Chicken Chana Masala. My chicken chana masala recipe is a twist on Indian chana masala. Chana masala is typically made with just chickpeas, but I added in chicken for a low carb chana masala recipe!
If you're craving something super flavorful and warming, this fragrant Indian dish is for you. Chana masala is a great Indian recipe to expand your repertoire from the classics like curry and tikka.
My chicken chana masala recipe is naturally gluten free, and can easily be made dairy free for those with lactose and dairy sensitivities.
WHAT IS CHICKEN CHANA MASALA?
Chicken chana masala is a twist on the classic Indian chana masala. Chicken chana masala is made with a flavorful stew of tomato, chickpea, spices, and aromatics like fresh ginger and fresh cilantro.
ASK THE DIETITIAN:
IS CHICKEN CHANA MASALA HEALTHY?
Yes! My chicken chana masala is a healthy Indian recipe that still has ALL the delicious indulgent flavor.
Health benefits of the ingredients:
- Chicken is an excellent source of protein. Protein is essential all around your body. Our bodies were designed to absorb many vitamins & minerals best from meat.
- Spices (garam masala, coriander, pink salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and turmeric) many of these are anti-inflammatory. Make sure to always use black pepper with turmeric, it boosts turmeric absorption.
- Ghee is concentrated butter, with water and milk solids removed. It is a good option for people with dairy & lactose sensitivities. Ghee also has preformed vitamin A.
- Onion is high in vitamin C, necessary for collagen formation in your skin.
- Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Chili peppers are high in vitamin C, necessary to absorb iron in your body.
- Cilantro, when eaten organic is a natural chelator. Meaning, it can bind to and pull toxic metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury) out of your body.
- Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and powerful antioxidant lycopene.
- Chickpeas are super high in fiber, which is necessary for gut health.
WATCH HOW I MADE CHICKEN CHANA MASALA
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST CHICKEN CHANA MASALA
USE SKIN ON AND BONE-IN CHICKEN. This will give you THE best juicy chicken in your chana masala recipe.
MARINATE YOUR CHICKEN OVERNIGHT IF POSSIBLE. If you can, marinate your chicken overnight so it can really soak up all the flavors.
USE HIGH QUALITY FRESH SPICES. High quality spices are a MUST! If you have old spices in your cupboard, toss them now!! Bad spices can ruin a meal.
CRUSH AROMATICS (GARLIC, CINGER, CILANTRO, AND CHILI PEPPER). This will let out those delicious flavorful juices.
STIR FREQUENTLY TO PREVENT BROWNING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN. Once you add your chicken and aromatics, make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so nothing burns or sticks.
COOK UNCOVERED UNTIL IT IS AS THICK AS YOU WANT IT. This is all about preference here!
FAQ'S
Frequently asked questions about my chicken chana masala recipe.
What kind of chicken should I use?
Use organic free range chicken that is raised without antibiotics. We buy ours halal. Make sure to keep the bone in and skin on your chicken.
Can I use all chickpeas and no chicken?
Yes! You can make a vegan chicken chana by just replacing the 3 chicken thighs with 1-2 cups of soft chickpeas.
Is chana masala high in calories?
Chicken chana masala sits at just over 500 calories per serving without the rice and bread.
Calories-532.
It's important to look at more than calories in a meal though, as chana masala is high in essential nutrients like protein, fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and much more!
Is chicken chana masala dairy free?
My recipe can be made dairy free by simply replacing the ghee with any kind of dairy free oil like coconut oil or avocado oil.
How can I make oil free chana masala?
Yes! Just skip adding the ghee or oil at the beginning. Stir onions frequently so they let out juice and don't stick to the pan without oil.
Is chicken chana spicy?
You can make my chicken chana recipe spicy or not spicy! It depends on how many chili peppers you use. Use 1 chili pepper for mild, 2 for medium, 3 for hot, and 4 for ultra spicy chana masala!
