1-First, marinate the chicken: Mix 500 to 600 grams of boneless chicken with 2 teaspoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes to absorb the flavors. While it marinates, prepare your veggies by dicing the bell peppers and onions, and slitting the green chili if you’re using it.

2-Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the finely chopped onions until they turn golden, which takes about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the grated ginger and garlic paste next, cooking for another minute until everything smells amazing. Now, toss in the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until it changes color.

3-Stir in the spices: 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ½ teaspoon fennel powder if you like. Cook for a minute to wake up those flavors. Pour in ¾ cup tomato puree and simmer until the oil separates from the masala, creating a rich base.

4-If the chicken isn’t releasing much moisture, add ¼ cup hot water, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender. In another pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil or ghee, add optional green chili, dried red chili, and ginger juliennes, then throw in the diced bell peppers and onions. Stir-fry on medium-high for 2 to 4 minutes to keep them crunchy.

5-Once the chicken is done and the sauce thickens, mix in 1 tablespoon kasuri methi, 1 teaspoon sugar if needed, and the stir-fried veggies along with any leftover oil from that pan. If there’s too much liquid, crank up the heat to evaporate it. Optionally, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce for extra depth, then stir for 1 to 2 minutes and adjust the salt.

6-Finally, garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with naan, roti, rice, or even pasta. For a twist, pair it with something sweet like our zesty lemon blueberry bread to balance the spices. This whole process takes about 25 minutes prep and 25 minutes cooking, making it ideal for busy schedules.