If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. It is most definitely one of my favorite recipes and it is super eat to whip together in the kitchen with very little effort and cooking time. That’s a HUGE PLUS for a slow cook like me! The word “vindaloo” comes from the Portuguese dish “carne de vinha d’alhos,” a dish of meat marinated in wine vinegar and garlic. Historically, when the Portuguese colonized Goa, they brought this dish with them, which was adapted to local Indian ingredients and flavors to create Goan vindaloo. The dish is known for its intense heat, which comes from the use of red chilies, and pleasant tanginess from vinegar. I love it with chicken, particularly chicken thighs, which I’ve included here for this recipe. Let’s talk about how to make Chicken Vindaloo, shall we?
Chicken. Use chicken thighs or chicken breast, or a combination. Olive Oil. For cooking. Onion. Serrano Peppers. Or use Indian peppers, like Kashmiri chilies. Tomato Paste. You can also use fresh tomatoes. Salt and Pepper. To taste. FOR THE VINDALOO MARINADE White Vinegar. Garlic and Ginger. Spicy Red Chili Flakes. I enjoy using ghost pepper flakes for some extra heat, though you can use dried red chilies or flakes to your heat preference. Other Spices. Paprika, coriander, turmeric, mustard powder, cumin cinnamon. Freshly ground coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds make for extra fresh flavor. For Serving. Cooked rice, fresh herbs, extra chili flakes.
Vinegar is a MUST, as is garlic. From there, we’re adding in a number of pungent spices to make this amazing, including paprika, ginger, coriander, turmeric, mustard powder, cumin, cinnamon, and a healthy dose of spicy red chili flakes, and salt and pepper, of course. Try this Homemade Vindaloo Seasoning Blend. You can also include a bit of sugar if you’d like, either white or brown sugar. I didn’t use them this time. Whisk all of the seasonings together with the vinegar, then pour it over the skinless chicken in a bowl. Or, use a plastic bag that you can seal. This is your curry paste. The chicken should be cut into bite sized pieces. Refrigerate the chicken for at least 1 hour, though you’ll get better results if you let it marinate overnight. More marinade time = more flavor. Cook the Onion and Peppers. Heat the oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Next, cook your onion and chili pepper a few minutes to soften them up. I used spicy serrano peppers here, though you can use milder peppers for a version with less heat. Next, add in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and cook stirring a bit, along with about 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth to form a sauce. Fresh diced tomatoes are also a nice addition here. Simmer the Vindaloo. Reduce the heat an let the whole pan simmer for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, until the chicken cooks through and the flavors develop. You can let it simmer longer if you’d like. BOOM! DONE! Your chicken vindaloo curry is ready to serve! Better than any Indian restaurant. It’s so deliciously fragrant. I love it. Such a great recipe. Indian food is filled with so much amazing spice and flavor.
Heat and Spice Factor
For the wild chiliheads like ME, you can use ghost pepper chili flakes like I did. If ghost peppers are too hot for you, use the typical red chili flakes or cayenne pepper that you find in the store, which are perfectly GREAT for this recipe. You’ll definitely get plenty of heat with them, and I want this dish to please your personal palate, not mine! So go with a heat level you’re comfortable with. If it is too spicy, serve it alongside this Indian Raita recipe, which is made from spiced yogurt. It has a nice cooling effect. You can also freeze it for 3 months in vacuum sealed bags or freezer containers. It really is an amazing dish. Give it a try and let me know how you like this curry recipe. How spicy did you make yours? Send pics! I’d love to see them. Till next time!!! – Mike H. This recipe is gluten free. NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/21/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 4/20/18.
