Gordon Ramsay’s chicken jalfrezi recipe stir-fries marinated chicken with sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, and green chillies in a hot wok until the vegetables still have crunch and the sauce clings instead of pools. I found this recipe on MyDish and adapted it using Ramsay’s stir-fry technique from his other Asian-influenced recipes: high heat, quick cooking, everything moving in the pan.
Jalfrezi sat on every takeaway menu I ever looked at, and I never once ordered it because I did not know what it was. When I finally looked it up and saw it was just a spicy stir-fry with peppers, I added it to my curry recipes immediately, I felt properly silly for missing out on the crunchiest curry on the menu.
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What Is Chicken Jalfrezi?
Jalfrezi means “hot stir-fry” in Bengali. It was originally invented as a way to use up leftover roast chicken by stir-frying it with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices in a very hot pan.
Unlike most curries where the sauce simmers for ages, jalfrezi is fast and the vegetables keep their bite. That crunch is what makes it different from every other curry on the menu.
Chicken Jalfrezi Ingredients
- 500g (1.1 lbs) boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2cm (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- Sea salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 large onion, thickly sliced
- 1 green pepper (capsicum), cut into thick strips
- 1 red pepper (capsicum), cut into thick strips
- 2-3 green chillies, slit lengthways
- 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Chicken Jalfrezi
- Marinate the Chicken: Mix the ginger, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Coat the chicken strips and leave for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours in the fridge.
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add the onions, peppers, green chillies, and tomato wedges. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly charred but still crunchy. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the remaining oil to the same pan. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Build the Sauce: Add the chilli powder and tomato purée to the chicken. Cook on low heat, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and looks fried rather than wet.
- Combine: Return the stir-fried vegetables to the pan and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve: Scatter with fresh coriander (cilantro) and serve with chapatti, naan, or rice.
How Spicy Is Chicken Jalfrezi?
Medium-hot, similar to a madras. The heat comes from the green chillies and chilli powder, both of which you control, so remove the seeds from the chillies if you want it milder.
It is spicier than a tikka masala or korma, but not as intense as a vindaloo. If you have made a chicken madras before, jalfrezi sits at about the same heat level.
What Does Chicken Jalfrezi Taste Like?
It tastes like a stir-fry more than a curry. The peppers and onions have crunch, the tomatoes give a sharp acidity, and the spice marinade on the chicken comes through in every bite.
Most curries are about the sauce. Jalfrezi is about the vegetables and the chicken being the main event, with just enough sauce to hold it together.
What to Serve With Chicken Jalfrezi
Chapatti or naan works best because you can scoop up the vegetables. Rice is fine but you lose some of the stir-fry texture in the soggy grains.
A lentil curry on the side gives you a softer contrast, and a curry sauce for dipping poppadoms rounds it out.
Storing Jalfrezi
Fridge for 2 days. The peppers lose their crunch overnight, which is the main reason to eat this one fresh.
If you do reheat it, use a hot wok and toss it quickly rather than simmering in a saucepan. That brings back some of the stir-fry texture.
FAQs
- Where is chicken jalfrezi from? It originated in Bengal as a way to use up leftover roast chicken during the British Raj. “Jal” means hot and “frezi” means stir-fry. It became a British Indian restaurant classic.
- Is chicken jalfrezi healthy? Compared to creamy curries like korma or butter chicken, yes. There is no cream, no coconut milk, and the sauce is mostly tomato and spices. Around 320 calories per serving.
- Can you freeze chicken jalfrezi? You can, but the peppers go soft after defrosting. I would only freeze the chicken in the sauce and add fresh peppers when you reheat.
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Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Total Fat: 16g
- Protein: 34g
- Total Carbohydrate: 10g
Gordon Ramsay Chicken Jalfrezi Recipe
4
servings15
minutes15
minutes1
hourGordon Ramsay’s chicken jalfrezi recipe stir-fries marinated chicken with sliced peppers, onions, tomatoes, and green chillies in a hot wok until the vegetables still have crunch and the sauce clings instead of pools. I found this recipe on MyDish and adapted it using Ramsay’s stir-fry technique from his other Asian-influenced recipes: high heat, quick cooking, everything moving in the pan.
Jalfrezi sat on every takeaway menu I ever looked at, and I never once ordered it because I did not know what it was. When I finally looked it up and saw it was just a spicy stir-fry with peppers, I felt properly silly for missing out on the crunchiest curry on the menu.
Ingredients
500g (1.1 lbs) boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
2cm (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Sea salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
1 large onion, thickly sliced
1 green pepper (capsicum), cut into thick strips
1 red pepper (capsicum), cut into thick strips
2-3 green chillies, slit lengthways
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato purée
Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
Directions
- Marinate the Chicken: Mix the ginger, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Coat the chicken strips and leave for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours in the fridge.
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large pan over high heat. Add the onions, peppers, green chillies, and tomato wedges. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly charred but still crunchy. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the remaining oil to the same pan. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Build the Sauce: Add the chilli powder and tomato purée to the chicken. Cook on low heat, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced.
- Combine: Return the stir-fried vegetables to the pan and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve: Scatter with fresh coriander (cilantro) and serve with chapatti, naan, or rice.
