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Chicken changezi is made with chicken pieces marinated with a variety of powdered spices, lemon juice, salt, and optionally with red food color that adds to its visual appeal. First, the marinated chicken pieces are lightly fried and then cooked in a rich and creamy gravy comprising onions, tomatoes, curd and different aromatic spices. The dish is finally smoked after adding chopped coriander leaves, slit green chilies, cream and butter. Go through my easy recipe to learn the steps to make chicken changezi at home.

Table of Contents

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Chicken changezi is a highly popular Mughlai dish widely enjoyed across North India, especially in the streets of old Delhi.
Serve it with hot butter garlic naan, tandoori roti, or aromatic zeera rice for a complete meal.

Chicken changezi has a rich, creamy, and mildly spicy taste with a distinct tangy undertone and a smoky aroma.
Other similar recipes are chicken Afghani, chicken Jahangiri, chicken bhuna, and chicken korma.

The Ingredients:

To marinate the chicken:

750 grams chicken
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp chaat masala powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp red food color (optional)

To make the masala paste:

2 tbsp cooking oil
2 pieces onions (medium size, roughly chopped)
3 tomatoes (medium size, roughly chopped)

To fry the chicken:

2 tbsp cooking oil

To cook chicken changezi:

2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
¼ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp red chili powder
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
½ tsp salt
⅓ tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp water
¼ cup curd
1 tbsp butter
¼ cup fresh cream
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
½ cup water
Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped)
4 pieces green chilies (slit in the middle)

I discovered this particular recipe during a casual weekend gathering at my sister-in-law’s home. She prepared this highly fragrant dish of creamy chicken which made all guests want to have a second helping. The secret to her dish she revealed to me was her perfected recipe for traditional Chicken Changezi which she had developed throughout her career. While she narrated the complete recipe to me, I sat at her dining table and wrote down all the spices and cooking steps into my notes application on my phone, including the charcoal smoke, which she claimed was the essence of the dish.

I decided to make it the very next Sunday for a special family lunch. My two sons repeatedly entered the kitchen to see when their food would be served because they could smell the charcoal smoke throughout the house. The dish turned out well with soft chicken pieces in a rich and smooth gravy, similar to the one I had previously experienced. My husband rated it higher than restaurant food while my sons finished every last bite of their meal. The discovery of this recipe has brought me great happiness and it has become the dish that my family now requests the most.

How to Make Chicken Changezi? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Marinate, cover and keep aside 750 grams of chicken with 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of lemon juice, ½ tsp of black pepper powder, 1 tsp of chaat masala powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of cumin seed powder, ½ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp of red food color (optional).

Step 2: Fry 2 pieces of roughly chopped medium-sized onions in 2 tbsp of cooking oil for 2 minutes over a medium flame until soft.

Step 3: Then add 3 pieces of roughly chopped medium-sized tomatoes. Cover and cook until soft.

Step 4: Fry the chicken pieces in another pan until golden in 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Keep them aside.

Step 5: Remove and cool the cooked onions and tomatoes. Transfer them to a mixie jar and make a smooth paste.

Step 6: Fry 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste in 2 tbsp of cooking oil. Then add ¼ tsp of garam masala powder, 1 tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp of salt and ⅓ tsp of turmeric powder. Add 2 tbsp of water and fry for 3 minutes.

Step 7: Add the onion and tomato paste. Fry for 7 to 8 minutes over a medium flame. Add ¼ cup of curd.

Step 8: Add and mix the fried chicken pieces and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a high flame. Add 1 tbsp of butter, ¼ cup of fresh cream, and 1 tbsp of Kasuri Methi.

Step 9: Add ½ cup of water. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on a medium flame. Add a few finely chopped coriander leaves and 4 pieces of green chilies (slit in the middle).