Chicken vindaloo is a popular Indian curry known for its spicy and tangy flavor combination, a quick and easy kitchen staple. My version is wonderfully fiery, though you can easily adjust the heat and spice to your preference.
Chicken Vindaloo Recipe
If you are a spicy food lover like I am, you need to give your taste buds a treat and try this amazing Chicken Vindaloo Recipe. It has everything a fiery food lover could want - Flavor, Heat, Spiciness, Pure Satisfaction.
It is most definitely one of my favorite recipes and it is super easy to whip together in the kitchen with very little effort and cooking time.
That's a HUGE PLUS for a slow cook like me!
What is Vindaloo?
"Vindaloo" is a highly spiced curry dish that originated in the Goa region of India. It is known for its fiery and tangy flavors, and is often made with meat, typically pork, beef, goat, or chicken, marinated in a spiced vinegar-based sauce. You can also make it with potato for a vegetarian version.
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 Vindaloo Ingredients
The full list of ingredients with measurements and printable cooking instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- 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.
How to Make Chicken Vindaloo - Recipe Method
Marinate the Chicken. The vindaloo marinade is the most important part of this dish, as it imparts an immense amount of flavor that all of us spicy food lovers crave.
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.
Cook the Chicken. Next, add the chicken (along with the marinade) and stir. Cook it for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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.
If the vindaloo sauce becomes too thick, just stir in a bit more water or broth until it reaches the consistency you prefer. It will thicken in the pan. It should be the consistency of a good gravy.
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.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Marinate Ahead
I like to whip this recipe together the night before and let it sit in the refrigerator until dinner time the next evening. It makes for a super quick and easy meal, though yeah, it does require a little bit of forethought.
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.
Serving Chicken Vindaloo
Serve chicken vindaloo over steamed rice and garnish with fresh herbs and extra spicy chili flakes. Basmati rice is a nice choice, as is a side of naan bread.
If it is too spicy, serve it alongside this Indian Raita recipe, which is made from spiced yogurt. It has a nice cooling effect.
Storage and Leftovers
Chicken vindaloo will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. To enjoy it again, simply warm it in a pot on the stove over gentle heat. Or, warm it in the microwave.
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.
Try Some of My Popular Curry Dish Recipes
- Lamb Vindaloo
- Ghost Pepper Chicken Curry
- Chicken Biryani
- Spicy Thai Curry Chicken Soup
- Homemade Vindaloo Curry Powder
- Khao Soi - Northern Thai Coconut Curry Soup
- Chicken Korma
- Phaal Curry (the Hottest Curry in the World)
- Massaman Curry
- Rogan Josh (Indian Lamb Curry)
- Pav Bhaji (Spicy Vegetable Curry)
Try Some of My Other Popular Chicken Dishes
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.
Chicken Vindaloo Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 serrano peppers chopped (or use Indian peppers if you can obtain them)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE MARINADE
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon spicy red chili flakes I used ghost pepper flakes for an EXTRA kick
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
FOR SERVING: Cooked rice, fresh herbs, extra chili flakes
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl.
- Mix your marinade by whisking together the vinegar and all of the seasonings. Pour it over the chicken and rub it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Longer is better, such as overnight.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and peppers and cook about 4-5 minutes, until they soften up.
- Add the chicken along with the marinade and cook another 5 minutes to nicely brown up the pieces.
- Add the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste. Cook another minute, stirring.
- Add ½ cup of water (or chicken broth for extra flavor) and stir until the mixture thins out and becomes a sauce. You can add more water if needed. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve as is or over rice with fresh herbs and sprinkled chili flakes. Make it rain!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
Amber Saeidi Asl says
My family and I love this recipe! I found it about two years ago and make it about once a week and we still aren’t tired of it! I’ve had to dial down the heat because my toddler can’t handle it (yet) but it is still so delicious!! Thanks for sharing it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Amber! That's a lot of vindaloo! I love it. One of our favorites, too. Thanks for sharing your comments!! =)
Cathy Crane says
This recipe is fantastic!! I have made this so many times that I know it by heart! My family and I absolutely love it and we enjoy it at least twice a month. I don't change a thing and serve it with basmati rice and naan for a delicious and spicy meal. Thank you so much for sharing ❤
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent! Thanks, Cathy! Super happy you are enjoying it! =)
Sujata P. says
I'm Indian and I can't eat the level of chili pepper madness in this recipe. Otherwise, thus toned down, this has recipe has become a huge family favorite and weekly staple at our table. Thank you ever so much!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Sujat. I'm super happy you enjoyed this one. It is definitely a SUPER HOT recipe, and meant to be adjusted to your own preferred heat level. Glad it's a family favorite! Thanks for sharing!
Bex says
Great flavor, loved it, but too much vinegar for me. I am curious if there is a reason for so much. Will half it next time I make this, and I will definitely be making this again.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Bex. Vinegar is more of a personal preference and much can depend on simmering time. You can easily use less to your personal tastes next time. Enjoy.
William Hanti says
I own and operate a food truck in SWFL. We specialize in Mediterranean Cuisine. We are the only truck with a tandoor oven on board. Our most popular dishes are our Butter Chicken and Chicken Shawarma. I tried this recipe tonight and made three pounds, we served it with Basmati and Naan. SOLD OUT!!!!! One change I made was using Indian chili powder combined with crushed red pepper. I've had Vindaloo at Indian restaurants that was much hotter, but I think this heat was good for the average Joe!!!! Thanks, looks like this goes on the menu!!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome to hear! Thanks so much! I love this!
Pauli says
Wow! 100% delicious, easy to make and soooo flavorful! We used to order Vindaloo from a tiny Indian restaurant inside a hotel locally that closed down. We used to order extra and freeze just to have it on hand. I'm so glad that I found this recipe and that I had all the spices in my cupboard to make it. It tasted exactly like the one we used to order (better actually) so thank you! My husband was so impressed and you have gained a new fan!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Pauli! I love to hear it. =)
Andrew says
Amazing recipe. Highly recommend marinating for 24 hours as this is just an explosion of heat and flavor. I found it pairs well with curry rice or naan.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Andrew!
Victoria says
Delicious! I only used a couple of tbsp of red pepper flakes and it was plenty hot enough for me 🙂 would love more complete nutritional details but this is so easy to make, will definitely be making it again!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad you enjoyed it, Victoria. The nutritional details have been restored. Seems they went missing after an update by my programmer. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Cheers.
Mohini Natt says
This recipe has amazing flavor and good heat! The only thing I did was use ghee instead of olive oil because my mom had some on hand. Also I made it with just water at first (and it was good!) but then added a little chicken bouillon to see the difference and it elevated the flavors.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Mohini! Glad you enjoyed it!
Mike says
Loved this Vindaloo dish Mike. Lamb Vindaloo is my go to at our local Indian restaurant so this one caught my eye. Added some diced jalapeno to the onions and serranos, and a few TB's of spicy bloody mary mix instead of water. Result was exactly what I was shooting for. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Mike! Glad you enjoyed it.
Jérémie says
Vindaloo is a colorful dish: bitter and acid and very hot. A great indian recipe.
Your recipe is very nice, Mike. I just made a few changes: never olive oil for me in indian recipes, but ghee 😉 and Vindaloo, for me has to be fiery, so: 1 ghost pepper per person, here. To eat with a nan, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Nom nom nom!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jérémie. Yes, ghee is definitely more traditional. Nice and hot, agreed!
Debbie says
This was delicious. Loved the spice level, using red pepper flakes. Had some fresh jalapenos so used those. It was terrific. Thank you for the recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Debbie!