Chicken Dopiaza

By
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Food writer Petrina Verma Sarkar is a native of India with extensive knowledge of the country's regional cuisines.
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Updated on 06/22/23
Bowl full of chicken Dopiaza which includes chicken as well as other vegetables and and orange sauce. Bowl is on top of a wood surface with a spoon right next to it

Bartosz Luczak / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

The word Dopiaza literally means two onions, which is a fitting name since this recipe calls for a large quantity of onion to be used in two batches. The first batch of onion is fried in oil; after the chicken and spices are added to the pan, it is the second batch of onion's turn. Although it is really easy to cook, it tastes like you spent hours lovingly preparing it. 

Legend has it, the dish was created when a courtier of a South-Asian emperor added a very large quantity of onions to a dish by accident. The dish evolved further in Hyderabad, India, and is now a staple of their cuisine. Dopiaza can not only be made with chicken, but is also delicious with meat or shrimp, or with vegetables to become a satisfying vegetarian dish. Serve Chicken Dopiaza with hot chapatis and a green salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons coriander seeds

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

  • 3 large onions, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil

  • 2 1/4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

  • 2 teaspoons garam masala

  • 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder

  • 2 tablespoons ginger paste

  • 2 tablespoons garlic paste

  • 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 1/2 cups water

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat a griddle or small, flat pan on a medium flame and gently roast the coriander and cumin seeds until aromatic. Remove from heat and grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder or spice grinder. Set aside for later.

  3. Separate the chopped onions into 2 portions, roughly 2/3 and 1/3.

  4. Heat the oil in a large pan on medium heat and add the 2/3 portion of onions. Fry until golden.

  5. Add the chicken and fry until browned.

  6. Add the ground spices, garam masala, turmeric powder, ginger and garlic pastes, and tomatoes and fry until the oil begins to separate from the mixture. Add salt to taste.

  7. Add the remaining 1/3 portion of chopped onion and mix well with other ingredients. Sauté until this batch of onions is soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.

  8. Add 1 1/2 cups of water, stir and bring to a boil.

  9. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender. This dish, when cooked, requires that the gravy be enough to just coat the chicken thickly—if there is too much, cook to reduce the gravy to the required consistency.

  10. Garnish with coriander and serve with hot chapatis and a green salad.

  11. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
480 Calories
27g Fat
12g Carbs
47g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 480
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 198mg 66%
Sodium 432mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 47g
Vitamin C 13mg 67%
Calcium 73mg 6%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 752mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)