This butterless chicken curry with potatoes is spicy, aromatic, light and comforting. Made without the use of butter, it’s super healthy, yet rich and delicious in every bite. Trust me, you’ve never had chicken curry like this before.
If someone told me that you could make a highly aromatic chicken curry without a drop of oil, I honestly wouldn’t have believed them. But this Butterless Chicken Curry completely changed my mind. It’s light, comforting and bursting with aromas of fresh chillies, lemongrass, tomatoes and coriander, while the mashed potatoes create a naturally thick and delicious sauce.
What I love most about this Naga style chicken curry recipe is how simple it is. Everything is cooked together in one pot, there is no sauteing or an endless list of spices, and dinner is ready in about 30 minutes. Serve with this healthy chicken curry steamed rice, appams or chapatis for an easy weeknight meal you’ll want to make again and again.
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Ingredients for Butterless Chicken Curry
Chicken: Bone-in leg pieces for juicy, tender pieces and deeply flavored curry
Aromatic substances: Onions, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, red chillies and lemongrass form the base of the dish and provide a beautiful aroma
potatoes: Boiled and pureed in curry along with tomatoes and hot peppers. It helps thicken the sauce and adds a distinctive flavor and texture
Water: To adjust the consistency of the curry
coriander: Finely chopped and used as a garnish to give an earthy freshness to the whole dish
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but the taste will be different. You can replace it with a few strips of lemon peel or just leave it out.
yes Pressure cook for 2 whistles, switch off the flame and let the pressure release naturally. Then proceed with the step of pureeing the vegetables and simmering the sauce for a few minutes.
It usually is, but you can easily control the heat to suit your tolerance. Since the chilies are added whole, you can reduce or increase the amount you mash into the sauce.
Richa’s best tips
- Use bone-in chicken if possible. The bones add a lot of flavor to the broth and give the curry a richer flavor, even without oil.
- Don’t miss the lemongrass. It adds freshness and gives the curry its distinctive taste. Whisk it lightly before adding to release its aroma.
- Adjust the spice level to your preference. Puree all the chillies for a spicier curry or puree just one or two and leave the rest whole for a milder version.
- Use hot water instead of cold water. It helps maintain the cooking temperature and speeds up the cooking process.
Storage Tips
- Cool down: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator until 3 days.
- Freezing: This curry freezes well until 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Heat gently: Heat it on the stove over low heat or in the microwave, adding a little water if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Flavors improve with time: This curry often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to blend.
Serving ideas
This oil-free chicken curry pairs beautifully with simple side dishes that soak up all the flavorful gravy.
- Over rice: This is my favorite way to eat it. Pour this chicken curry over hot steamed rice, Jeera riceor quinoa or brown rice for an easy everyday meal.
- With bread: You can also scoop this delicious curry with neer dosas, appams, rotis, the steamor naan.
- For a lighter meal: Pair it with simple cucumber salad or sautéed vegetables and vegetables on the side.
Personalization ideas
- Add more vegetables: Carrots, mushrooms, peas or spinach work well and make the curry more hearty.
- Make it sharper: Add fresh lemon juice just before serving.
- Use boneless chicken: Boneless drumsticks are fine, but reduce the cooking time by 5-7 minutes.
- Turn up the heat: Add more green chilies or a pinch of ground black pepper.
If you’re looking for a healthy chicken curry that’s easy, comforting, and full of flavor, this recipe is for you. With no complicated techniques or a long list of spices involved, this butterless chicken curry with potatoes is a simple one-pot dish that you’ll find yourself making again and again.
If you make this recipe DM me your photos or tag me in stories on my IG @my_foodstory ❤️
Watch a video with a recipe for zero butter chicken curry with potatoes
- 500 grams bone-in chicken, curry
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- ¾ teaspoon salt, separated
- 1 onion, thinly sliced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 tomato, in quarters, 100 g
- 2 potatoes, in quarters, 170 g
- 4 green chilies, whole
- 2 red chili peppers, whole
- 1 lemon grass root, broken down
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1 cup warm water
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Add chicken, garlic ginger paste and ½ teaspoon salt to pan, mix well and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
500 grams of chicken with bones, 2 tablespoons of ginger and garlic paste, ¾ teaspoon of salt
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Heat the pan with the marinated chicken. Add onions, tomatoes, potatoes, green chillies, red chillies, lemongrass root, coriander leaves, hot water, mix well and cook covered for 15-20 minutes until vegetables and chicken are cooked well.
1 onion, 1 tomato, 2 potatoes, 4 green chilies, 2 red chili peppers, 1 lemongrass root, 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves, 1 cup hot water
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Using tongs or a spatula, remove the cooked tomatoes, potatoes, green chillies, red chillies and transfer to a plate. While they are still warm, crush them coarsely with your hands. See note 2 and 3.
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Add the pureed pasta back to the pan, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and serve.
- Bone-in chicken is best for this recipe as the bones add more flavor to the dish.
- You can puree all the green and red chilies or 1 each depending on your spice level preference.
- If the tomatoes and potatoes are mashed while they are still warm, they are easily mashed well.
Calories: 355kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 20g, fats: 18g, Saturated fats: 5g, Polyunsaturated fats: 4g, Monounsaturated fats: 7g, Trans fats: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 104mg, sodium: 683mg, potassium: 862mg, Fibers: 5g, sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 569IU, Vitamin C: 65mg, calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2mg
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.
