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Home » Main Dishes » Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

Published: December 19, 2018 Last Modified: December 1, 2019 Freda Dias

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

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 Delicious methi chicken recipe with step by step pictures. Methi chicken gravy | Murgh methi malai is a decadent and luxurious Mughlai dish prepared with chicken and fresh methi (fenugreek) greens simmered in a rich creamy curry.

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi MalaiMurgh stands for ‘chicken’, methi is ‘fenugreek ‘ and malai is ‘cream’.  The earthy, bitter taste of fenugreek greens complements the chicken exceptionally well. The addition of cream further mellows down the bitterness thereby adding to the rich quotient of this dish.

I like to have some variation in chicken dishes so that it doesn’t get mundane and boring. As I’ve mentioned before I love fenugreek and the distinct and bitter flavor it lends to any dish. It does have a unique flavor that cannot be missed.

Table of Contents

  • HOW TO MAKE METHI CHICKEN CURRY?
  • ENJOYED THIS FENUGREEK CHICKEN RECIPE | METHI MALAI CHICKEN? THEN YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE CHICKEN CURRIES
  • YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE METHI RECIPES
  • STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE METHI MALAI CHICKEN | METHI MURGH
  • HOW TO MAKE METHI MALAI CHICKEN?
  • Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

HOW TO MAKE METHI CHICKEN CURRY?

To make this decadent methi chicken recipe with fresh methi, you start off by marinating the chicken. The methi chicken marinade consists of yogurt and basic Indian spices like red chilli, turmeric, cumin-coriander, ginger garlic paste, and kasoori methi. Marinating the chicken overnight makes this dish a breeze to put together for lunch the next day.

The marinated chicken is then cooked along with some whole spices, sauteed onions, ginger-garlic, cashew nut paste, and some cream to finish it off. Pretty simple! You can skip the cream for a simple methi chicken.

Again this is not your everyday chicken curry, considering how calorie rich this is, make sure you reserve it for some special occasion or a party 🙂

Methi leaves are in abundance during the winters, and this is the perfect season to enjoy this dish! So next time you plan on making chicken curry, try this easy curry recipe! I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as we do!

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

ENJOYED THIS FENUGREEK CHICKEN RECIPE | METHI MALAI CHICKEN? THEN YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THESE CHICKEN CURRIES

  • Butter Chicken
  • Dahi Chicken

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE METHI RECIPES

  • Egg methi bhurji (scrambled eggs with fenugreek leaves)
  • Aloo methi 
  • Methi matar malai paneer

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE METHI MALAI CHICKEN | METHI MURGH

1.Wash and pat dry the chicken well. Cut it into 2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add yogurt, red chilli, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, cumin- coriander, crushed kasuri methi, garam masala, 1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, along with salt and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix it well and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.

Methi Chicken marinade

2.In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil on medium heat, add the whole garam masala, Sauté until fragrant.

saute whlole spices

3.Add chopped onions, Sauté on medium until the onions are golden.

saute chopped onions

4.Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies, Sauté until aromatic.

add ginger garlic paste

5.Add the methi leaves, cook on medium heat stirring well until the leaves are wilted.

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

6.Next add marinated chicken along with all the marinade to the masala. Increase the heat to high, toss the chicken with the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes.

adding marinated chicken

7.Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and let it simmer, stirring occasionally until the chicken is almost cooked through. The chicken will release some water, in case you find it is dry and sticking to the pan, add some hot water and mix well.

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

8.Add the cashew nut paste, mix well, cover and cook another 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

adding cashew nut paste

9.The oil will float on top once the chicken is cooked through. Add cream, mix well and simmer for 2 more minutes, check for seasonings, adjust with salt if required. Serve hot with pulav/rice or any other flatbread.

adding cream

NOTE

  1. If you can’t find fresh methi leaves, make kasuri methi chicken instead. Rehydrate about 1/2 cup kasuri methi in boiling hot water for 5 minutes, add it after step 8, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. If you do not like the bitterness of fresh methi leaves, sprinkle salt on the methi leaves, leave it for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes squeeze the leaves well to get rid of the bitter juices. Rinse and use as directed in the recipe

 Methi Malai Chicken on a white plate with naan

I would love to hear from you if you try this recipe! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in comments, as it helps others know the recipe better too. You can also share your feedback and suggestions at aromaticessence77@gmail.com. Thanks so much 🙂 

HOW TO MAKE METHI MALAI CHICKEN?

