Mughlai Chicken
Chicken pieces marinated in yogurt and ginger-garlic, then cooked in a deeply rich sauce of cashew paste, cream, and saffron with green cardamom and mace — the signature golden-coloured, cream-forward Mughlai chicken preparation from which the entire North Indian restaurant tradition of white/gold gravies descends. Silky, aromatic, and unmistakably imperial.
Cuisines
Mughlai
Delhi
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 500 grams | chicken, cut into pieces |
| 2 tablespoons | ghee |
| 2 tablespoons | vegetable oil |
| 2 | onions, finely sliced |
| 1 tablespoon | ginger-garlic paste |
| 1 cup | yogurt, whisked |
| 1 teaspoon | coriander powder |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin powder |
| 1 teaspoon | garam masala |
| 1/2 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1/4 cup | cashew nuts, ground to a paste |
| 1/4 cup | cream |
| 2 | green cardamom pods |
| 4 | cloves |
| 1 | cinnamon stick |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| Salt | to taste |
| Fresh coriander leaves | for garnish |
Instructions
- 1 Heat ghee and oil in a pan over medium heat.
- 2 Add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf, sauté until fragrant.
- 3 Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
- 4 Stir in ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- 5 Add chicken pieces and cook until they turn white.
- 6 Mix in yogurt, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, turmeric, and red chili powder.
- 7 Cook on medium heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- 8 Add cashew nut paste and cream, stir well to combine.
- 9 Simmer for another 5 minutes until the gravy thickens.
- 10 Season with salt to taste.
- 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
Marinate the chicken in yogurt and spices for a few hours for enhanced flavor.