Chicken with Vegetables is one of those recipes I started making when I needed dinner sorted but still wanted something better than plain dal chawal. My neighbor in Pune used to make a version of this every Sunday, and the smell of fried chicken and roasted capsicum would drift through the courtyard. She told me the trick was salting the brinjals first so they do not turn mushy and bitter.
I have been making it her way ever since. The casserole looks impressive when you bring it to the table, but honestly, most of the work happens in the first twenty minutes. After that, the oven does the rest.
About the Recipe
This recipe takes about ninety minutes from start to finish, with most of that being oven time. The vegetables are easy to find in any Indian market, though courgettes might need a trip to a larger supermarket or organic shop. I make this when I have guests coming over but do not want to be stuck in the kitchen the whole time. Once everything is layered in the casserole, you can forget about it for an hour. It also works well when you have leftover vegetables sitting in the fridge and need a way to use them all at once.
Why you will love this recipe
The flour coating on the chicken keeps the meat juicy even after a full hour in the oven, and the seasoning works its way into every piece as it bakes. The vegetables release their own moisture, mixing with the spiced water to create a light, flavorful broth at the bottom of the dish. You get protein and vegetables in one go, which makes serving simple.
I like how the bhindi stays slightly firm instead of turning slimy, and the courgettes pick up the flavor from the tomatoes and bay leaves. It is also a good recipe for using up odds and ends without needing exact measurements.
Cooking Tips
Salting the brinjals is not optional. If you skip it, they turn out bitter and watery, and they also soak up too much oil during frying. When you coat the chicken in flour, do not pile it on thick or it will clump and fall off in the pan. Shake off the excess before frying.
The vegetables should be fried quickly, just until they start to color slightly. If you cook them too long at this stage, they will fall apart in the oven. Keep the oven temperature steady at 190C. If it runs too hot, the chicken will dry out before the vegetables are done.
Top Tips
- Salt the brinjals at least thirty minutes before cooking and rinse them well, or they will taste bitter and release too much water.
- Use a large enough casserole dish so the vegetables sit in a single layer, otherwise the ones at the bottom will steam too much.
- Fry the chicken in batches if needed so the oil stays hot and the coating crisps properly.
- You can swap green beans for French beans or use fresh okra instead of frozen bhindi if that is what you have.
- If the casserole looks dry halfway through, add fifty to a hundred ml of hot water and cover it again.
- Let it rest for five minutes after taking it out of the oven so the broth settles and the chicken does not fall apart when you serve it.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This serves six people comfortably, especially if you pair it with rice or fresh rotis. Total prep time is about thirty minutes, and the baking takes an hour. Serve it straight from the casserole dish with the parsley sprinkled on top. It stays good in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the whole dish covered in a low oven. The flavors actually improve the next day once the spices have settled into the chicken and vegetables.
Similar Recipes
- Chicken Biryani
- Mixed Vegetable Curry
- Chicken Do Pyaza
- Baked Chicken with Potatoes
- Dum Aloo with Green Beans
Nutrient Benefits
This dish gives you a good mix of protein from the chicken and fiber from the vegetables. Brinjals and courgettes are both low in calories but help fill you up, while green beans and bhindi add vitamins and minerals. The tomatoes provide lycopene, and using moderate oil keeps the fat content reasonable. You can reduce the oil further if you prefer, though the chicken will not brown as well. The combination of vegetables also means you are getting a variety of antioxidants in one meal.
Chicken with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 Brinjals (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch rings)
- 150 ml Oil
- 1 1/2 kg Chicken (cut into medium size pieces)
- 50 gms Flour
- 2 Onions (sliced)
- 2 Courgettes (topped, tailed and cut into 1/2 inch rings)
- 2 Green Capsicum (seeded and cut into 2 inch squares)
- 450 gms Green Beans (trimmed and sliced)
- 225 gms Bhindi (trimmed nad sliced)
- 4 Tomatoes (blanched, peeled, sliced)
- 300 ml Water
- 3 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1 tbsp Parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp chilli powder to the flour. Mix well.
- Sprinkle salt on the brinjals and keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Then rinse under cold water and dry.
- Heat half the oil in a large pan.
- Coat the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour and fry until golden on all sides.
- Remove and keep aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the pan.
- Add all the vegetables except tomatoes.
- Fry for a few minutes, turning occasionally.
- Place all the vegetables in the bottom of a cassrole dish.
- Arrange the chicken pieces over the top.
- Place the tomatoes over it.
- Bring water, salt, black pepper and chilli powder to a boil in a small pan.
- Pour this into the casserole.
- Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 190C/375F for about 60 minutes.
- Garnish with the chopped parsley.
- Serve.
Sign up for our newsletter
Add Awesome Cuisine as a Preferred Source
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken cut into pieces?
Yes, thighs work well and stay moist. Just adjust the cooking time slightly because boneless thighs cook faster than bone-in pieces.
My brinjals turned mushy even after salting. What went wrong?
You probably fried them too long or used very ripe brinjals. Fry them just until they start to soften, not until fully cooked. Younger, firmer brinjals hold up better.
Can I skip the flour coating on the chicken?
You can, but the chicken will dry out more in the oven and the seasoning will not stick as well. If you want to skip it, marinate the chicken in yogurt and spices for at least an hour before frying.
The casserole was too watery at the end. How do I fix that next time?
Use less water, around two hundred ml instead of three hundred, or leave the lid off for the last fifteen minutes of baking so some moisture evaporates.
How do I store leftovers and can I freeze this dish?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can freeze it, but the courgettes and brinjals will turn softer when reheated. The chicken freezes fine for up to a month.
image credit
