Learn how to make Red chilli chicken masala

Lets see how to make the thick and spicy Red chilli chicken masala at home with simple step by step instructions and video for your easy understanding.

What is Red Chilli Chicken Masala

If you’re craving a properly spicy, deeply flavored chicken masala that pairs with almost anything—rice, roti, dosa, idli—this Red Chilli Chicken Masala delivers. The key is a sautéed, blended masala paste made with shallots, Kashmiri red chilies, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cloves, and nuts, then slow-cooked with chicken until thick and restaurant-style. This thick and spicy Red Chilli Chicken Masala is perfect for rice. It is a simple South Indian style chicken recipe with bold flavors and rich roasted masala.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Thick and flavorful
• Perfect for rice
• Easy to make
• Simple ingredients
• Spicy and satisfying

Check few of my collection of recipes

If you are a non veg lover then do check my huge collection of Non veg recipes

• Chicken Recipes
• Egg recipes
• Fish Recipes

Some Chicken Gravy recipes for you to try:
Chicken gravy for beginners
Nadan Kozhi curry
Simple chicken kuzhambu
Kaju Chicken – Spicy version
Pepper Chicken Chettinad

If you love my recipes, then do subscribe to my Youtube channel for latest videos. For recipes in Tamil with English description – Just Samayal (detailed videos).

Below is the video of Red chilli chicken masala in Tamil with English description

Lets now see the Ingredients needed and step by step procedure to make this recipe

Ingredients

For the masala paste

– 3 tbsp sesame oil / gingelly oil (Sesame oil)
– 15–20 small onions / shallots
– 7–8 Kashmiri dried red chilies (Kashmiri chili)
– 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
– 8 almonds (or substitute cashews)
– 1-inch ginger
– 5–6 garlic cloves
– 5–6 cloves
– A little water, for grinding (as needed) Source

For the chicken masala

– ½ kg chicken, cut into pieces
– 1 large onion, sliced lengthwise
– 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
– ¼ tsp turmeric powder
– 1½ tsp chicken masala powder
– 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)
– Salt, to taste
– Curry leaves, a handful
– Coriander leaves, a handful (chopped)
– Lemon juice, a squeeze (about ½ lemon) Source

Step-by-step Procedure

1) Sauté the base for the paste
Heat 3 tbsp sesame oil in a clay pot or heavy-bottom pan. Add shallots, dried Kashmiri red chilies, and chopped tomatoes. Sauté until softened.

2) Add aromatics + spices + nuts
Add almonds (or cashews), ginger, garlic, and cloves. Sauté until aromatic and well-cooked.

3) Cool and grind
Move the sautéed mixture to a plate, cool completely, then grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Set aside.

4) Build the chicken base
In the same pan, sauté 1 sliced large onion until translucent. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.

5) Add chicken + spice powders
Add the chicken. Season with turmeric, chicken masala powder, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt. Mix well to coat evenly.
6) Add the ground paste and slow cook
Add the prepared masala paste. Rinse the mixer jar with a little water and add that too. Cook on low heat for ~40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (No extra water is needed since the chicken releases moisture.)

7) Finish with herbs
When chicken is tender and masala turns thick, add curry leaves + coriander leaves

8) Final touch

Squeeze little lemon juice and Turn off the heat.

Your tasty red chilli chicken masala is ready to be served hot hot with rice or roti or chappathi.

Tips for Best Taste

– Go low and slow: The 40–45 minute low-flame cook is what makes the masala clingy and intense.
– Cool before grinding: Grinding hot sautéed mix can turn bitter and may also pressure-build in the jar—cool it fully first.
– Adjust spice smartly: Keep the dried chilies for flavor, but reduce Kashmiri chili powder if you want a milder version.
– Use a heavy pan/clay pot: Helps prevent burning during slow cooking and gives better body.

Notes & Variations

– Almonds vs cashews: Almonds are used, but cashews work as a substitute for similar richness and thickness.
– Serving ideas: This tastes especially great mixed with plain rice, and also pairs well with chapathi/roti, dosa, idli.
– Consistency control (optional): If you prefer it more “gravy-like,” add a small splash of hot water near the end (do it gradually so it doesn’t become thin).

