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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Chicken jalfrezi with rice

Chicken jalfrezi is a dry Indian curry, chicken stir fried quickly with peppers, onions and tomatoes, served with basmati rice. This recipe serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is easy to make, and costs €2.90 per serving. The key is cooking over high heat so the vegetables stay crisp, since jalfrezi is a stir fry, not a stew.

A dry, colorful curry, jalfrezi is chicken stir fried quickly with peppers, onions and tomatoes, spiced just enough.

Chicken jalfrezi with rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Jalfrezi is the curry that moves fast. The chicken gets seared over high heat, the peppers and onions keep their bite, and the tomatoes break down just enough to pull everything together. The blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala adds warmth without burning your mouth, while the green chili brings a mild kick you can adjust to taste.

It's the perfect weeknight dish when you want something different without spending hours at the stove. Kids tend to like it once you remove the chili seeds, since the heat stays mild, and adults appreciate the texture, a nice change from a saucier curry. It also works well for guests, it always surprises people a little.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken breasts 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red bell peppers 2
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Onions 2
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh ginger 20 g
  • Green chili 1
  • Cilantro 4 sprigs

Pantry

  • Basmati riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Ground corianderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Garam masalaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the chicken into cubes, the peppers and onions into large pieces, and the tomatoes into wedges.

    Large pieces stay crisp during cooking.

  2. Brown the chicken in hot oil with the cumin, then set it aside. 8 min

    Sear over high heat so it browns well.

  3. In the same pan, sauté the garlic, ginger, chili, onions, then the peppers. 8 min

    Keep the heat high so they caramelize.

  4. Add the chicken back in, along with the spices, tomatoes and salt, and cook over high heat. 8 min

    Add a splash of water only if it starts to stick.

  5. Cook the rice, sprinkle the jalfrezi with cilantro and serve. 12 min

    Add the garam masala right at the very end.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the chicken into even cubes so it cooks at the same rate, with no dry pieces next to raw ones.
  • Always work over high heat and in small batches if your pan is small, otherwise the chicken and vegetables release water and steam instead of browning.
  • Taste before adding the final salt, the spices and tomatoes already bring plenty of flavor, so you risk oversalting otherwise.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for peeled shrimp, added only in the last 3 minutes of cooking so they stay tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with cooked chickpeas or paneer cubes browned separately.
  • For kids, remove the seeds from the green chili or leave it out entirely, the dish keeps its flavor without the heat.

What to serve it with

  • Warm naan or chapati bread
  • Cucumber and yogurt raita
  • Spiced chai tea

Storage

Chicken jalfrezi keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to keep it from sticking.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken jalfrezi ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and reheat it in a skillet. The flavors deepen a bit more, but the peppers lose some of their crispness.

What's the difference between jalfrezi and a regular curry?

Jalfrezi is a dry stir fry with very little liquid, unlike a slow simmered saucy curry. The vegetables stay crisp and the cooking is quick and hot.

Can you substitute garam masala if you're out of it?

You can double up on the cumin and ground coriander in a pinch, but the flavor will be less complex. Garam masala adds a warm, distinctive note that's hard to truly replace.

How do you tone down the heat for kids?

Remove the seeds and white membrane from the green chili, that's where most of the heat lives. You can also leave it out completely, the dish stays flavorful thanks to the spices.

How long does it take to make a chicken jalfrezi stir fried with peppers, onions and tomatoes, served with basmati rice?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken jalfrezi stir fried with peppers, onions and tomatoes, served with basmati rice?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken jalfrezi stir fried with peppers, onions and tomatoes, served with basmati rice cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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