Chicken Chasni

Fakeaway curry night just became so much simpler! This quick and easy version of a Glaswegian Chicken Chasni couldn’t be tastier!

It is said that the Chicken Chasni curry originated in Glasgow, but regardless whether that is true or not, it is definitely one of the most popular.

It comes in many forms and colours, but the sweet and sour element should shine through. It’s why the lemon and mint sauce is critical in this recipe.

Suitable for the whole family:

Suitable from approx. 9 months old if you shred the chicken breast instead of using chunks (or use shredded rotisserie chicken)

Suitable from 12 months old if using chunks of chicken. Please ensure your child can chew confidently if opting for this option.

See this link through to Solid Starts website on suitable ways to serve chicken to children.

Ingredients

Ghee or Butter: ghee is the traditional choice, but opt for butter or even vegetable oil if prefer.

Red Chilli: use 1 teaspoon chilli powder if not using fresh chilli.

Ginger: if necessary, you could use 1 teaspoon of ginger puree/paste.

Garlic: if necessary, you could use 1 teaspoon of garlic puree/paste.

You can use the garlic + ginger paste (2 teaspoons of this).

Onion: I’m using brown onion.

Chicken: I use chicken breast as described in the recipe or you could substitute this for either chicken thighs or even fresh rotisserie chicken. Add the rotisserie chicken at the end as there is no requirement to cook this.

Mango Chutney

Mint Sauce

Lemon Juice: essential to balance the flavours, fresh is preferable.

Tomato Ketchup: you can use either tomato ketchup or pasatta (with 1 teaspoon of sugar) for the tomato element.

My followers on Instagram are split 50/50 on this, so trial it with both and decide which you like best. Even better, let me know in the comments what your preference is!

Cream: I use double cream as it has a slightly thicker consistency, but my original recipe used single cream. Using single cream (or even creme fraiche) would make it a healthier dish to reduce the calories. 

Food Colouring: the vibrant red colour that Chicken Chasni curry is known can be achieved through use of food colouring. But it doesn’t make any difference or impact on the flavour. Add red food colouring if you’re passionate about vibrant red colour – around 1 or 2 teaspoons should do the trick.

Spices

As is the case with lots of curries, don’t worry too much if you don’t have one specific spice. Missing one ingredient or substituting it for another will not alter the course of the whole recipe.

Salt

Coriander

Tumeric 

Feel free to add garam masala, ground cumin or ground coriander if you’d like to add more spice.

How To Make Chicken Chasni

Finely chop onion and chilli. Add to pan with oil & ghee and fry until onion has softened. Then add garlic & ginger and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add chopped chicken, salt, coriander & tumeric. Cook until chicken has turned opaque. Then add tomato sauce, mango chutney & boiling water, simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add mint sauce, lemon juice & cream – simmer for 5 minutes more.

Serve with rice / naan (below is a photo of Slow Cooked version):

FAQs

Storage 

The curry can be refrigerated (ideally less than 4C) and should be used within 4 days.

It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months, and reheated straight from frozen.

Simply remove from freezer, microwave on high heat, stir halfway through, and it’s ready when it’s piping hot all the way through. Alternatively, defrost in fridge overnight and microwave when you want to use.

And finally …

If you have any questions, or want to tell me what you think of my recipe, then leave a comment below!

If you like this recipe and are looking for more Indian Takeaway recipes, then why not try my Spiced Onions or my South Indian Garlic Chilli Chicken curry?