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Chicken Mughlai in a large bowl is a bit like a party. It has something special. The first time I made this at home, I was really surprised because I thought, how can a few whole spices and some onion-cashew paste give me something so creamy and rich? When cooked, the smell fills the room even before serving it. This, in my view, is actually half of the fun part. I have made slight changes over the years like roasting the spices and adding cream but the result stays the same: a creamy texture without being overly heavy. This could be your go-to curry recipe when you miss the flavor of a good restaurant-style Indian cuisine but don’t fancy visiting one.

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Recipe Snapshot

This chicken Mughlai is my comfort food, I have been making it more than a few times already and trust me, when you add the cream at the end everything changes for the better.
Each and every bite is hearty, creamy, a little bit spicy and super comforting.
I usually serve this hot with jeera rice or soft, buttery naan.
From preparation, roasting the spices to the final simmer, it normally takes roughly 55 minutes in total.
If you enjoy this, I presume you will probably also love butter chicken or chicken korma.

The Ingredients:

500 grams chicken (cut into small pieces)

To make the spice powder:

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp coriander seeds
3 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
4 pieces cloves
2 pieces bay leaves
1 piece cinnamon stick (1 inch in size)
½ sprig mace (or a small pinch of nutmeg powder)
8 pieces red chilies (whole)
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Salt to taste

To make the onion paste:

1 piece onion (large)
Cashew nuts (a handful, whole)
1 tbsp water

To make the gravy:

2 tbsp oil
1 piece cinnamon stick (1 inch in size)
1 piece bay leaf (large, torn in half)
1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste (or ¾ tsp each freshly grated ginger and garlic)
½ cup curd
½ cup water
¼ cup cream (or malai)
4 pieces of green chilies (whole)
4 pieces of cashew nuts (broken)
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves (crushed)
Coriander leaves (a few, finely chopped, optional)

How to Make Chicken Mughlai? (Step by Step Guide with Photos)

Step 1: Dry roast 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 1 tsp of black peppercorns, 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, 3 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods), 4 pieces of cloves, 2 pieces of bay leaves, 1 piece of cinnamon stick (1 inch in size) and ½ sprig of mace in a pan on a medium flame until they change color slightly.

Step 2: Then add 8 pieces of whole red chilies, roast for 10 seconds and switch off the flame. When they cool off, transfer them to a blender jar.

Step 3: Make a coarse powder. Transfer it to a bowl and add 1 tsp of fennel powder, salt to taste and 1 tsp of garlic powder (optional) and mix nicely. Keep it aside.

Step 4: Make a paste of one large onion and a handful of cashew nuts adding a tablespoon of water.

Step 5: Fry one inch-size cinnamon stick and a large bay leaf (torn in half) in 2 tbsp of oil. Then, add the onion-cashew paste.

(Pro tip: If you want to enhance the flavor further, I would suggest you to add a couple of extra chopped green chilies and cloves at this stage).

Step 6: Cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes until it loses moisture and the oil separates. Now, add 1.5 tsp of ginger garlic paste. Cook for a few seconds until the raw smell is gone.

Step 7: Mix ½ cup of curd nicely, stirring continuously, on a low flame until dry. Add the spice mix and cook on a medium flame now for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously.

Step 8: When the oil separates, add 500 grams of chicken (cut into small pieces).

Step 9: Mix nicely and cook for 2 minutes on a medium flame. Add ½ cup of water and mix nicely. Bring it to a boil.

(Pro tip: I wash the jar I used to make the onion cashew paste and use it. This prevents any masala going waste).

Step 10: Now, cover it and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked nicely and becomes tender. Then add ¼ cup of cream and mix nicely. Cover and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame now.

(Pro tip: I stir the chicken a couple of times in between so that the masala does not stick to the bottom and gets burnt).

Step 11: Add 4 pieces of whole green chilies and 4 pieces of broken cashew nuts. Then mix 1 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves (crushed).

(Pro tip: I add green chilies at this stage as it helps them retain their color and crunch).

Step 12: Finally, add a few finely chopped coriander leaves (optional). Mix nicely, cover and cook further for 2 to 3 minutes on a high flame.

Step 13: The oil should come up by now. Check the consistency of the gravy and transfer it to a serving bowl.

Step 14: Your tasty and creamy chicken Mughlai is ready to enjoy.

Customize Your Recipe

Sometimes I replace chicken with paneer.
I also use chicken thighs on occasion (boneless), which are also good, and they tend to remain juicy for much longer.
On some occasions, on the demand of my kids, I have added a handful of soaked raisins to bring out a slight sweet note in the gravy. However, this addition is not mandatory at all.
Sometimes I skip adding cream and go for extra curd instead.
On week days I tend to skip the whole process of roasting the spices and use a pre-made garam masala powder from the market. However, you will never get the same aroma by doing so.