Storage & Reheating

Here are safe, practical guidelines:
– Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days. 
– Freezer: Freeze up to 1 month for best flavor (thaw overnight in the fridge). 
– Reheat: Reheat until piping hot; add a splash of water if the masala has thickened too much. 
It is always good to eat the cooked meal within a day.

Printable recipe for Red chilli chicken masala

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Red Chilli Chicken Masala

Red Chilli Chicken Masala is a bold, spicy and thick chicken recipe perfect for rice. The masala is roasted until oil separates, giving the dish a rich taste and deep colour. This home-style chicken curry is easy to prepare and ideal for a comforting lunch or dinner.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, South Indian, tamil nadu

Keyword chicken masala for rice, clay pot chicken curry, home made chicken masala, hotel style chicken masala, kashmiri chilli chicken, red chilli chicken masala, slow cooked chicken curry, spicy chicken masala

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 500kcal

Author Akila

Cost 10

Equipment

• kadai
• bowl for mixing

Ingredients

For the masala paste

• – 3 tbsp sesame oil / gingelly oil Sesame oil
• – 15–20 small onions / shallots
• – 7–8 Kashmiri dried red chilies Kashmiri chili
• – 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
• – 8 almonds or substitute cashews
• – 1-inch ginger
• – 5–6 garlic cloves
• – 5–6 cloves
• – A little water for grinding (as needed) Source

For the chicken masala

• – ½ kg chicken cut into pieces
• – 1 large onion sliced lengthwise
• – 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• – ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• – 1½ tsp chicken masala powder
• – 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder adjust to taste
• – Salt to taste
• – Curry leaves a handful
• – Coriander leaves a handful (chopped)
• – Lemon juice a squeeze (about ½ lemon) Source

Instructions

Sauté the base for the paste

• Heat 3 tbsp sesame oil in a clay pot or heavy-bottom pan. Add shallots, dried Kashmiri red chilies, and chopped tomatoes. Sauté until softened.

Add aromatics + spices + nuts

• Add almonds (or cashews), ginger, garlic, and cloves. Sauté until aromatic and well-cooked.

Cool and grind

• Move the sautéed mixture to a plate, cool completely, then grind to a smooth paste with a little water. Set aside.

Build the chicken base

• In the same pan, sauté 1 sliced large onion until translucent. Add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears.

Add chicken + spice powders

• Add the chicken. Season with turmeric, chicken masala powder, Kashmiri chili powder, and salt. Mix well to coat evenly.

Add the ground paste and slow cook

• Add the prepared masala paste. Rinse the mixer jar with a little water and add that too. Cook on low heat for ~40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (No extra water is needed since the chicken releases moisture.)

Finish with herbs

• When chicken is tender and masala turns thick, add curry leaves + coriander leaves

Final touch

• Squeeze little lemon juice and Turn off the heat.

Video

Notes

– Almonds vs cashews: Almonds are used, but cashews work as a substitute for similar richness and thickness.
– Serving ideas: This tastes especially great mixed with plain rice, and also pairs well with chapathi/roti, dosa, idli.
– Consistency control (optional): If you prefer it more “gravy-like,” add a small splash of hot water near the end (do it gradually so it doesn’t become thin).

FAQ

1) Is this dish very spicy?
It’s meant to be spicy. To reduce heat, cut down the Kashmiri chili powder and/or reduce the number of dried chilies in the paste.

2) Can I make it without almonds?
Yes—cashews are a mentioned substitute and will still give a thick, rich masala.

3) Do I need to add water while cooking?
Typically no, because chicken releases moisture; only the jar-rinse water is added with the paste. Source

4) What goes best with Red Chilli Chicken Masala?
It’s shown as a side for rice & roti, and also works with dosa/idli.

5) How do I know it’s done?
When the chicken is tender and the masala becomes thick and well-coated, it’s ready for herbs + lemon finishing.

6. Why is my red chilli chicken masala not thick?
If the masala is watery, it means:
Tomatoes were not cooked properly.
Masala was not roasted until oil separated.
Too much water was added.
Cook on medium flame and roast well until oil separates for thick consistency.

7. Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, you can use boneless chicken.
But bone-in chicken gives:
More flavour
Better texture
Juicier result
For authentic taste, bone-in is recommended.

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The post Red Chilli Chicken Masala (Spicy) | Side dish for Rice & Roti appeared first on Learning-to-cook.

Chicken masala for beginners is very easy recipe and this one is especially for the beginners in cooking and for the bachelors who think cooking chicken masala is very tough.

