Chukandar Chicken (Tangy Chicken Curry With Beets)

By Zainab Shah

Published Jan. 14, 2025

Chukandar Chicken (Tangy Chicken Curry With Beets)
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(207)
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 
  • 2tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil 
  • 1large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced 
  • 1½pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes 
  • 1teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger 
  • 1teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 
  • 1teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)
  • 1teaspoon cumin seeds 
  • ¼teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2plum tomatoes, chopped 
  • 1teaspoon salt 
  • 2tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt (optional) 
  • 2(15-ounce) cans sliced or whole beets, drained and chopped into bite-size pieces (about 3 cups) 
  • 2fresh green Thai or serrano chiles, chopped 
  • 2tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1large lime, cut into wedges
  • Rice or roti, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

461 calories; 15 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 38 grams protein; 1077 milligrams sodium

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
207 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.

D

Absolutely delicious. I had a tons of beets from the CSA so I cooked instead of using the canned kinds. It can definitely take extra salt and I did extra lime. I really loved it. Thank you for the recipe!

Jenny

The recipe definitely needs more spices. I added coriander, cinnamon, and more ginger , garlic and cumin. I also used a red curry paste instead of chili powder. I really happy with the result.

Nana

Very tasty, but just short of amazing. I didn’t have the pepper, so I used a mix of paprika, cayenne and chili powder. I also used beets that I roasted and was very generous with the garlic and ginger. If you skip the lime, peppers and cilantro, it will be bland. It was probably even more amazing with the yogurt. The reason it wasn’t amazing is that I felt like the flavor never permeated the beets, and the flavor of the tomato didn’t develop properly. The dish would benefit from longer cooking. I’ll look for an authentic Pakistani recipe and see how long they cook it.

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