This is not a prettiest chicken curry you will lay your eyes on. But what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in flavor. Nagarjuna Style Chilli Chicken is a salty, umami curry with a searing heat that is off the charts 🥵. Named after the popular local eatery that made it famous, it is not a dish for the faint-hearted. The over-zealous of use green chillies renders a gravy so sharply moreish, it’ll make you wince (though in a good way, if you know what I mean).

In my twenties, I wore my penchant for spicy food like a badge of honor. But with age my tastebuds have mellowed. My mature palate can no longer handle that kind of OTT fiery onslaught. So, I have toned down my version considerably. Feel free to increase the number of chillies if you can handle it. How many you add is based entirely on your bravado and where the chillies rate on the Scoville scale.

The recipe is straightforward and does not require lot of ingredients. Pair it with some ghee rice or parathas for an easy, satisfying and sweat-inducing meal. And have a glass (or two) of ice water handy!

Recipe

Nagarjuna Style Chilli Chicken

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1 kg bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, each cut in half
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp green chilli paste (made by pulsing fresh green chillies in a blender until coarsely ground)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp white vinegar, divided
2 tbsp ghee
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
5-6 fresh green chillies, sliced into 1” pieces
1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 1/4 cups water, divided
1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Salt to taste

Method

Wash the chicken and pat it dry with some paper towels. Transfer it to a mixing bowl along with the ginger-garlic paste, green chilli paste, turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp vinegar. Mix well, cover and marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine the cornflour with 1/4 cup of water. Mix well and set aside.

In a heavy-based pan or Dutch oven, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add 2 tsp chopped garlic and the chopped green chillies. Saute until the garlic starts to brown.

Add the marinated chicken and sauté, stirring frequently for 6-8 minutes or until the raw smell of the ginger-garlic disappears.

Add the soya sauce and remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Sauté for a 3-4 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Once the curry reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken is done.

Remove the lid. Stir the cornflour slurry well and add it to the chicken along with the sugar. Turn up the heat and let the gravy thicken for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and/or vinegar, if needed. Turn off the heat and transfer the chicken to a serving bowl. Serve the chilli chicken with either rice or parathas.