Pickle-spiced curry · Tangy and bold

Achari Chicken Recipe (Pickle-Spiced Chicken)

Five seeds. Mustard oil. Tangy finish.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Achari chicken tastes like a good mango pickle: tangy, spicy and aromatic from fennel, nigella, mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds. It goes wrong when the seeds burn and turn bitter. The fix is crackling the seeds on medium heat for just 30 seconds and building the tang with yogurt and lemon.

Prep15m
Cook35m
Servings4
kcal / serving420
LevelEasy
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of achari chicken

Why this recipe works

Short tempering

Burnt seeds

Fenugreek turns bitter in seconds.

Mustard oil

Plain oil

It gives the pickle flavour.

Stuffed chillies

Plain chillies

Chillies stuffed with achari masala add heat and aroma.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Chicken

Achari masala

The NineFoods chicken gauge

Is the chicken cooked?

Cut into the thickest piece near the bone. Tap what you see.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Temper the seeds

Medium · 1 min
  1. Heat oil until it just smokes, then lower to medium.
  2. Add all the seeds for 30 seconds.
Look for: seeds crackle, fenugreek light brown.
01:00
2

Sear chicken

Medium-high · 8 min
  1. Add ginger garlic paste and chicken.
  2. Fry until the chicken turns white.
Look for: chicken sealed.
08:00
3

Bhuno

Medium · 10 min
  1. Add tomatoes, chilli, turmeric and salt.
  2. Fry until tomatoes melt and oil separates.
Look for: oil separating.
10:00
4

Yogurt and finish

Low · 15 min
  1. Lower the heat, stir in yogurt, cover and cook.
  2. Add stuffed chillies and lemon juice.
Look for: thick tangy masala.
15:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Seeds burnt.

Fix next time

Temper on medium for only 30 seconds.

Why

Too little acid.

Fix next time

Add 1 tsp more lemon juice or a spoon of mango pickle oil.

Why

Yogurt on high heat.

Fix next time

Add yogurt on low heat.

Why

Not heated enough.

Fix next time

Heat it until it just smokes, then cool slightly.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Mustard oilPickle flavourOil plus 1 tbsp mango pickle oil
Five seedsAchari aroma2 tbsp ready achari masala
Lemon juiceTangTamarind or amchur
YogurtBodyExtra tomato

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Naan, paratha or rice.

Store

Fridge 3 days; the pickle spices deepen overnight. Freezer 1 month.

Reheat

Warm in a pan with a spoon of mustard oil to wake the achari aroma.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the chicken cooked) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Pakistani recipes10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use ThemHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Quick answers

Achari Chicken FAQ

What is achari masala?

A blend of fennel, cumin, mustard, nigella and fenugreek seeds, the spices used in pickles.

Can I use pickle in the curry?

Yes, 1 tbsp mango pickle with its oil boosts the flavour.

Why is my achari chicken bitter?

The fenugreek seeds burnt. Temper briefly on medium.

Can I use boneless chicken?

Yes, cook it 8 minutes less.