Chana chicken masala is a tasty one-pot meal featuring juicy chicken and hearty chickpeas simmered in a fragrant tomato-based curry. Serve the chicken and chickpea curry with warm naan or fluffy basmati rice.
What is Chicken Chana Masala?
Chana chicken or murgh chole is a flavorful South Asian dish made by braising chicken and chickpeas in a spiced tomato masala. The easy chicken recipe is ready in an hour, making the meal an excellent choice for a quick lunch or dinner.
Key Ingredients
- Ghee: Sauté onions and aromatics in nutty ghee or oil.
- Whole Spices: Toast whole cumin seeds and kalonji seeds to release their flavors.
- Green Chili Peppers: Add 1-3 whole green chilies—jalapeño, serrano, or Thai peppers—or chop them up for more heat.
- Onion: Sauté onions to create a flavorful foundation for the salan (curry).
- Garlic: Use three garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Ginger: Freshly minced ginger adds warmth and depth.
- Spices: Season with turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder, and Kashmiri chili powder (paprika) or red chili powder (cayenne pepper) if you prefer a spicier dish.
- Tomato: Fresh tomatoes bring a natural sweetness that balances the spices. You can puree Roma or vine-ripe tomatoes in a blender or food processor to save time, or use a can of diced tomatoes if you’re in a pinch.
- Chicken: Chana chicken tastes better with bone-in chicken—chicken thighs, drumsticks, or a whole chicken broken into smaller pieces called a curry cut. Chicken thighs are the best option for boneless chicken because they are juicy and more flavorful than chicken breasts.
- Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas out of convenience, but dried chickpeas work. Soak them in water for 24 hours and increase the cooking time (about 1-2 hours).
- Cilantro: Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
Tools You’ll Need
All you need to make this easy chana chicken recipe is a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution. I use a large saute pan, but a karahi, Dutch oven, or wok also works. It’s optional, but you can process the masala with an immersion blender if you prefer a smoother salan or transfer the curry to a blender in batches.
How to Make Chana Chicken
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm ghee in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add one teaspoon of kalonji seeds, cumin seeds, and whole green chilies. Cook until they sputter.
Step 2: Lower to medium heat and add the onions. Sauté until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute.
Step 3: Add the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds and deglaze with the tomato puree. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Prep Tip
It’s optional, but you can remove the green chilies and use an immersion blender to process the masala if you prefer a smoother curry.
Step 4: Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the chickpeas, cilantro, water, and ½ teaspoon kalonji seeds.
Step 5: Cover with the lid slightly ajar and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes until the salan thickens and reduces. Taste and season with salt to serve.
Expert Tips
- Control the consistency. If the liquid evaporates before the chicken cooks and the chana tenderizes, you may need to add more water. Add water, a little at a time, until you get the consistency you prefer.
If you enjoy flavorful chana chicken, try more Indian recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy tender chicken and chickpeas with fragrant basmati rice. Scoop it up with warm naan, roti, or chapati. Cool things down with cucumber raita, or turn up the heat with your favorite chutney.
Pair chana chicken curry with avocado cucumber tomato salad or kachumber salad for a fresh-tasting contrast to the savory dish.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: You are in luck because this curry tastes even better the next day. Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chana chicken freezes for up to 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stovetop, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken chana spicy?
Adjust the spice level to suit your taste buds by controlling how much or how little Kashmiri chili powder to use. You can also use red chili powder or cayenne pepper if you prefer a spicier dish.
Whether or not you leave the green peppers whole, slit them, or dice them before add them to the masala, they can alter the heat of the dish.
More Chicken Recipes:
Chana Chicken
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1½ teaspoons kalonji seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1-3 green chili peppers, split lengthwise
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -inch knob of ginger, minced
- 2-3 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder or paprika
- 1½ teaspoons turmeric powder
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1½ teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-3 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped, use more if you prefer more gravy or curry
- 1-2 pounds chicken, bone-in or boneless
- 2 cans (15 ounce) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more to garnish
- 1 cup water
- kosher salt, to taste
- Warm ghee in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add one teaspoon of kalonji seeds, cumin seeds, and whole green chilies. Cook until they sputter.1½ teaspoons kalonji seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Lower to medium heat and add the onions. Sauté until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute.
- Add the chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds and deglaze with the tomato puree. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.2-3 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder, 1½ teaspoons turmeric powder, 1½ teaspoons garam masala, 1½ teaspoons coriander powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes. Then, stir in the chickpeas, cilantro, water, and ½ teaspoon kalonji seeds.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and gently simmer for 20-30 minutes until the salan thickens and reduces. Taste and season with salt to serve.
- Control the consistency. If the liquid evaporates before the chicken cooks and the chana tenderizes, you may need to add more water. Add water, a little at a time, until you get the consistency you prefer.