Pressure Tikka Ghee Pepper Chicken Stew

Some recipes are born out of experiment, some out of necessity, and some — like this one — out of a deep love for bold flavours and the magic that happens when tikka spices meet the gentle warmth of a ghee-based stew. This is an original DFZ recipe, born in our community kitchen, and now yours to make.

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Serves

4 people

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

750g chicken, curry cut pieces
3 tbsp pure desi ghee
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp tikka masala (store-bought or homemade)
1½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
1 small cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
1 cup warm water
Fresh coriander and cream for garnish

Method

Marinate the chicken. Mix chicken pieces with tikka masala, half the black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Longer if you have time — overnight in the fridge is ideal.

Build the base. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker on medium flame. Add cumin seeds, green cardamoms, black cardamom and cinnamon. Let them splutter and release their aroma — about 30 seconds.

Cook the onions. Add sliced onions and cook until they turn golden brown — this takes patience, about 8-10 minutes. Don't rush this step. The sweetness of well-cooked onions is the foundation of the whole dish.

Add ginger-garlic and tomatoes. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until they break down completely into the masala.

Seal the chicken. Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes, turning pieces to seal all sides. This locks in the tikka flavour.

Pressure cook. Add warm water and remaining black pepper. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles on medium heat. Let the pressure release naturally.

Finish with ghee. Open the cooker, check consistency — it should be a thick, rich stew. Add a final drizzle of ghee, adjust salt, and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes.

"The secret is in the ghee and the pepper. Don't be shy with either. This is a dish that should make you feel warm from the inside out." — Adit Kohli, DFZ Media

Serve hot with tandoori roti, butter naan or simply steamed rice. The stew consistency makes it perfect for both — the thick gravy coats the roti beautifully while the rice soaks up every last bit of that ghee-tikka magic.

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