Aam ka Murgh is a super delicious chicken curry that is easy to prepare on hectic weekdays and impressive enough to serve on special occasions. Get to know my new favorite curry that combines two amazing flavors – sweet and savory. Simply delicious!

Aam ka Murgh - Mango Chicken Curry, is a very aromatic, mild chicken curry that is sweet and savory and absolutely delicious! The fresh or frozen mangoes give the curry the perfect sweetness without adding sugar. This easy 30-minute dinner recipe is sure to become a family favorite!

This mango chicken curry is not only my mother-in-law Margot's absolute favorite curry, everyone in my family loves it! It is a very aromatic curry and thanks to the sweet mango sauce and coconut milk, it is also very mild.

If you are new to Indian cuisine or trying to get your kids to try Indian food, this mango chicken curry is a great dish to start with.

Unlike the preparation in most restaurants, my recipe does not require canned mango pulp. I prefer to make my own mango puree by blending fresh, ripe mango pieces (frozen mango pieces also work, just thaw the mango before pureeing). This gives the curry more of a naturally sweet mango flavor.

Canned mango pulp is usually heavily sweetened, which is why I don't use it in the dish, although you can sometimes find unsweetened canned mangoes in Indian grocery stores these days. When I use ripe mangoes, I usually don't add any sweetener to the curry, but if you feel the mangoes aren't sweet enough, feel free to add some sugar or honey.

There are a few other optional ingredients: Curry-patta (curry leaves) and cayenne pepper.

If I list Curry-patta (curry leaves) in a recipe, you should generally use them, but if you don't have them for this recipe, it's not a problem this time. The dish is still great without them.

As for the cayenne pepper, you can leave it out or adjust to taste. If you prefer a sweet and spicy curry, add cayenne pepper, but if you are fine with sweet and savory, leave it out.

Tips for preparing the best Aam ka Murgh - Mango Chicken Curry

The preparation of this fruity chicken curry is quite simple, the right balance between sweet and savory flavors is the key. One important thing to remember is to carefully select the perfect mangoes that are "just" ripe but not overripe. If you use canned or frozen mangoes in this recipe, just check the sweetness of the pureed mangoes before adding them to the curry. If the puree is too sweet, add less and vice versa.

The smaller, yellow mangoes that have an elongated shape have much more flavor than their larger round relatives. The taste of mangoes can vary from quite tart when unripe to almost cloyingly sweet when overripe. For this reason, you may need to adjust the curry at the end depending on the ripeness of your mangoes. If you used unripe mangoes, just add some honey or sugar. If you used overripe mangoes, add some lime juice or a dash of white vinegar.

I like to use chicken thighs as they have the best flavor. But if you have chicken breast on hand, you can use that instead.

Can I use frozen mangoes?

Yes! Frozen and thawed mangoes work just as well.

Buying and storing mangoes

Mangoes get softer as they ripen, so the key to selecting a mango is to gently squeeze it before buying. If it yields to the pressure of your fingers, it is on the riper side. Mangoes continue to ripen after you bring them home. So if you are not going to prepare them right away, choose the firmer mangoes that only give a little when you squeeze them.

Store not fully ripe mangoes at room temperature, as they will continue to ripen. Once they have reached the desired ripeness, store them in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process.

Variations

• You can substitute the chicken with extra firm tofu to make a vegan dish.
• For a vegetarian curry, replace the chicken with paneer and vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini, which taste delicious with the sauce.
   

Serving suggestions

Curry always tastes best with steamed basmati rice and some warm naan. A dash of Erachi Achaar (Beef Pickle in Malayalam) can help round off the meal.

Storage suggestions

This chicken curry will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. In fact, as with many stews, the flavors can improve a day later.

It also freezes very well. You can freeze the leftovers of this chicken curry in an airtight ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 800 g chicken thighs (skinless and boneless)
• or chicken breast fillet (skinless), cut into 2 x 3 cm pieces 
  cut
   
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped or 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2.5 cm ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped or 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp oil of choice
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• 10-12 curry-patta (curry leaves - optional)
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 4 cm cinnamon stick
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 240 ml mango puree from fresh or frozen ripe mangoes
• 120 ml full-fat coconut milk from a can
• 1 tbsp sugar/honey (optional)
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
  
   

Instructions

Place onion, garlic, and ginger in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, then set aside.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat.

Add chicken. Season with ½ tsp salt and pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, or until browned. Place on a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil to the pan and the black mustard seeds, curry-patta (curry leaves), the cardamom pods as well as the cinnamon stick, and let them infuse in the oil for 1 minute. When the spices change color, add the onion mixture and, stirring occasionally, fry for 4 minutes until golden brown.

Now add the ground turmeric powder, paprika powder, cayenne pepper . Continue to sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add mango puree, mix well and let simmer for about 2 minutes.

Gradually return the chicken to the pan and stir until the chicken pieces are well coated with the mango spice mixture.

Then add coconut milk, salt, and sugar and stir. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 5 minutes on low heat until the meat is cooked through and tender.

Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with naan, paratha, chapatis or steamed basmati rice.

Tips

• If you use frozen mango pieces to make the mango puree, thaw the pieces before pureeing.
• To prepare a vegetarian or vegan dish, replace the chicken with paneer or extra firm tofu. This way you have Mango Paneer or Mango Tofu 😃