Kolkata Chicken Chaap Recipe - Slow Cooked Chicken Legs

Step 1: To begin making Kolkata Chicken Chaap Recipe , first soak poppy seeds into warm water for 20 minutes

Step 2: Meanwhile prepare the fresh Garam masala quickly

Step 3: You may also use the stored garam masala but the freshly made garam masala is  more flavourful

Step 4: Clean the chicken, wash well, pat them dry and with a fork, prick all over the chicken till the bone in several places

Step 5: In a blender, take the soaked poppy seeds and cashewnut together to make a smooth paste, by adding a little water

Step 6: Take it out in a bowl

Step 7: With the help of a little water, grind coarsely chopped onions, ginger and garlic cloves in a fine paste

Step 8: In a big mixing bowl, add curd, ground onion-ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, a little salt and a pinch of sugar and whisk with a hand whisk or a fork till evenly combined

Step 9: Pour this marinade all over the chicken, mix well

Step 10: Add a spoonful of ghee on it and coat the chicken, this will keep the chicken soft and juicy after being cooked

Step 11: Cover and put the chicken in refrigerator for a minimum of 5 hours

Step 12: You can marinate chicken overnight to get best results when the recipe is done

Step 13: Once done, take the marinated chicken out from the refrigerator and let them thaw to almost room temperature before cooking

Step 14: In a wide kadai or handi add about 2 tablespoons of ghee on medium heat

Step 15: Once the ghee is hot, temper with bay leaf, whole red chili and cinnamon stick and stir for a little while

Step 16: After the aroma of cinnamon rises, shake off the marinade from the chicken legs and put them in hot ghee

Step 17: Turn the heat to medium and slow cook for about 15- 20 minutes flipping the legs from time to time

Step 18: Once the leg is almost cooked, add the remaining marinade and cook for about 10 more minutes for all the raw smell of onion ginger garlic to disappear

Step 19: Now add cashew and poppy seed paste

Step 20: Cook for another 20-30 minutes and till the spices are dried and the dish comes together and smells divine

Step 21: Add 1 or 2 drops of kewra water, stir and switch off

Step 22: Serve Kolkata Chicken Chaap Recipe (Slow Cooked Marinated Chicken Legs) with Mutton Biryani Recipe and Tomato Onion Cucumber Raita Recipe for a complete meal