Spicy Almond Chicken- Easy Pan Fried Chicken

Chicken lovers will love this simple yet flavorful chicken with the enticing flavor of almonds, chilies, and spices. It is an easy pan-roasted chicken that is slightly crispy on the outside and soft and succulent inside. The toasted almonds add a delightful crunch. It goes well as a side dish for rice, but you can get creative and use it as a filling for wraps and sandwiches. It is one of my go-to recipes when my family craves chicken. There is no elaborate cooking and a perfect for lazy weekend meals. The best part is that it is easy, and you can make this delicious chicken in under 25 minutes! The chicken is well coated, with flavorful masala, and each bite will make you crave for more!

It is aromatic, pan-roasted chicken that you can pan fry or baked in the oven. The fried chicken is bursting with flavor-earthy spices, nuttiness of almonds, the tang from tomato paste and lemon adds a unique touch. The heat is from Kashmiri chili powder. If you enjoy the kick of spice, adds more chilly powder or black pepper. Another pointer is the roasting of the chicken. Do not add water during the cooking process. Keep it covered till the chicken oozes out water and gets cooked. The last step is dry roasting by turning the heat to low and sautéing in between until all the liquid evaporates and the chicken gets well coated with the masala.

Do you love to experiment with chicken? I have shared a lot of chicken recipes in this space. Here are a few chicken recipes if you are interested.

Korean Chili Garlic Chicken
Chicken Cutlet
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Malabar Chicken Fry
Coq au Vin/ Anglo Indian Rooster Curry

Spicy Almond Chicken- Easy Pan Fried Chicken

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken- 1 lb
Garlic- 5-6 pods
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder or Cayenne pepper- 2 tsp
(or according to your spice tolerance)
Almond paste- 2-3 tbs
Tomato paste- 2 tbs
Tomato paste- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 3/4 tsp
Whole red chilly- 2
Sliced almonds- 1/3 cup
Chopped coriander leaves- a hand full
Salt according to taste
Oil- 2-3 tbs

Clean and cut chicken into small pieces (it is best to use boneless chicken). Marinate chicken for half an hour with salt, turmeric, and pepper powder.
Heat oil in a pan and toast sliced almonds till slightly golden, drain and set aside (or spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven).
In the same oil, add dry red chilly and saute for a minute, followed by minced garlic. Saute for a few seconds, add the marinated chicken and stir fry for two to three minutes or till the chicken changes color. Add chilly powder, almond paste, and tomato paste and fry for one more minute till it coats well. Cover and cook till the chicken is soft. Remove the lid, and simmer in low flame till the masala is dry, and gets coated with chicken. Sprinkle a few drops if you feel it is sticking to the bottom. Add the toasted almonds,garam masala, and sprinkle chopped coriander. Stir fry in high for two more minutes and switch off the flame. Serve warm with ghee rice or parottas. Refrigerate leftovers in a dry container. It stays good for 3-4 days. Enjoy!