If you love bold ginger flavour in your curries, this Chicken Adrak Curry is one you absolutely need to try. The word adrak simply means ginger in Hindi and Urdu, and this curry really lets that wonderful ingredient shine.
Unlike curries where ginger sits quietly in the background supporting the other flavours, in a good chicken adrak the ginger is front and centre, adding warmth, freshness and a delicious fiery zing that works perfectly with chicken.
What is Chicken Adrak Curry?
Chicken Adrak Curry is a North Indian and Pakistani-style curry where fresh ginger plays the starring role. It is usually made with onions, tomatoes, garlic, chillies and lots of julienned or grated ginger. The sauce is often medium thick with a good amount of oil separating at the top, giving it that authentic curry house appearance.
The ginger is used in layers throughout the recipe:
- Ginger garlic paste is usually fried into the base.
- Fresh grated ginger is added while simmering.
- Julienned ginger is often added right at the end as a garnish.
This layering of ginger flavour gives the curry depth and freshness at the same time.
The result is a curry that tastes warming, aromatic and slightly fiery without necessarily being very chilli hot.
The History of Chicken Adrak Curry
Like many popular curries, Chicken Adrak Curry evolved from traditional North Indian and Pakistani home cooking. Ginger has been used in South Asian cuisine for thousands of years, both for flavour and medicinal purposes.
Curries featuring ginger heavily, like this are particularly common in Punjabi cooking, where robust flavours are preferred. Over time, dishes like chicken adrak became popular in restaurants because the strong ginger aroma immediately grabs your attention when served.
This is an authentic chicken adrak that I promise will get you amazing results, every time!
Ingredients
Fresh ingredients are key to getting the best flavour from this Chicken Adrak recipe. You’ll find the ingredients listed below, while the precise amounts are provided in the recipe card at the end of the page. For smooth cooking and the best outcome, it’s a good idea to have everything measured and prepared before you begin.
See recipe card for quantities.
- Rapeseed (canola) oil
- Cinnamon stick
- Indian bay leaf (cassia leaf,optional)
- Cumin Seeds
- Coriander Seeds
- Red onions
- Garlic and ginger paste
- Green bird’s eye chillies
- Ginger, roughly chopped
- Skinned chicken thighs
- Salt
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- Dried red chilli flakes
- Ground turmeric
- Ground coriander
- Ground cumin
- Tinned (canned) chopped tomatoes
- Natural yoghurt
- Julienned Ginger
- Water or chicken stock
- Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Fresh coriander (cilantro)
Step by step photos
Below, you’ll see step-by-step photographs to guide you through the recipe. At the bottom of the page, you’ll also find the full recipe card, which includes the complete list of ingredients and written instructions in an easy, printable format.
- Step 1: Heat the oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the cinnamon stick, Indian bay leaf, cumin and coriander seeds. Let these infuse into the oil for about a minute.
- Step 2: Stir in the chopped onions and add about a teaspoon salt. Fry for a good 10 to 15 minutes. Don't rush the onions! They build dept of flavour and are important. You want to slowly brown them.
- Step 3: After 10 to 15 minutes, your onions should look like this.
- Step 4: Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, followed by the roughly chopped ginger and green chillies. Stir well to combine.
- Step 5: Now stir in all the ground spices. It is important that they bloom into the oil as well so give the a really good stir into the oily onion mixture.
- Step 6: Don't burn those spices. When the onions are nicely coated with the spices, stir in the tomatoes.
- Step 7: Stir the chicken pieces into this base masala. At this stage, you are not cooking the chicken but rather sealing it and coating it with all the sauce ingredients. Add just enough water or stock to cover the chicken.
- Step 8: Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes or until it is nice and thick, clinging to the meat. Then stir in the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time.
- Step 9: Once the sauce is nice and thick, balance the curry by seasoning with salt to taste, lime juice and kasoori methi. If you have homemade fresh garam masala, that would be delicious stirred in before serving.
