What Is Chicken Jalfrezi?
Chicken Jalfrezi is a tomato-based curry made with boneless chicken pieces, bell peppers, and onion. Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! Unlike most traditional curries, Jalfrezi is often stir-fried instead of stewed or braised. This lends it a thick, semi-dry texture instead of a soupy one like that of Classic Chicken Curry.
Origins
Chicken Jalfrezi has a short history. When the British were in East India, they (or their cooks) would sometimes throw leftover meat into curries. This invention led to the name ‘jal-frezi’, which translates to ‘hot/spicy’ (jhal) and ‘fry/stir-fry’ (fraizi).
Where You’ll See it Today
Because of its Anglo-Indian history, Chicken Jalfrezi is much more popular in the UK than it is here in the states. In Houston, I’ve only seen it at a handful of restaurants. Even in Pakistan, it isn’t as popular as curries like Chicken Karahi or Chicken Manchurian. In recent decades, Jalfrezi has taken on a slight Indo-Chinese flare. Many versions, including mine, use a small amount of ketchup, soy sauce, or chili sauce.
Chicken Jalfrezi vs Chicken Shashlik
For the longest time, I was confused about the difference between Chicken Jalfrezi and Chicken Shashlik (i.e. the tomatoey boneless chicken + bell pepper situation). So even though nobody has asked me this, I figured I’d explain to my former self: Jalfrezi is much more South Asian in its flavor profile than Shashlik, which is entirely Indo-Chinese. Unlike Shashlik, Jalfrezi is made with actual tomatoes. Jalfrezi also has a drier, spice-infused sauce while Shashlik has more gravy and no South Asian spices. More Indo-Chinese Favorites: Chilli Chicken, Chicken Manchurian, Chicken Shashlik, Honey Ginger Chicken, and Cashew Chicken.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Chicken Jalfrezi:
Chicken
Chicken Thighs vs Chicken Breast: Jalfrezi is usually made with boneless chicken pieces. I’ve tested this recipe with both chicken thighs and breast. While they both work, due to the higher heat cooking, chicken breast tends to dry out more.To combat this, I tried marinating the chicken breast in yogurt and found it helped keep the chicken breast juicy and tender. See recipe card for how to do this.P.S. Just to make sure, I tried marinating the thighs too and found it doesn’t make a noticeable difference. That’s why the recipe doesn’t require marination.
Remaining Jalfrezi Ingredients
Oil: Any oil would work as long as it’s not overpowering. Garlic & ginger: You can finely chop them in a food processor or use a mortar & pestle to crush. Tomatoes: A star ingredient here. You can use Roma/plum, vine, or any other fleshy tomato. I’ve even had success with grape tomatoes. If you can, purée these in a food processor to get a saucy consistency. Bell peppers (aka Capsicum): Green and red is the typical bell pepper combo, but you can use yellow or whichever you have on hand. Onion: Apart from the onion used to form the base of the curry, some jalfrezis have crisp onion cubes along with the bell peppers. Both red and yellow onion work great for this. Green chilies: I use Thai/bird’s eye chilies or Serrano. Use as much as you’d like to increase or decrease the heat. Ground spices: Turmeric, coriander, red chili powder (or cayenne), garam masala, and black pepper are the main spices. I’ve also used Kashmiri chili powder or paprika for color and mild flavor. Kashmiri chili powder is a little bit spicier than paprika but they can be used interchangeably in this recipe. Tomato paste: Optional – for more concentrated tomato flavor and to introduce a little sweetness. Tomato ketchup: Intensifies the tomatoey, tangy flavors. You can also use chili garlic sauce or hot and sweet sauce if you don’t mind a little extra spice. Soy sauce: Enhances the umami, savory, Indo-chinese flavor. Vinegar: Adds tang. You can use rice or white vinegar. Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and tang as a finishing touch. Cilantro: Optional – for garnish.
How To Make Chicken Jalfrezi
Here’s what we’re trying to achieve at each step: Tip: If at any point the onions, spices, chicken, or even tomatoes start to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze with a splash of water.
Variations
Chicken Jalfrezi is easy to experiment with:
For richness, add 1 tbsp salted butter at the very end before garnish. For creaminess, add 1-2 tbsp heavy cream, coconut milk, or yogurt along with the tomatoes. Experiment with sauces such as 1 tsp worcestershire sauce, hot and sour sauce, or chili garlic sauce. Add a pinch of sugar to enhance the sweet flavors. Garnish with julienned ginger along with cilantro. Julienne the meat and vegetables to give it a slightly different look and mouthfeel.
What To Serve With Chicken Jalfrezi
Because of it’s saucy yet dry texture, Jalfrezi is versatile enough to go with just about everything:
Vegetable fried rice. Hakka Noodles or plain, boiled noodles. Paratha, roti, or naan. Plain, basmati rice. Chana Pulao.
To reheat leftovers:
If I had to reheat this dish for guests, I would reheat it on the stove with a splash of water over medium heat. If it’s just for me, I’d microwave it! Leftover ideas: Add leftovers to your pasta sauce, roll them up in parathas, or make desi-style fajitas. Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