More Healthy Indian Food Recipes:
- Indian Butter Chicken Dairy Free
- Golden Red Lentil Soup
- Dairy Free Chicken Tikka Masala
- Easy Chicken Vegetable Curry
- Whole Wheat Naan Bread
MAKE MY CHICKEN CHANA MASALA RECIPE
Chicken chana masala is so easy to make! Watch my video above.
CHICKEN CHANA MASALA INGREDIENTS
Your chicken chana masala shopping list:
- Fresh lemons
- Fresh garlic
- Medium yellow onion
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh cilantro
- 1-4 red chili peppers
- Chicken thighs, bone in & skin on
- 2 14oz cans of crushed tomatoes
- Dried chickpeas (or 2 cans of chickpeas)
- Spices: garam masala, ground coriander, ground cumin, chili powder, ground turmeric, pink sea salt, black pepper
- Ghee
HOW TO MAKE IT:
STEP 1: MARINATE THE CHICKEN
First, marinate the clean chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon pink sea salt, and the juice of one lemon. Toss to coat the chicken.
Set aside or refrigerate overnight.
STEP 2: SAUTE ONION WITH SOME SPICES
In a wok or large pan over medium heat, sauté 1 diced yellow onion in 2 tablespoons ghee. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cumin and ½ teaspoon of salt over the onions.
Sauté until the onions are very soft and starting to get golden brown.
STEP 3: CRUSH THE AROMATICS
In a mortar and pestle, crush 6 cloves of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger, ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, and 1-4 fresh minced red chili peppers.
Mash them until they look soggy.
STEP 4: BROWN THE CHICKEN WITH AROMATICS
Add the chicken thighs to the onions along with the aromatics.
Cook until the chicken is browned on both sides.
STEP 5: ADD THE SAUCE INGREDIENTS
Next, add 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste), 28 ounces crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of soft steamed chickpeas.
Stir to completely combine. Cover with a lid.
STEP 6: COOK IT TILL THICKENED
Cook chana masala covered for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Then, cook another 15 or more minutes until it is as thick as you want.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN CHANA MASALA
Serve chana masala with fresh garlic naan bread and seasoned rice. I like to season rice for my Indian recipes with salt and fennel.
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Youtube!
If you make this recipe and love it, please be sure to tag your photo #thehintofrosemary on Instagram and leave me a rating in the recipe card!
Chicken Chana Masala
Equipment
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- Wok or a large skillet
- Mortar and pestle
Ingredients
For the Chicken marinade:
- 3-4 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon pink sea salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Chana Masala:
- 2 tablespoon ghee dairy free use coconut or avocado oil
- 1 med yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon pink sea salt
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 1-4 red chilis, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups soft steamed chickpeas
To serve:
- fresh naan
- rice basmati, brown, wild, black
Instructions
To marinate the chicken:
- First, marinate the clean chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon pink sea salt, and the juice of one lemon. Toss to coat the chicken.
- Set aside or refrigerate overnight.
To make the chana masala:
- In a wok or large pan over medium heat, sauté 1 diced yellow onion in 2 tablespoons ghee. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cumin and ½ teaspoon of salt over the onions.
- Sauté until the onions are very soft and starting to get golden brown.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush 6 cloves of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger, ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, and 1-4 fresh minced red chili peppers. Mash them until they look soggy.
- Add the chicken thighs to the onions along with the aromatics.
- Cook until the chicken is browned on both sides.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste), 28 ounces crushed tomatoes and 2 cups of soft steamed chickpeas.
- Stir to completely combine. Cover with a lid.
- Cook chana masala covered for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Then, cook another 15 or more minutes until it is as thick as you want.
How to serve chicken chana masala:
- Serve chana masala with fresh garlic naan bread and seasoned rice. I like to season rice for my Indian recipes with salt and fennel.
Sam
Wow!! This is genius to add chicken in chana masala. We love making chana masala at our house so we will definitely be trying chicken chana next 🙂
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Hello flavor... this is one tasty fun chicken dinner. Your seasoning blend is so good and I really appreciated all of your helpful tips.