Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala

Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala

This Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala is a classic Salan that is great for any night of the week. This recipe is the first salan that I every fully made from scratch (except for the bit of Shan seasoning lol) with no recipe and honestly, as a white girl married to a Desi man, I felt so proud. I just used what I had learned from Desi cooking, my heart, and of course, Shan.

To translate to English, aloo means potato, salan refers to the sauce in a curry, Shan is a common brand of masala seasoning for a wide variety of Desi dishes, and masala means seasoning. This dish is made of juicy, flavorful bites of chicken, soft potato cut into thin rounds, and a fragrant, tomatoey sauce that is rich in flavor. Serve it with some basmati rice and you are set.

Equipment You’ll Need:

You will need a blender.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Servings: 6

Active Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes

For this Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala recipe you will need:

  • 5 Roma tomatoes – This will be the base of you salan.
  • 1/2 cup of water – To keep your salan ad the right consistency.
  • 4 tablespoons of Aloo Bhaji Shan Masala – For some wonderful flavor.
  • 1 medium russet potato
  • Oil for cooking
  • 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 large white onion
  • 1/2 jalapeño or serrano pepper – Seranno is the more traditional pepper, but also is spicy. Choose wisely.
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice – To brighten the dish and bring our flavors.
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste – See “Substitutions”
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro + more for serving

How to Make Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala:

Step 1. Cut 5 Roma tomatoes into quarters and lightly pulse in a blender. You want them to be in very small pieces, but no fully blended.

Step 2. Add the blended tomatoes to a large pot along with 1/2 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of Shan masala. Mix, cover, and set on medium-high heat.

Step 3. Peel a medium russet potato and cut into thin rounds. If the middle of the potato is thick, you can cut in in half first and then slice into thin half circles. Mix the potatoes into the pot, cover again, reduce to medium heat, and let them simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Stir periodically to ensure that it does not burn. You can add some additional water if needed.

Step 4. Cut 1.5 pounds of chicken thighs into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Place a large pan on high heat and add some oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and then sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and another 2 tablespoons of Shan masala. Allow the thighs to fry until golden on each side, and then reduce to medium heat until they are cooked through. Remove from heat once fully cooked.

Step 5. Cut up 1/4 of a large white onion into thin pieces and 1/2 of a jalapeño into thin slices. Unless you want a lot of heat, deseed your jalapeño. Add the onion to a medium sized pan on medium high heat with some oil and let it fry, stirring periodically until golden brown. Add the jalapeño in for the last 2 minutes and allow it to lightly sear on both sides.

Step 6. Once your potatoes are done cooking, add in 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste, 1/2 tablespoon of chopped cilantro, and the fried onion and jalapeño along with its oil. Stir well and then ad into your chicken and fold it in. Cover again and allow it to simmer for at least 5 minutes.

Step 7. Plate this with some white basmati rice and top it with additional cilantro.

Enjoy!

Substitutions:

If you do not have ginger paste, you can also use 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder or 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.

Make It Healthier:

To reduce the fat in this dish, you can limit the amount of oil used for cooking and swap the chicken thighs for chicken breast. If you use chicken breast, skip the additional simmering at the end when added to the main pot as this can dry out the chicken.

What To Do With The Leftovers:

Storing:

This may store well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Reheating:

This is best reheating on a pot on the stove, covered on medium heat for about 10 minutes while stirred periodically.

Meal Prepping:

Paragraph about what parts of this you can meal prep

Video:

Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala
Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala

Chicken Aloo Salan with Shan Masala

This is an easy, classic salan for any night of the week. It has juicy, flavorful bites of chicken, soft potato cut into thin rounds, and a fragrant, tomatoey sauce that is rich in flavor. Serve it with some basmati rice and you are set!
Active Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 blender

Ingredients
  

  • 5 Roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 4 tablespoons of Aloo Bhaji Shan Masala
  • 1 medium russet potato
  • Oil for cooking
  • 1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 large white onion
  • 1/2 jalapeño or serrano pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste – can use 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder or 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro + more for serving

Instructions
 

  • Cut 5 Roma tomatoes into quarters and lightly pulse in a blender. You want them to be in very small pieces, but no fully blended.
  • Add the blended tomatoes to a large pot along with 1/2 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of Shan masala. Mix, cover, and set on medium-high heat.
  • Peel a medium russet potato and cut into thin rounds. If the middle of the potato is thick, you can cut in in half first and then slice into thin half circles. Mix the potatoes into the pot, cover again, reduce to medium heat, and let them simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Stir periodically to ensure that it does not burn.
  • Cut 1.5 pounds of chicken thighs into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Place a large pan on high heat and add some oil. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and then sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and another 2 tablespoons of Shan masala. Allow the thighs to fry until golden on each side, and then reduce to medium heat until they are cooked through. Remove from heat once fully cooked.
  • Cut up 1/4 of a large white onion into thin pieces and 1/2 of a jalapeño into thin slices. Unless you want a lot of heat, deseed your jalapeño. Add the onion to a medium sized pan on medium high heat with some oil and let it fry, stirring periodically until golden brown. Add the jalapeño in for the last 2 minutes and allow it to lightly sear on both sides.
  • Once your potatoes are done cooking, add in 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste, 1/2 tablespoon of chopped cilantro, and the fried onion and jalapeño along with its oil. Stir well and then ad into your chicken and fold it in. Cover again and allow it to simmer for at least 5 minutes.
  • Plate this with some white basmati rice and top it with additional cilantro.
    Enjoy!

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