Chukandar Chicken (Tangy Chicken Curry With Beets)

By Zainab Shah

Published January 13, 2025

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(246)
Comments
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Typically prepared with beef and sometimes chicken, this version of the traditional Pakistani dish uses canned beets instead of fresh ones. That cuts down on both cooking time and cleanup while achieving the same results: a comforting earthy, sweet and spicy curry with a dramatically deep purple appearance. Sourness from yogurt and lime juice balances the sweetness of the beets, while ginger and garlic add layers of flavor and complexity. Riff on the recipe by adding leafy greens like spinach a few minutes before adding the spices. Serve with rice or roti.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings 

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil 

  • 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced 

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes 

  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger 

  • 1 teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 

  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 

  • 1 teaspoon salt 

  • 2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt (optional) 

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans sliced or whole beets, drained and chopped into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups) 

  • 2 fresh green Thai or serrano chiles, chopped 

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

  • 1 large lime, cut into wedges

  • Rice or roti, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

43 grams carbs; 161 milligrams cholesterol; 461 calories; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1077 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 17 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

    Heat ghee in a medium (about 10-inch) pot over medium heat for 30 seconds, or until ghee has melted. Stir in onion and adjust the heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to become translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken, ginger and garlic, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken turns golden and most of the liquid in the pot has evaporated, 15 to 17 minutes. Stir in the chile powder, cumin seeds and turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and salt.

  3. Step 3

    Cook until the tomatoes start to break down, 4 to 7 minutes, then adjust heat to medium, stir in the yogurt (if using) and the beets. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the color of the beets permeates the rest of the curry, about 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Serve topped with green chiles and cilantro (if using), with lime wedges and rice or roti alongside.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
246 user ratings
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Comments

Ashtya

I’ve made this with bone in goat and added the beet greens in place of spinach. Be generous with the garlic ginger and dried spices. The robust flavor of the beets call for that.

Jack

Easy, tasty. We added cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes to taste as we cooked and were extra generous with the garlic and ginger. Garnished with dill which added a nice dimensions.

Max

Process was fairly simple and followed the recipe closely, but overall found it to be really bland. Will try again and add some additional spices to taste.

Stephanie

We enjoyed this! Cut up some fresh beets and microwaved them for about 8 minutes. Used more ginger and garlic than the recipe called for, about a tablespoon each, and juiced half a lime and stirred in the juice at the end. Served with more lime wedges on the table. I made this with what I had so no chiles but I’ll add them next time.

Cooks in Massachusetts Cook

This was surprisingly boring even though I did 2 TBLs garlic 1 TBL ginger 1 TBL cumin seeds and 1/2 cup of cilantro. The only real flavor was the heat of the peppers. How could this be? All the positive reviews make we wish to try it again.

Sam Bieksza

Just made. It was good but I too, needed to jack up the spices for my taste. I took some liberty adding cardamom and cloves. We’ll c how that sets tonight.

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