Authentic Goan chicken vindaloo is a spiced, vinegar-based curry built on a ground paste of dried Kashmiri chilies, garlic, ginger, and warm spices. The key to flavor is marinating bone-in chicken for 12-24 hours, then simmering until the meat tears and red oil floats on top.
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Add everything listed under vindaloo paste to a grinder or a blender- whole chilies, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard seeds, turmeric, vinegar, cloves and cinnamon.
Blend it till it's smooth. Add 1 teaspoon of water, if needed, to help make the paste.
Your Vindaloo curry paste is ready. You can refrigerate this for 2-3 weeks
Marinate the chicken in the curry paste for at least 15 minutes. It's best if you can do this for 12-24 hours.
Heat the 1 tbsp oil in a pan on medium-high heat.
Once heated, add the onions.Cook till they are golden translucent whitish pink.
Add all the marinated chicken along with the marinade.
Add 1 cup of water to the bowl the chicken was marinated in. Get all the leftover marinade.
Add the water to the chicken in the pot. Give it a mix.
Cover and cook on low heat for 40-45 minutes. Open the curry and mix it a few times in the middle.
The curry is done when the chicken leg starts to tear up and the red oil floats on top.
Taste and adjust salt and vinegar is needed.
Garnish with fresh coriander.
In the instant pot, select SAUTE mode.Once hot, add oil.
To this add the onions and cook till it turns golden- about 3-5 minutes.
Add the chicken and all the marinade plus 3/4 cup of water.Cancel SAUTE.
Select Pressure Cook/Manual setting at HIGH pressure and pressure cook for 12minutes.Let the pressure release naturally.
If the gravy is too watery for your taste, reduce it using the saute function.
Garnish with fresh coriander
Store finished curry in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on stovetop or microwave. Vindaloo paste keeps refrigerated for 2-3 weeks.
grinder or blender · instant pot (optional; stovetop version also included)
Yes, the minimum is 15 minutes, but marinating for 12-24 hours develops deeper flavor. Plan ahead for best results.
Bydagi chillies or paprika work as direct replacements. Use the same quantity (10 whole chilies or equivalent paprika).
The curry is ready when the chicken leg starts to tear and red oil floats on top, typically after 40-45 minutes on stovetop or 12 minutes at high pressure in an instant pot.
Yes, the paste keeps refrigerated for 2-3 weeks, allowing you to prepare it in advance and marinate chicken whenever ready.
Use the sauté function (stovetop or instant pot) to reduce the gravy to your preferred consistency.