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

Freda Dias
Delicious methi chicken recipe with step by step pictures. Methi chicken gravy | Murgh methi malai is a decadent and luxurious Mughlai dish prepared with chicken and fresh methi (fenugreek) greens simmered in a rich creamy curry.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
  

Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml , 1 teaspoon = 5 ml

  • 1.45 lbs  / 625 grams bone-in chicken
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1  tsp red chilli powder/cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder/paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1   tbsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 tbsp  kasuri methi, dry roasted and crushed between palms
  • 1 & 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • Whole garam masalas (1 bay leaf, 1-inch cinnamon, 4-5 green cardamom, 2 black cardamom & 4 cloves)
  • 3 cups tightly packed chopped methi (fenugreek leaves)
  • 8-10 cashew nuts, soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes and ground to a paste
  • 2-3  green chillies, add more for more heat
  • 1/2 cup  heavy cream/ malai
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tbsp oil

Instructions
 

  • Wash and pat dry the chicken well. Cut it into 2-inch pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add yogurt, red chilli, kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, cumin- coriander, crushed kasuri methi, garam masala, 1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, along with salt and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix it well and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.
  • In a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee and oil on medium heat, add the whole garam masala, sauté until fragrant.
  • Add chopped onions, Sauté on medium until the onions are golden.
  • Add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies, Sauté until aromatic.
  • Add the methi leaves, cook on medium heat stirring well until the leaves are wilted.
  • Next add marinated chicken along with all the marinade to the masala. Increase the heat to high, toss the chicken with the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and let it simmer, stirring occasionally until the chicken is almost cooked through. The chicken will release some water, in case you find it is dry and sticking to the pan, add some hot water and mix well.
  • Add the cashew nut paste, mix well, cover and cook another 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
  • The oil will float on top once the chicken is cooked through. Add cream, mix well and simmer for 2 more minutes, check for seasonings, adjust with salt if required. Serve hot with pulav/rice or any other flatbread.

Notes

 
  1. If you can't find fresh methi leaves, make kasuri methi chicken instead. Rehydrate about 1/2 cup kasuri methi in boiling hot water for 5 minutes, add it after step 8, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. If you do not like the bitterness of fresh methi leaves, sprinkle salt on the methi leaves, leave it for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes squeeze the leaves well to get rid of the bitter juices. Rinse and use as directed in the recipe
Keyword Methi Chicken, Methi Malai Chicken, Murgh Methi Malai
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Methi Chicken Recipe | Methi Malai Chicken | Murgh Methi Malai

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Freda

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Freda Dias says

    February 13, 2024 at 9:59 pm

    Hi Arti! This should serve about 4 people.

    Reply
  2. Yova says

    February 14, 2023 at 3:57 am

    Hi, if re-hydrated kasuri methi is used, should it be processed with salt as fresh methi, in order to remove the bitterness? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      February 15, 2023 at 11:19 am

      Hi Yova! If you don’t like the bitter flavor, you could do that.

      Reply
  3. Kenneth says

    July 22, 2022 at 12:45 pm

    I couldn’t see where the ghee was used under the directions. Is it added where the oil is used. Many thanks (I’m in the middle of making it so can’t comment yet, on how it turned out but am an avid fan of Chicken or Lamb Methi when eating out)

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      July 22, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      Hi Kenneth! Yes, it’s added along with the oil. Sorry about that, I’ve fixed it in the recipe card. I hope it turned out well 😊

      Reply
  4. rubya says

    May 23, 2020 at 7:08 am

    I made this today and was wonderful!! Simple to make yet lipsmacking!!!

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      May 23, 2020 at 7:18 am

      Glad you enjoyed it, Rubya! Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂

      Reply
  5. amrita says

    January 13, 2019 at 9:23 am

    This is indeed decadent dish…I won’t mind having little calorie rich food in special occasions…

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      January 13, 2019 at 4:09 pm

      Yes true! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sujata Roy says

    January 13, 2019 at 9:14 am

    I don’t like the bitterness of methi but this methi chicken sounds lip-smackingly delicious. Superb share.

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      January 13, 2019 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks,di 🙂

      Reply
  7. Jagruti Dhanecha says

    January 13, 2019 at 7:28 am

    Methi fan here, and you have deliciously incorporated with the chicken, creamy and flavourful dish, perfect for chicken lovers.

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      January 13, 2019 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks, Jagruti 🙂

      Reply
  8. Lata Lala says

    January 13, 2019 at 4:52 am

    This one is amazingly interesting recipe. We all love our methi malai matar and adding chicken to it instead of peas is a great idea.

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      January 13, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      Thanks so much, Lata 🙂

      Reply
  9. Anshu says

    January 13, 2019 at 4:51 am

    Oh my! this looks uber delicious. Have a bunch of methi lying in my fridge, I guess my dinner is sorted today. Thanks for the lovely share!

    Reply
  10. Avin says

    January 12, 2019 at 5:18 am

    Does not get better than this. Easy recipe with flavours out of this world. Amazing pics as usual😍

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      January 12, 2019 at 11:22 am

      Thanks, Avin 🙂

      Reply
  11. skd says

    December 21, 2018 at 3:17 am

    I love methi chicken but stopped making it because my husband did not like the slight bitter taste. Thanks for your tip of adding salt Freda. I will try it now.
    Regards
    Ana

    Reply
    • Freda Dias says

      December 21, 2018 at 1:55 pm

      Hi Ana! Yes that does help reduce the bitterness. I hope he enjoys it now as much as you do 🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Reply

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About Me

Hi! l’m Freda, a former pharmaceutical research analyst turned into a full time food blogger. Here you will find all kinds of recipes, from appetizers to desserts and everything in between, all of which have been tested by me and approved by my family. I hope you do try these recipes and enjoy them as much as we do. Read More…

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