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Chicken Pathia
Serves 4 Prep 10 min Cook 10 min Total 20 min Type Meal Origin Indian

Chicken Pathia

A BIR chicken pathia: pre-cooked chicken in a sweet-sour-spicy Parsi-inspired gravy of tamarind, sugar and chilli.

Serves 4 Prep 10 minutes Cook 10 minutes Units Rate

Overview

A British-Indian pathia curry with a sweet-and-sour profile, tuned for balanced acidity and a hint of chilli warmth. The recipe uses lemon, mango chutney and sugar for tang/sweetness, with optional red food colouring for the classic curry-house appearance.

Ingredients

Fat and aromatics

  • 4 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or seasoned oil
  • 1 onion (small), very finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
  • Salt, to taste

Spices and sweet/sour

  • 2 tbsp Mixed Powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 2 tbsp sugar, or to taste
  • 125 ml (½ cup) tomato purée

Sauce and protein

Finishers

  • 1 tbsp smooth mango chutney, or to taste
  • ½ tsp tamarind concentrate
  • 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
  • 1-2 lemons, to taste (juice)
  • Red food colouring powder (optional)
  • 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)

Method

Stage 1 - Fry onion base

  1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until bubbling.
  2. Stir in onion and fry 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
  3. Add garlic and ginger paste; sizzle 1 minute.
  4. Add a pinch of salt to release onion moisture.

Stage 2 - Add spice base

  1. Add mixed powder, chilli powder, and sugar; stir briskly.

Stage 3 - Build sauce

  1. Add tomato purée and 250 ml (1 cup) base curry sauce; bring to a rolling simmer.
  2. Scrape caramelized sauce from pan sides back into mix.
  3. Add remaining base curry sauce and stock; stir in pre-cooked chicken.
  4. Simmer until sauce reduces to desired consistency (add more sauce/stock if needed).

Stage 4 - Finish and balance

  1. Stir in mango chutney, tamarind, fenugreek leaves, and lemon juice.
  2. Adjust sweetness/tang: add more sugar, mango chutney, or lemon juice as needed.
  3. Add optional red food colouring, starting with ½ tsp, to reach desired colour.
  4. Season with salt, then sprinkle with coriander.

Notes

  • Pathia is all about the sweet-and-sour balance; adjust fruit and lemon gradually.
  • Optional food colouring is traditional but adds no flavour.
  • For lighter texture, use less stock; for richer, a dash more cream or butter can be added.

Serving

Serve with: steamed basmati rice, naan, or chapatis Garnish: fresh coriander, lime wedges Accompaniment: cucumber raita and poppadoms

Storage

  • Refrigerate 2-3 days in airtight container
  • Freeze up to 2 months; thaw in fridge before reheating
  • Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of stock or water
  • Best eaten within 24 hours for peak flavour

Tip

Prawns (shrimp) are an excellent and popular alternative to chicken.

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