Keema Shimla Mirch (Ground Chicken With Bell Peppers)

By Zainab Shah

Updated April 14, 2022

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(1,544)
Comments
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Bell peppers provide a sweet, crunchy freshness that perfectly complements spiced ground chicken in this winning mix of textures, flavors and convenience. A weeknight staple in many Pakistani households, this dish includes lemon juice, garam masala and fresh cilantro for a layer of brightness and warmth no matter the time of year. It all comes together in 30 minutes with very little prep.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

  • ¼ cup ghee or any neutral oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 1 pound ground chicken

  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger

  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chile powder or other ground red chile

  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander

  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped

  • 1 large green bell pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced about ¼-inch thick

  • 3 fresh Thai green chiles, stems removed, chopped

  • ¾ teaspoon garam masala

  • 2 to 3 tablespoon lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 to 4 servings)

11 grams carbs; 98 milligrams cholesterol; 329 calories; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 635 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium (9-inch) pot or wok, heat ghee over medium-high until it has melted, about 30 to 45 seconds. Add onion and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add chicken, ginger, garlic and salt, and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and some bits of the chicken start to crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Lower heat to medium and stir in cumin seeds, chile powder, coriander and turmeric. Add tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down, about 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add bell pepper and green chiles. Continue cooking on medium, stirring occasionally, until the bell pepper starts to soften but still maintains some crunch, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the stove, then sprinkle with garam masala, lemon juice and fresh cilantro.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,544 user ratings
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Comments

S

This dish would be great as one of the main elements of a desi (South Asian) food plate: This keema A vegetable dish: e.g. aloo gobhi (potato-cauliflower) or any greens (saag) Raita and/or a sliced veg salad Serve with rice (plain or spiced) or roti/naan/pita bread/chapatis.

Anna

This dish can be served with naan, roti or plain rice and is particularly good when lentils are added as well. A simple salad of diced tomato, cucumber and onion with lemon juice served with the keema goes really well with this meal.

Andy Dufresne

In lieu of tofu, I have made Keema using Bob's Red Mill textured vegetable protein (TVP), which turned out beautifully. TVP is also known as soy granules. I believe TVP is what the NYC restaurant, Indian Accent, uses for their excellent (and decadent tasting) Soy Keema.

Terry S

Easy to prepare. Ate it without any other dishes the first night. Was unimpressed. Leftovers tonight along with an Indian-flavored cauliflower rice, toasted some naan, and a dollop of mango chutney on the side. Others observed similarly—this dish is best as part of a whole.

KSB

Delicious exactly as recipe directed. I did reduce the Thai chilies to two, I doubled the recipe, so I used 4. My teenagers love this in tortillas and it barely lasts a day in my fridge. :-)

Ellen

I was desperate one evening, this worked well. Had jalapeño in the freezer, served with naan and a small salad. Super fast —NY times always comes to the rescue

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