This spicy, tangy Indian-inspired baked chicken curry recipe is an extra-flavorful dinner you will absolutely love! Chicken thighs are coated in yogurt and spices, then nestle into a saucy onion mixture and bake. It’s make-ahead friendly so you can prep it on your own schedule. Serve with some fluffy basmati rice and enjoy!
I’ve been working on many, many versions of this dish for about a year now. The premise? A chicken curry, inspired by the one I ate growing up, but with my own twist. I loved the idea of baking the chicken thighs in the gravy (I’ve seen other bloggers do this, so I thought it’d be fun to try it myself).
Well, I finally found a version that I absolutely love, and I can’t wait to share it with you. It’s so cozy and perfect for winter!
👩🏽🍳 Recipe Lowdown
key details before we dive into the cooking!
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs yield a supremely tender texture and a delicious flavor, thanks to a spiced yogurt marinade.
- The tangy, spicy tomato gravy is downright addictive, evoking notes of vindaloo.
- There’s no need for a long marinade; the chicken marinates quickly while you prepare the sauce, so you’re ready to go even on a busy night!
For more Indian recipes, check out my masoor dal tadka, homemade chapatis, or butter paneer.
Testing Notes
Through testing, I worked to create the right balance of traditional and modern techniques.
The Traditional:
- I chose a traditional yogurt marinade because it uses pantry staples, and its aromatic, savory notes round out the bolder flavors of the sauce.
- Though I originally wanted to create a super-easy prep-and-dump recipe with minimal cooking, the resulting gravy lacked the depth it needed. The solution? Sautéing the onions until deeply golden brown. Don’t skip this step!
The Modern:
- Instead of cutting the chicken into small pieces, I use whole chicken thighs; less prep and just as tasty!
- Pantry-friendly ingredients like tomato paste and vinegar combine to create a luscious gravy.
Ingredient Notes
- Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs: Using bone-in, skin-on thighs yields a meatier flavor, and the chicken skin gets nice and brown in the oven! Make sure to trim off any excess fat before marinating.
- Spices: Cinnamon, cloves, garam masala, and turmeric can be found in most grocery stores. Look for Kashmiri chili powder, a mild chili; if you can’t find it, you can use a pinch of cayenne and sweet paprika.
- Vinegar: I call for white distilled vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar too.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, please refer to the recipe card.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1 – Prep the marinade: In a large bowl, mix yogurt, spices, ginger, garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat with the chicken pieces and set aside while you prep the sauce.
Step 2 – Over medium heat, saute the chopped onions in oil with cinnamon and cloves until deeply golden brown. Please don’t be shy about adding color to the onions, as it imparts the necessary flavor.
TIP: Want to plan ahead? Marinate the chicken in the fridge up to 12 hours in advance.
Step 3 – Add the tomato paste and cook down for a couple of minutes until deeply caramelized.
Step 4 – Deglaze the pan with vinegar until the sauce is reduced by half. Add the water, then nestle in the chicken thighs, making sure they’re well coated in the sauce. Scrape any excess yogurt-spice mixture from the bowl into the pan.
Step 5 – Bake in the oven for 25 – 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, the gravy has separated (there will be a pool of oil*), and the skin is caramelized.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with a big pile of fluffy rice, homemade naan, or my Instant pot farro!
*TIP: Oil separation is a hallmark of a good curry, but you’re welcome to drain some of the oil if you wish.
Recipe FAQs
Prepare the gravy in a regular skillet, then transfer to a baking dish, add the chicken, and bake.
We’ve found 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder to be the right level, but you can always half it for a milder version or double it if you’d like!
Yes, marinate the chicken and chill in the fridge for up to 12 hours. You can also prepare the gravy in advance; store in an airtight container and chill for up to 2 days. When ready to use, reheat gravy in the skillet, then stir in the marinated chicken and proceed with baking.
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Baked Chicken Curry (Tangy & Spicy!)
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger, or very finely minced
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic, or very finely minced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, use half the amount of salt if using any other salt brand
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
For the Curry:
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Set a rack in the bottom-third of the oven and preheat to 425℉/218℃.
- Prep the marinade: In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 tablespoon grated garlic, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, a good pinch of freshly ground Black pepper, and 2 tablespoons plain yogurt. Add 1 ½ pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, and toss to coat. Set aside. Note: You can also split up the steps and marinate the chicken in the fridge up to 12 hours in advance before preparing the sauce.
- Cook the onions: Meanwhile, set a large stainless steel oven-proof skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons neutral oil. Add 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cloves; once sizzling, add 1 medium onion (finely diced) and saute until softened and golden-brown, about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce: Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste, and saute for 2 – 3 minutes until brick red and caramelized. Stir in 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up any stuck bits of food from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until reduced by half. Season with a good pinch of salt.Remove from the heat, then stir in ⅓ cup water. Nestle in the chicken thighs, and turn to coat the chicken evenly in the sauce. Arrange skin-side up.
- Bake: Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 – 35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce around it has thickened and caramelized (it should look glossy and slightly separated around the edges).
- Serve: Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro, and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- I use a ratio of 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt to 1 pound of chicken. Sometimes the chicken thigh packages are closer to 1.25 pounds instead of 1.5 pounds; in that case, use 1.25 teaspoons instead of 1.5 teaspoons. Always use half the amount of salt if using *any* other brand of salt.
- Chicken can be marinated up to 12 hours in advance in the fridge.
- No oven-safe skillet? Transfer the gravy to an oven-safe casserole dish before nestling in the chicken and baking.
- You might notice some darkening or burnt spots around the rim of the pan after baking. This happens when thinner areas of sauce caramelize; totally normal and part of oven-roasted cooking! Just give the pan a good soak after serving and it should come right off.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
- Or, for a less saucy (but delicious) option, transfer thighs to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F / 177°C until warmed through, about 10 – 15 minutes.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
SO flavorful and came together so fast!
So, so glad you enjoyed! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Owner’s Review: I love how flavorful this chicken is, and the sauce is downright addicting! It also reheats well the next day, too.