Murgh Malai (Creamy Indian Chicken Curry)
Murgh Malai is a mild, creamy North-Indian chicken curry made with marinated chicken simmered in a rich yogurt-cream gravy. Easy to cook, flavourful and great with roti, naan or rice.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Rinse the chicken pieces and pat them dry. In a bowl, mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and a pinch of salt. Add the chicken, coat well and marinate for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate 2–3 hours for better flavour).
- Heat oil and ghee together in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium flame. Add chopped onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent (about 6–8 minutes).
- Add the marinated chicken along with any leftover marinade. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken pieces turn light in colour and raw smell goes away.
- Pour in milk and ¾ of the cream. Add slit green chillies (if using), pepper powder and roughly half of the kasuri methi. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 25–30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and gravy thickens slightly.
- Once chicken is cooked and gravy is creamy, stir in the remaining cream and the rest of the crushed kasuri methi. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 2 minutes and then turn off flame.
- Garnish with a drizzle of cream or a sprinkle of kasuri methi if you like. Serve hot with naan, roti or rice.
Notes
You can skip green chillies to keep this curry mild, suitable for kids. Use low-fat cream or even milk-malai for a slightly lighter version. Cook on low heat once cream is added so it does not curdle.
Abhinav is the Founder of Diet Dekho, helping people manage weight and lifestyle health through simple, practical nutrition and personalized diet plans.