Masala is a blend of spices that usually include cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin. Some store-bought Garam Masala can have a mixture of up to 14 spices. This is used to lend heat to your dish.
Cayenne Pepper: cayenne pepper adds another layer of spice to the dish. Garam Masala is not often considered to be spicy, so to elevate the dish to a medium spice level, the cayenne pepper is the magic ingredient.
Turmeric: It adds color and enhances the earthy flavors of a dish. It also aids in the digestion of the food that you eat.
Salt & Black Pepper: Salt adds a layer of flavor to your dish, while black pepper adds depth by really emphasizing the spicy notes of the different spices.
Fresh Cilantro: Cilantro is mainly used for garnishing and adds aroma to the final dish.
How to Make Easy Chicken Rogan Josh - Step By Step
This recipe does not contain any complicated techniques. Just follow the simple recipe below, and you’re sure to come up with your next favorite go-to dish.
One: On a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf and let it cook for 1 minute.
Two: Add in ginger, onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft. Make sure to mix the ingredients in the pan so as not to burn the onions.
Three: Once the onions are soft. Stir in paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper and turmeric, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Four: Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes. Cooked chicken should turn a golden shade of brown.
Five: Now, pour in the chicken stock, passata, tomato puree, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix your chicken and soup base to make sure that the meat really absorbs the flavors.
Six: Cover the pot with the lid and let simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
Seven: Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
Top Tips!
To make the dish as successful as possible, follow the following top tips.
- Make sure that your heat is at the right temperature when cooking. Keep your heat at medium when cooking onions and low during the simmer.
- Make sure to taste your broth while cooking, you are always free to add more masala and pepper for heat, or you can add puree and passata for a more tangy, low-spice dish.
- The dish is best served hot.
Recipe Variations
If you’re looking for some recipe substitutes, then you can take note of the following:
- If you don’t have olive oil on hand, ghee is a good and healthy substitute.
- If you don’t have olive oil and ghee, you can always make use of good ‘ol butter.
- You can add some vegetables to this chicken rogan josh, such as potatoes, green beans, bell pepper or celery.
- You can substitute ground cinnamon with a cinnamon quill.
- Replace cardamom pods with ground cardamom to boost the flavor.
- A good substitute for garam masala is mild curry powder.
- If you like chicken thighs better, you may use them instead of chicken breasts.
- If you want your chicken rogan josh spicy, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flacks or 1 chilli.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your Chicken Rogan Josh for lunch and dinner. You can partner it with your choice of carbohydrates such as white rice (red and brown rice is a healthier option), Pita bread or Naan.
Storage
To Store: to store Chicken Rogan Josh make sure that the dish is no longer hot. Cover the lid of the pan with foil or transfer to an airtight container and store in your refrigerator. Refrigerated Chicken Rogan Josh is good for three days.
Make Ahead of Time: you can make this dish ahead of time by marinating the chicken with paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper and turmeric. Store in the fridge. Once you’re ready to cook it, you only need to Sautee the onions, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and bay leaf, as well as add the puree and the broth as your soup base.
To freeze: you can also freeze this dish by covering your container with foil or transferring it to an airtight container. Frozen Chicken Rogan Josh is good for five days.
To Reheat: the dish is easy to reheat; just heat a pan on medium heat, pour in your Chicken Rogan Josh and wait for the soup to simmer. Make sure to Mix to heat evenly.
Recipe FAQs
This dish will not take a lot to prepare, all you need is 45 minutes.
If you are serving it to a group of people with different spice tolerances, you can add a spoon of Greek yogurt on top of those who prefer a milder spice level to their dish.
No, there are no peanuts in this recipe.
First, sear the Chicken, then add it with all the ingredients in your slow cooker and cook for about 6 hours on low.
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Recipe
Easy Chicken Rogan Josh Recipe
Ingredients
Spices
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 4 Cardamom Pods
- 3 Cloves
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger , chopped
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Curry
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion , peeled and chopped
- 4 Cloves Garlic , peeled and chopped
- 5 chicken breasts , cut into small pieces
- 300 ml Passata
- 200 ml Chicken Stock
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Coriander , chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in ginger, onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Stir in paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper and turmeric, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Now, pour in the chicken stock, passata, tomato puree, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
- Cover the pot with the lid and simmer on low for 25-30 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
Notes
- Make sure that your heat is at the right temperature when cooking. Keep your heat at medium when cooking onions and low during the simmer.
- Make sure to taste your broth while cooking, you are always free to add more masala and pepper for heat, or you can add puree and passata for a more tangy, low-spice dish.
- The dish is best served hot.
Variations
- If you don’t have olive oil on hand, ghee is a good and healthy substitute.
- If you don’t have olive oil and ghee, you can always make use of good ‘ol butter.
- You can add some vegetables to this chicken rogan josh, such as potatoes, green beans, bell pepper or celery.
- You can substitute ground cinnamon with a cinnamon quill.
- Replace cardamom pods with ground cardamom to boost the flavor.
- A good substitute for garam masala is mild curry powder.
- If you like chicken thighs better, you may use them instead of chicken breasts.
- If you want your chicken rogan josh spicy, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flacks or 1 chilli.
Olivia
Is this an Indian recipe?
Radwa
Yes, it is.
Lora
I love spicy food, thanks for the recipe.