Chicken Vindaloo Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Method8 steps · about 2 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Whole-spice route only: soak the 20 dried chilies 10 minutes in the listed ¼–⅓ cup vinegar and separate ¼ cup hot soak water. Grind cumin seeds (1.5 tsp), ten peppercorns, cinnamon, six whole cloves, mustard seeds (0.5 tsp), optional cardamoms and coriander seeds (1.5 tbsp) finely. Add the whole-route garlic (10 clove), ginger (25 g) and soaked chilies WITH their liquid; blend thick and smooth. Skip ground route 2 and continue to 3.

   Uses 1.5 tsp cumin seeds · 2 inch Ceylon cinnamon · 6 whole cloves · 10 black peppercorns · 0.5 tsp mustard seeds · 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds · 2 green cardamom pods · 20 dried Kashmiri red chilies

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Pre-ground route only: skip 1. Mix the separate 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ⅓ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground mustard, 1 tbsp ground coriander and optional ¼ tsp ground cardamom. Freshly crush the ten measured peppercorns and add them with 1¼ tbsp chili powder and the separate 2 tbsp each grated ginger and garlic (2 tbsp). Add the listed vinegar (¼–⅓ cup) and only enough extra water for a thick paste. Omit whole-route seeds, cinnamon piece, whole cloves/cardamoms, dried chilies and soak water.

   Uses 10 black peppercorns · ¼–⅓ cup vinegar · 1 tsp ground cumin · 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon · ⅓ tsp ground cloves · 0.25 tsp ground mustard · 1 tbsp ground coriander · 0.25 tsp ground cardamom

3. 3

   Step 3: Choose only 2 lb bone-in chicken OR the separate 1½ lb boneless replacement. Coat it with the one chosen vindaloo paste, sea salt (¾–1 tsp) and turmeric (0.5 tsp). Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Bone-in chicken should not marinate longer than 2–3 hours; boneless may marinate overnight.

   Uses 2 lb bone-in chicken ONLY if boneless replacement omitted · 1½ lb boneless chicken ONLY instead of 2 lb bone-in chicken · 0.5 tsp turmeric · ¾–1 tsp sea salt · ONLY whole route: ground whole spices, soaked chilies with liquid and fresh ginger/garlic · ONLY ground route: measured powders, ten freshly crushed peppercorns, grated ginger/garlic and vinegar

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Heat the oil (3 tbsp) and sauté onion (250 g) over medium heat 9–10 minutes until golden. Deglaze with 2 tbsp water OR 1 tbsp water plus the separately listed 1 tbsp extra vinegar. Cook down 2–3 minutes until jammy.

   Uses 3 tbsp oil · 250 g onion · 2 tbsp deglaze water OR 1 tbsp if using vinegar alternative · 1 tbsp vinegar

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Stir in the marinated chicken and saute on a medium heat for 4 to 5 mins. Mix in the tomato (2) puree if using and cook for another 4 mins.

   Uses 2 tomatoes · one chosen chicken/paste route marinated at least 1 hour · onions browned 9–10 minutes and deglazed 2–3 minutes

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, reaches 165°F (74°C) in its thickest part away from bone and the sauce is thick. Add some or all of the separate ¼–½ cup hot simmer water only if the pan dries out.

   Uses ¼–½ cup hot water · marinated chicken cooked 4–5 minutes with onion, optional tomato puree 4 minutes

   
7. 7

   Step 7: If runny, cook uncovered to evaporate excess moisture; the sauce also thickens on cooling. Taste the fully cooked curry and add the optional 1 tsp sugar or extra salt/sugar only as needed to balance tang.

   Uses 1 tsp sugar · sea salt (extra only to taste after chicken cooked) · sugar (extra only to taste after chicken cooked) · chicken simmered 165°F in thick vinegary sauce

8. 8

   Step 8: Serve the cooked vindaloo with cooked rice or flatbread. For next-day flavor development, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat to 165°F (74°C) before serving.

   Uses fully cooked curry with moisture and seasoning adjusted