- Step 10: Serve topped with the julienned ginger and chopped coriander.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are so many reasons to make this curry:
- It’s packed with fresh ginger flavour.
- Easy to prepare at home.
- Better than takeaway.
- Perfect balance of heat and freshness.
- Excellent for batch cooking.
- Tastes even better the next day.
If you enjoy restaurant-style curries but want something slightly different from the usual korma, tikka masala or madras, this authentic chicken adrak.
Useful Equipment
You don't need any special equipment to make chicken adrak. The following might come in handy.
Karahi or frying pan: A good heavy-based pan works best because it retains heat well and helps develop flavour quickly.
Sharp knife: You’ll want a sharp knife for slicing the ginger into thin matchsticks.
Wooden spoon or spatula: For stirring the curry as it cooks.
Storage and Reheating
Allow the curry to cool completely before storing.
In the fridge
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
In the freezer
Freeze for up to 3 months.
I recommend freezing in individual portions for easy reheating.
Reheating Instructions
From chilled
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat until piping hot.
You may need to add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
From frozen
Defrost thoroughly overnight in the fridge before reheating.
For best results, add a little fresh ginger and coriander just before serving to freshen the flavours.
Top Tip
Add fresh ginger at the end!
This is the key to a great Chicken Adrak Curry.
If all the ginger cooks for too long, the flavour becomes muted. By adding some fresh ginger at the end of cooking, you keep that bright, punchy aroma that makes this curry special.
FAQ
Not necessarily. The heat mainly comes from fresh ginger and green chillies rather than large amounts of chilli powder. You can easily adjust the spice level.
I highly recommend chicken thighs on the bone for their flavour and juiciness. Breast will work but has a tendency to dry out while cooking. If using breast, add less water or stock so that you don't overcook it.
Absolutely. In fact, the flavours often improve overnight.
Yes. Allow it to cool completely before freezing in airtight containers for up to three months.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
All of these rice dishes will be superb with chicken adrak!
Have you tried this Chicken Adrak recipe?
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Chicken Adrak Curry
Be sure to watch the video that goes with this Chicken Adrak. In the video I show you five mistakes people make and how to fix them so that your chicken adrak is amazing, everytime!
Ingredients
- 80ml (1⁄3 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil
- 2.5cm (1in) cinnamon stick
- 1 Indian bay leaf (cassia leaf,optional)
- 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 2 green bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
- 2.5cm (1in) piece of ginger, roughly chopped
- 700g (1lb 9oz) skinned chicken thighs, cut small on the bone
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 200g (7oz) tinned (canned) chopped tomatoes
- 100ml (61⁄2 tbsp) natural yoghurt
- 7.5cm (3in) piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
- About 125ml (1⁄2 cup) water
- 1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, stir in the cinnamon stick, Indian bay leaf, cumin and coriander seeds. Let these infuse into the oil for about a minute.
- Stir in the chopped onions and add about a teaspoon salt. Fry for a good 10 to 15 minutes. Don't rush the onions! They build dept of flavour and are important. You want to slowly brown them.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger paste, followed by the roughly chopped ginger and green chillies. Stir well to combine.
- Now stir in all the ground spices. It is important that they bloom into the oil as well so give the a really good stir into the oily onion mixture.
- Don't burn those spices. When the onions are nicely coated with the spices, stir in the tomatoes.
- Stir the chicken pieces into this base masala. At this stage, you are not cooking the chicken but rather sealing it and coating it with all the sauce ingredients. Add just enough water or stock to cover the chicken.
- Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes or until it is nice and thick, clinging to the meat. Then stir in the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time.
- Once the sauce is nice and thick, balance the curry by seasoning with salt to taste, lime juice and kasoori methi. If you have homemade fresh garam masala, that would be delicious stirred in before serving.
Notes
I recommend using chicken thighs for this recipe. They are juicier than breast meat.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 339Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 666mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 31g
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