Chicken Keema

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 whole medium yellow onion
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger
• 1 whole green serrano chili
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 can (15 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a 12-inch stainless steel skillet or heavy-bottomed pot and set it over medium-high heat. Let it preheat for about 1 minute — you want the oil to shimmer and move quickly across the pan.

2. 2

   While the oil heats, dice 1 medium yellow onion into 1/4-inch pieces — keep them uniform so they cook evenly. Once the oil is ready, add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and just starts to caramelize at the edges. You should smell the sweet, toasted aroma of the onion.

3. 3

   Peel and finely mince 4 garlic cloves. Grate a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger on a microplane. Slice 1 green serrano chili in half lengthwise and remove the seeds if you prefer less heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili to the onions and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until very fragrant — your kitchen should smell intensely aromatic.

4. 4

   Add 1 pound of ground chicken to the pan, breaking it apart with the back of a wooden spoon or a fish spatula as it cooks. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink and has broken into fine crumbles. There should be no large chunks — the keema should look like loose, cooked ground meat.

5. 5

   Sprinkle in 1.5 teaspoons of ground cumin, 1.5 teaspoons of ground coriander, 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder, and 0.5 teaspoon of garam masala. Stir constantly for 30-45 seconds until the spices coat the chicken and become very fragrant — you should see the spices darken slightly and smell them 'bloom' into aromatic oils.

6. 6

   Pour in 1 can (15 oz) of canned crushed tomatoes and 0.5 cup of low-sodium chicken broth. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan — these are full of flavor. Add 0.75 teaspoon of kosher salt and stir.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. You should see steady, lazy bubbles rising to the surface. Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the oil begins to separate slightly on the surface. This signals the spices have cooked into the meat and the sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon.

8. 8

   Remove from heat and taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt or Kashmiri chili powder if needed — the keema should be rich, warming, and lightly spiced. Chop 0.25 cup of fresh cilantro leaves and squeeze 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice into the pan. Stir gently.

9. 9

   Transfer the chicken keema to a serving bowl or platter. Serve hot with basmati rice, warm naan bread, or pita for scooping. The keema tastes even better the next day as the spices continue to deepen.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch stainless steel skillet or heavy-bottomed pot
• wooden spoon or fish spatula
• microplane
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• instant-read thermometer (optional)

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