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bihari chicken with aromatic spices

Aromatic Bihari Chicken

This traditional Bihari chicken curry combines tender pieces of chicken with aromatic whole spices and mustard oil for an authentic North Indian experience. The generous use of garlic cloves and whole spices creates layers of complex flavors that develop beautifully as the curry simmers.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Chicken, Curry
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Marinading Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 385kcal

Equipment

Chef's Knife
Chopping Board
Mixing Bowl
Skillet

Ingredients

For Marinade:

  • 1 kg bone-in chicken curry cut
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2-3 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of one lemon or lime

For Curry:

  • 3/4 cup mustard oil
  • 3 medium onions sliced
  • 2-3 whole garlic bulbs cloves separated
  • 1 inch ginger chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 3-4 dried red chilies
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

  • Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and lemon juice. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Heat mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it reaches smoking point, then reduce heat.
  • Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, dried red chilies, and cumin seeds. Fry until fragrant.
  • Add sliced onions, separated garlic cloves, and chopped ginger. Sauté until onions turn golden brown.
  • Add coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes with a little water to prevent burning.
  • Add marinated chicken pieces and mix well to coat with the spice mixture.
  • Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
  • Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Notes

Mustard oil must be heated to smoking point first to remove its raw pungency
Don't skip the garlic cloves - they become sweet and buttery when cooked
Marination time can be extended to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration
If the spices start to burn, add a tablespoon of water to the pan
This curry tastes better the next day as flavors develop overnight
Substitute mustard oil with ghee if preferred, though flavor will differ
Adjust chili powder according to your heat preference

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 580mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g