No Fuss Chicken Bhuna

No Fuss Chicken Bhuna

Our take on this Bengali classic is spicy, tangy, tender goodness, and is deceptively simple to make. This dish is sure to make it into your weekly rotation!

Serves 2

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken drumsticks (or boneless chicken thighs if youd prefer)
  • 2 tbsp natural yogurt
  • 3 tbsp Smoki Seasoning Salt
  • 1 large onion
  • ½ cup of tomato puree
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • Handful of fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • ¼ cup of water
  • 2 green chillies (optional)

Method:

  1. Mix 2 tbsp of the Smoki with the yogurt. Pull the skin off the chicken, and coat with the marinade. Ideally you’d allow this to marinate for a while, anywhere from 1 hour to overnight, but if you don’t have that time, don’t worry about it.
  2. Heat a pan over a medium-high heat. While the pan heats, finely slice the onion, and finely grate the garlic and ginger. Coat the pan in the oil and add the chicken. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned, and remove from the pan. 
  3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Allow to cook for 5 minutes until brown, stirring frequently. When the onions are browned and soft, add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, any leftover marinade and water and scrape any delicious brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Poke small holes in the chillies and add them if using. When the sauce is boiling, add the chicken, reduce the heat to low and cover. 
  4. Cook covered for 5 minutes, remove the lid and cook for 15 more minutes uncovered, allowing the sauce to reduce and get nice and thick. 
  5. To serve, roughly chop the cilantro (leaves and stems), add the remaining Smoki, stir through and serve. 

Notes: We served it with roti, but you can serve it with rice, salad, any way you’d like.