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Chicken Vindaloo, a spicy Indian curry.

Chicken vindaloo, spicy Indian curry

Main dishes

A very spicy chicken vindaloo, with well-caramelized onions, vinegar, and Goan chili peppers. Best served over hot basmati rice.

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Recipe from Kittycataclysm, Gentgeen, Carpathia and 14 other contributors, adapted by Recette de cuisine ·

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Originating from Goa, vindaloo is a very spicy dish, with a sauce based on fried onions, vinegar, and spices.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time40 min
  • Cook time1 hr
  • Total1 hr 40 min
  • DifficultyHard
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodSlow-cooked in a frying pan
  • Estimated cost$7.42 $1.86 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
  • Gluten-free

Ingredients

4 people
  • $3.46
  • $0.51
  • $0.53
  • $0.48
  • $0.04
  • $0.35
  • $0.36
  • $0.06
  • $0.53
  • $0.03
  • $0.02
  • $1.05

Prices from US supermarkets for 9 of 12 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. In a deep-sided frying pan, pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom, with a little extra. Heat over high heat.
  2. Finely chop the onions and add them to the very hot oil. ≈ 8 min
  3. Reduce the heat so that the onions cook gently. After about 3 minutes, they should start to caramelize.
  4. Gradually increase the heat by constantly stirring. The onions should brown nicely without burning.
  5. Add the white wine vinegar: it sizzles, then evaporates. Continue to stir and fry for a few more minutes, until the onions are very brown but not burnt.
  6. Remove the onions from the bowl, leaving as much oil in the frying pan as possible. This will result in crispy, fried onions.
  7. Sauté the onions with about 1 tablespoon of oil for one minute, until they form a thick, dark brown paste. This is the base of the vindaloo, and it’s what gives it its characteristic heat. ≈ 4 min
  8. Reserve this sauce. ≈ 3 min
  9. Roughly chop the garlic (and ginger). Remove the seeds from the chili peppers and chop them in the same way. Mix the garlic and chili peppers until you have a slightly chunky but still liquid sauce. ≈ 8 min
  10. Add the turmeric, ground cilantro, garam masala, and cinnamon to this sauce. Mix well and set aside. ≈ 4 min
  11. Roughly crush the peppercorns in a mortar. Add the mustard and salt, and continue to grind until you have a coarse powder. ≈ 4 min
  12. Pour this a small amount of oil into a saucepan, then add the garlic and spicy chili paste. It should float slightly on the oil without touching the bottom. ≈ 3 min
  13. Once the sauce is hot and simmering, add the chopped meat. Stir to ensure it absorbs the spice mixture, until it is browned and almost cooked through.
  14. Add the onion sauce to the onions. After 1 minute of cooking, add a little water, stir for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. The sauce should remain fairly fluid and have an orange to light brown color: a good portion of the water will evaporate.
  15. If you wish, you can add vegetables at this stage: half a cup of frozen green peas would work well. ≈ 3 min
  16. Cover and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent the sauce from sticking or burning. It will thicken as it cooks.
  17. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring 2 cups of pilaf or basmati rice to a boil in a saucepan.
  18. Serve: Pour the curry over the rice, sprinkle with fresh, chopped cilantro, and serve immediately. ≈ 2 min

The bill

Chicken vindaloo, spicy Indian curry

  • 3 chicken breasts$3.46
  • 2 to 3 large onions$0.51
  • 6 cloves of garlic (or 6 teaspoons of minced garlic)$0.53
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric$0.48
  • 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar$0.04
  • 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro$0.35
  • 1 teaspoon of garam masala$0.36
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon$0.06
  • 1.5 tablespoons of black peppercorns$0.53
  • 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds$0.03
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt$0.02
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped cilantro$1.05

Total$7.42

that's $1.86 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 2 to 3 large onions
  • 2 fresh chili peppers (any color you prefer)
  • 6 cloves of garlic (or 6 teaspoons of minced garlic)
  • 2 cm of fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of dried cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon of garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1.5 tablespoons of black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped cilantro
  • 12 ounces of water

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