Chicken Handi Recipe, How to make chicken handi

Chicken Handi Recipe, a very traditional chicken handi recipe that is made in a special vessel called a handi.

What exactly is a handi

Handi is a kind of cooking pan that was used in Indian cooking with a shallow depth and a wide bottom in olden days which was made of clay. However these days it is not so common to cook in such pots or to even find it.

Those that are available online are exorbitantly priced. But you will find them at a reasonable price at local markets. Just scan around your place and you will find surely find it. The flavor that comes out of the handi is very delicious.

Why make in a handi?

✓ makes the flavor of the dish delicious.

✓ cooks food better as heat is distributed evenly.

✓ more healthy compared to all the artificially coated pans.

✓ stays hot longer.

Can you make chicken handi in other vessels

You can always use a steel handi or even a regular pot or pan. But the taste won’t be the same as making in a clay pot.

Other recipes that use the clay pot are mutton handi, handi paneer or handi biryani etc.

Things to remember when making this dish

For this Chicken Handi recipe, the gravy or base is made from cashew nuts and yogurt. The onions are first fried and then the chicken is sauteed really well before adding in the cashew nut paste and yogurt.

Just a bit of preparation is required to prepare the cashew paste and after that, it’s pretty easy to follow the recipe.

The chicken handi recipe tastes best with tandoori roti, nan or parathas but you can even try it with some plain steamed rice too or jeera rice.

You can even make veg handi or paneer handi or even mutton handi following the same instructions.

If you are looking for more such recipes, try the Kerala Style Chicken Curry Recipe, Chettinad Chicken curry, Hyderabadi Dum ka Murgh Salan.

Check out the step by step pictorial of the chicken handi recipe

• Make a paste of cashew nuts and mix yogurt. Set aside.

• Heat oil in a handi and add the whole spices and onion.

• Once the onions are translucent, add the ginger garlic paste. Cook till raw smell vanishes from it.

• Add in the mint and coriander leaves.

• Next, mix the cleaned chicken. Cook till water fries from it.

• Throw in the powdered spices with salt.

• Add the tomatoes.

• Cook till tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.

• Add the cashew and yogurt paste and cook till chicken is done.

• Mix in the green chili and garam masala powder.

• Cook till oil separates from the masala. Serve hot.

Check and print your recipe below.

Chicken Handi Recipe, How to make chicken handi

A delicious chicken handi recipe made with aromatic spices, cashew and yogurt in a handi.

3.93 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chicken handi, handi murgh

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Resting Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 5 people

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Fareeha

Watch the Video

What You Need:

• 1 chicken (about 1.25 kg), cleaned and cut into medium pieces
• 3 tbsp cashews
• 1/2 cup hot water for soaking the cashews or about 125 ml hot water
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 medium garlic + 1/2 inch ginger, crushed to a paste or 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves/cilantro/hara dhaniya
• 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves/pudina
• 1 cup water, 250 ml
• 3 tbsp curd/yogurt
• 1 tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp coriander powder/dhania powder
• 3 tbsp butter/oil
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 2 cloves/lavang
• 1/2 inch cinnamon/dal chini
• 2 green cardamoms /hari elaichi/choti elaichi

How To Make:

• Soak cashews in half a cup of hot water for 30 minutes and grind them to a fine paste. Mix yogurt and set this paste aside.
• Heat butter/oil in a handi or a pan. Add the whole spices - cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves. Lightly fry the spices till it emanates a good aroma.
• Add finely chopped onions and fry till golden brown in color.
• Now add the ginger-garlic paste, cook till raw smell vanishes from it. Then add in the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Stir and saute for a minute.
• Next, add the chicken and saute the chicken till it is lightly brown in color.
• Now add in turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and coriander powder. Give it a stir.
• Mix in the finely chopped tomatoes. and cook till the tomatoes soften, become pulpy and you see oil leaving the sides of the pan.
• Next, add the ground cashew paste and yogurt. You can totally skip adding the yogurt, if you do not prefer it.
• Keep stirring till oil/butter starts leaving the sides of the masala.
• Now add the slit green chilies and garam masala powder, stir again and let the gravy begin to simmer and oil starts floating on top. Takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a low to medium flame. 
• Garnish with chopped coriander or mint leaves and serve chicken handi with tandoori rotis, naan, parathas or chapatis.

Recipe Notes

• You can wash the chicken with turmeric powder, wheat flour and white vinegar to remove raw smell from it. 
• The cooking time of the chicken will depend upon the quality of chicken. So adjust accordingly.
• You can also add in cream towards the end for a more richer flavor. 
• Add more water if you want gravy type consistency. 

Estimated nutritional value is provided below:

Signing off until next time,

Fareeha.

This recipe was originally published in November 2015.  New Image, Step by step photos and video have been added in September 2018. The recipe has been made printable and checkboxes added for following the steps easily.

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