Restaurant favourite · 30 minutes
Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe (Pakistani Stir Fried Jalfrezi)
High heat. Crunchy vegetables. Tangy sauce.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenChicken jalfrezi in Pakistani restaurants is a tangy stir fry of chicken strips, capsicum, onion and tomato with a ketchup and chilli sauce. It turns soggy and stewed at home. The fix is high heat, cooking the chicken first, adding the vegetables only for the last few minutes so they stay crunchy.
The 3 laws of chicken jalfrezi
Why this recipe works
Medium heat
Stir fried, not stewed.
Early
Crunchy peppers.
Plain
Pakistani style.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Jalfrezi
The NineFoods jalfrezi gauge
Are the vegetables right?
Bite a capsicum piece.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Chicken
- Stir fry chicken with ginger garlic and spices until cooked.
Sauce
- Add ketchup, sauces and vinegar; toss.
Vegetables
- Add onion, capsicum and tomato; toss. Use the gauge above.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Added early.
Fix next time
Add for the last 3 minutes.
Why
Low heat.
Fix next time
Use high heat.
Why
Extra ketchup.
Fix next time
Add vinegar and chilli.
Why
Overcooked.
Fix next time
Cook just through.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | Main | Prawns or beef strips |
| Capsicum | Crunch | Mixed peppers |
| Ketchup | Tang | Tomato paste and sugar |
| Wok | Cooking | Wide pan |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Rice, naan or paratha.
Store
Fridge 2 days.
Reheat
Hot pan briefly.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
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 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (are the vegetables right) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Chicken Jalfrezi FAQ
What is jalfrezi?
A stir fried curry with peppers, onion and tomato.
How is Pakistani jalfrezi different?
It uses a tangy ketchup and chilli sauce.
How do I keep vegetables crunchy?
Add them in the last minutes on high heat.
Can I use beef?
Yes, use thin strips.