Chicken Chasni – Red or natural… You decide.
Many people say that chicken chasni is the new chicken tikka masala. Only time will tell if it is to become one of the nation’s favourite curries. One thing is for sure… People love it.
In my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Bible’ I featured this recipe without using red food colouring.
The thing is, more often than not, it is bright red just like a chicken tikka masala often is.
Chicken chasni curry. Remember, the food colouring is optional.
How is this chicken chasni recipe differ to the one in my cookbook?
Not a lot really. I love this chicken chasni recipe and wanted you to try it the way I make it at home.
In my cookbooks, the recipe is family size to serve 4 or more as part of a multi-course meal.
The recipe below is a curry house portion that will serve 1 – 2 people. I just halved the recipe.
Chicken chasni is the perfect beginner curry!
Chicken chasni is one of those curries you can really have a play with. There is so much going on in this British invented curry.
You’ve got sweetness from the ketchup and mango chutney and a nice sourness from the mint sauce and lemon juice. As there really isn’t any hot spices in the curry, it is a good one to serve to kids and those who don’t like spicy curries.
Be sure to taste the curry before serving. You can adjust the sourness and sweetness to your own preference.
Why not have a play with the ingredients?
You probably already have some if not all of these ingredients but if you don’t, they’re readily available at most supermarkets!
My wife likes me to add coconut milk to this chicken chasni recipe instead of cream. Coconut milk isn’t normally used in chicken chasni but it does offer a nice touch.
I prefer my curries spicier so I add a little red chilli powder to mine. Again, this isn’t normally done in a chasni but if it sounds good to you, do it.
What about the colouring?
Chicken chasni curries are famous for being bright red in colour. I’m afraid that is done with food colouring.
I’ve heard stories about how chicken chasni curries are actually sent back because they aren’t red enough. That’s a bit silly as there is no flavour in that red food dye.
Of course the colour of this chicken chasni curry is completely down to you. I usually leave the food colouring out but added it this time. If you want it bright red, purchase some food colouring and add it until you are happy with the colour.
Just a little should usually be enough.
Prepared ingredients…
This is a curry house style curry and that means there is some forward preparation required.
You will need to pre-cook your chicken. Try this stewed chicken recipe or perhaps you would like this tandoori chicken tikka better.
You will also need to make the base curry sauce. I make mine in large batches and then freeze what I don’t use. This makes whipping up a restaurant curry really easy.
One thing you might also like to do is pre-cook your chicken in the base sauce. This adds a nice flavour to the sauce too.
I recommend getting all of your ingredients ready before starting cooking. You don’t want to have to look for ingredients when the pan is hot.
Chicken Chasni step by step…
Heat the oil over medium high heat and stir in the garlic and ginger paste to fry for about 30 seconds.
Stir in the turmeric. I like to add the cumin later in cooking but if you like a weaker cumin flavour, add it now too.
Stir in a couple of ladles of base sauce and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the pre-cooked chicken. Add more base if needed to coat.
Bring the base sauce to a simmer, only stirring if it is obviously sticking to the pan.
Stir in the mango chutney, mint sauce and ketchup.
Then add the cream.
Your sauce is just about finished. You can now add food colouring if you want.
To finish, stir in the coriander and season with salt to taste.
Here are more curry house curry favourites you might like to try!
Chicken Korma
Chicken Madras
Chicken Dhansak
Lamb Rogan Josh
Lamb Vindaloo
Chicken Chilli Garlic
Chicken Patia
Lamb Bhuna
Dig in!
Restaurant Style Chicken Chasni
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 generous tsp ground cumin
- 300l (1 1/4 cups) base curry sauce
- 300g (11oz) pre-cooked chicken
- 1 1/2 tbsp mango chutney
- 1 tbsp mint sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 70ml (1/4 cup) single cream
- Bright red food colouring (optional)
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1 1/2 tbsp coriander (cilantro) finely chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. When hot, stir in the garlic and ginger paste and fry for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the turmeric and cumin and then add about half the base sauce. Bring this to a rolling simmer, stirring only if the sauce is obviously sticking to the pan.
- Add the pre-cooked chicken and stir it into the sauce.
- Now Add the mango chutney, mint sauce and ketchup and bring to a simmer adding more sauce gradually.
- When the pathia sauce has cooked down to your preferred consistency, add the single cream and red food colouring, if using.
- To finish, add the garam masala and garnish with the coriander (cilantro). Season with salt to taste.
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I hope you enjoy this chicken chasni curry recipe. If you do give it a try, please don’t be a stranger. Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
Alan
Saturday 18th of March 2023
I've made this a few times, but have also used the 'nutri bullet' to make the sauce then add to the chicken...I think that was also your recipe? If so, can you add or email the method as I can't find it any more.
The recipe is awesome both ways, I just find the nutri-bullet version sometimes a bit more time efficient.
Dan Toombs
Wednesday 22nd of March 2023
Here you go Thanks very much. Dan
https://greatcurryrecipes.net/2014/10/14/chicken-chasni-from-scratch/
Lesley
Tuesday 31st of January 2023
Looks beautiful and mouth watering. As an alternative use beet juice or beet powder. All natural and very nutritious.
Dan Toombs
Tuesday 7th of February 2023
Thanks for that, Lesley. I’ll give that a go. Dan
Roger Spriddell
Wednesday 18th of January 2023
Thanks. This is a really different curry. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Nearly missed out the Lemon Juice though as it’s missing from the ingredients and method but saw it on the video. Great recipe
Dan Toombs
Monday 23rd of January 2023
I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for noticing the lemon juice is missing from the method. I’ll get that rectified. Dan
Graham
Thursday 28th of April 2022
I made this but the mint sauce overpowered the taste of the curry I think a TBS is to much
Dan Toombs
Sunday 8th of May 2022
If you don't like that much mint sauce then definitely add less next time. Most people seem to find that amount about right but everyone has different tastes. Thanks Dan
Isabel
Friday 19th of November 2021
I don’t like the flavour of mint in my food, can you leave it out. Can you taste the mint when cooked.
Dan Toombs
Monday 22nd of November 2021
Yes, just leave the mint out if you don't like it. It will still taste good. Thanks Dan