Chicken Jalfrezi
چکن جلفریزی
Jalfrezi is a quick, semi-dry chicken dish: thin strips of boneless chicken cooked in a tangy tomato masala, then tossed on high heat with capsicum, onion petals and tomato wedges that stay crunchy. It is a favourite on Pakistani restaurant menus and makes an easy weeknight dinner with naan or rice. The secret is to finish the first and add the vegetables only for the last few minutes, so they keep their bite and colour.
- ⏱ Total: 50 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until soft and light golden.
Turn the heat to high. Add the chicken strips with the ginger and garlic paste and stir-fry for 5–6 minutes, until the chicken is white on all sides and the raw garlic smell is gone.
Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and cumin powder. Do the for 8–10 minutes, pressing the tomatoes into the chicken, until the masala is thick and the oil separates at the edges.
Keep the heat high. Add the onion petals, capsicum and green chilies and toss for 2–3 minutes, just until the capsicum turns glossy and the onion edges look translucent but still crunchy.
Add the tomato wedges, black pepper and garam masala and toss for 1 more minute. The tomato wedges should warm through but keep their shape.
Turn off the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice and stir once. Scatter the coriander on top and serve hot with naan, roti or plain rice.
Kitchen notes
Cut the vegetables big. Onion petals and capsicum squares of about 3 cm stay crunchy; small pieces go limp and disappear into the masala.
If you use breast meat, do not cook it longer than the times given. It dries out fast; thigh meat is more forgiving.
Have every vegetable cut before you start. The last two steps move fast on high heat, and there is no time to chop.
A restaurant favourite at home
Jalfrezi started as a way to use up leftover meat by stir-frying it with fresh vegetables and spices, and the name is usually linked to the word for hot frying. In Pakistan it has become a fixture of restaurant and dhaba menus, usually next to chicken karahi and handi. Where a karahi is all about the tomato masala, a jalfrezi is about contrast: soft, spiced chicken against crunchy capsicum, sweet onion and fresh tomato.
It is one of the fastest chicken dishes in the desi kitchen. Boneless strips cook in minutes, so the whole thing is ready in about 30 minutes once the vegetables are cut.
The key: two stages of cooking
Think of jalfrezi as two dishes cooked one after the other. First, a proper with chopped onion and tomatoes builds a thick, deep masala around the chicken. Only when the oil separates do the onion petals, capsicum and tomato wedges go in, on high heat and for just a few minutes. If they go in earlier, they release water, the masala turns soupy and the vegetables lose their crunch.
Variations
- Restaurant sweet-sour: add soy sauce, vinegar and a little ketchup with the vegetables, as described in the FAQ.
- Paneer or mixed vegetables: use the same masala with paneer cubes or boiled potatoes and carrots for a vegetarian version.
- Beef jalfrezi: use thin strips of tender beef undercut, cooked covered with a splash of water until soft before the bhunai.
Serving and storing
Serve jalfrezi hot with naan, roti or plain rice, with a simple cucumber raita on the side. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the vegetables soften on reheating. Warm it in a pan over high heat for a few minutes rather than in the microwave to keep some of the bite.
Questions people ask
Do Pakistani restaurants add soy sauce or vinegar to jalfrezi?
Many do. A common restaurant version adds 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and vinegar and 2 tablespoons of ketchup with the vegetables for a sweet-sour, slightly Chinese-style finish. This recipe keeps it desi with lemon juice, but both versions are popular.
Is jalfrezi supposed to have gravy?
Only a little. Jalfrezi is a semi-dry dish where the masala coats the chicken and vegetables. If you want more gravy, add half a cup of hot water after the bhunai and simmer for 2 minutes before adding the vegetables.
Can I make it with bone-in chicken?
Yes, but bone-in pieces need longer. Cook them covered with the tomatoes for 15 minutes until tender before the bhunai, then add the vegetables as written.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 420
- Protein
- 42 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