Chicekn masala for beginners recipe with step by step pictures for your easy understanding and learning.

Easy Chicken Masala Recipe

Chicken Masala is one of favorite dish. It is simple to make yet tastes great. This recipe is mainly for the beginners and bachelors who wants to try this chicken masala at home. When I came first time to singapore my husband bought some chicken masala powder and tried this dish and said his friend used to prepare the chciken masala that way.  Ooh… I don’t like that taste with store bought masala. We hardly completed that dish. The next week, I called my mom and asked for the recipe. I followed the recipe and the result is awesome. So people who start learning the cooking and bachelors out there, can find this chicken masala to an an easy one. So try it and let me know the outcome. Here we go for the recipe.

 

If you want, you can try some of my simple chicken dishes below

 

Chicken kuzhambu for bachelors

Pepper Chicken Chettinad 

Nadan Kozhi Curry ( Kerala chicken curry )

Chicken gravy step by step
Country chicken kurma

 

Step by step instructions for Masala chicken recipe

 

9. Serve this hot chicken masala with rice or Biryani or Naan or dosa. Anything goes well with this. 

 

 

 

 

Tempting Chicken Masala is ready for serving.

 

Notes: 

1. I made this masala bit sry as I like the dry version. If more onions and tomatoes are added, you can make it a bit gravy. 

2. If you need a little more tangy, you can add 2 tsp of tamarind pulp. 

3. Adding 1 tsp gingelly oil enhances taste.

4. Spiciness can be adjusted according to your taste buds. Above mentioned are for my family taste buds. 

 

Recipe for Masala chicken for beginners

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Chicken Masala for beginners

Chicken Masala is one of favorite dish. It is simple to make yet tastes great. This recipe is mainly for the beginners and bachelors who wants to try this chicken masala at home. When I came first time to singapore my husband bought some chicken masala powder and tried this dish and said his friend used to prepare the chciken masala that way. Ooh… I don’t like that taste with store bought masala. We hardly completed that dish. The next week, I called my mom and asked for the recipe. I followed the recipe and the result is awesome. So people who start learning the cooking and bachelors out there, can find this chicken masala to an an easy one.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine South Indian

Keyword chicken masala for beginngers, chicken masala recipe, masala chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

marination 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 500kcal

Author Akila

Ingredients

Marination

• Chicken – 1/2 kg
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp

Spices

• Cardamom – 2 pods
• Fennel – 3/4 tsp
• Cinnamon stick – 5 1 inch size
• Star anise – 2
• Bay leaf – 1 crushed
• Cloves – 6 to 7

Other Ingredients

• Sunflower oil – 5 tsp
• Gingelly oil – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – few
• Onion – 2 finely chopped
• Tomato – 2 finely chopped
• Ginger Garlic – 2 tsp
• Green chillies – 2
• Chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Garam masala – 1 tsp
• Water – 1 cup + or – Salt as per taste

Instructions

• Wash the chicken with salt nicely. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and mix well. Allow to rest for 30 min atleast.
• In a wok or kadai, add 5 tsp oil and when it is hot add all the spices one by one and finally the curry leaves. Add the onion.
• Let the onion become translucent. Now add in the tomatoes.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste and the green chillies. Sauté till the raw smell of the ginger garlic goes off.
• Add in the marinated chicken pieces now. Add 1 cup water mix well.
• Close with a lid and let the chciken gets cooked for 10 min. Now add in the chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and required salt.
• Let it cook for another 5 min. Add the garam masala powder now. Mix well and sprinkle some water and allow the chciken to get cooked in the masala powder.
• Cook till the oils oozes out. Add gingelly oil at this time. Wait for 2 min. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
• Serve this hot chicken masala with rice or Biryani or Naan or dosa. Anything goes well with this.

Notes

1. I made this masala bit sry as I like the dry version. If more onions and tomatoes are added, you can make it a bit gravy.
2.  If you need a little more tangy, you can add 2 tsp of tamarind pulp.
3.  Adding 1 tsp gingelly oil enhances taste.
4.  Spiciness can be adjusted according to your taste buds. Above mentioned are for my family taste buds.

*Post first published on May 7th 2014. Updated with recipe.

The post Easy Chicken Masala for beginners | Chicken Recipes appeared first on Learning-to-cook.