Lip-smacking Malai Chicken curry is a creamy and scrumptious dish from India. Murgh malai features pan-fried chicken pieces, simmered in a rich blend of cream, herbs and spices. Easy to make in 40 minutes. Server it with, nana, roti, rice and salads.
What is Chicken Malai Curry?
Malai refers to cream. If I translate Malai Chicken, it means “Cream Chicken.” Chicken Malai and Murgh Malai are alternative names of this dish. This curry has off- white or light orange hue and less spicy than other Indian curries. The World famous malai chicken curry is the legacy of Punjab cuisine.
Basically, this dish is known for its luxurious texture and taste. In this recipe, the marinated grilled chicken is simmered with milk, onion and cashew paste. Blend of green cardamom, fennel seeds, dried fenugreek leaves and ginger elevates the flavor profile. To finish off, a touch of cream enhances the overall appearance and taste.
I adopted this recipe from my sous chef, Khumar. I have tried it numerous times, both personally and for hotel and restaurant menus. After perfecting it, I locked this recipe, which I am excited to share with you today.
Here You have other authentic recipe with delicious taste and easy to make some of them are Afghani Chicken curry, Chicken Handi, Chicken Karahi and Chicken Ka Salan.
Murgh Malai Ingredients
- Chicken: Everyone has their own chicken preference for making malai chicken recipes. You can use both bone-in or bone less chicken. I will use bone less chicken of thigh and breast. PREP: Always cut the chicken in medium size cubes. Wash the chicken, drain any extra moisture, and pat dry.
- Onion: I will use white onion for the base of this curry. Red onion can also be used. PREP: Peel the outer layer of onion and slice it. Later, we will blend it with milk.
- Yogurt: use homemade or hang curd. PREP: If you are using normal store-bought yogurt, whisk it well. Ensure the yogurt is curdle free. It adds a creamy and tangy texture. It is the best tenderizer for the meat. Alternatively you can also add milk.
- Cream: We will use heavy cream here 80 to 100g. It acts as a thickener, makes the curry rich and creamy.
- Oil: Use any oil available at home. It could be canola, olive, or coconut oil. Oil serves as the foundational base for the curry.
- Ginger Garlic: peel and mince them both. You can use ginger garlic paste as well. Most people don’t like garlic in this dish, just because of the raw smell of it. If you don’t like garlic, skip it and add ginger only.
- Green Chili: If you like a spicy version of Murgh Malaiwala curry. Then, finely chop the chilies and add them to the gravy. Otherwise, you can slit them into two pieces and add in curry. If anyone doesn’t want to eat green chili, simply pick them out and discard them.
- Cashews/Almonds: These are optional and if you have then you can use any nuts in this curry. Soak the cashews or almonds and make a plain paste in a grinder. This paste helps to form a smooth, tasty and thick curry.
- Whole Spices: We will season the oil with cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom. You can choose others based on their availability.
- Powdered Spices: Top of the list is ground black pepper/white black pepper, coriander powder, cumin powder. Salt and garam masala will be incorporated as well.
- Lemon Juice: It goes in the marination and imparts a zesty taste to the chicken.
- Dried fenugreek leaves – kasoori methi: Add a slight bitter but unique taste. Use hand crushed kasoori methi for the garnish.
“Soak the cashews or almonds and make a plain paste in a grinder. This paste helps to form a smooth, tasty and thick curry/gravy. Add Heavy Cream if you don’t have Cashews.”
How to Make Malai Chicken
Mali chicken is less oily and less spicy. Especially kids who love to eat every day. It appears tempting and delicious to eat, but preparing this creamy chicken curry involves a detailed process. For easy malai chicken recipe, you’ll need to follow step-by-step instructions in below.
- Marinade the Chicken
- Pan fry the Chicken
- Make Chicken Malai Gravy
welllll, You don’t need to worry. I have described every step in detail, with step-by-step instructions and images. Or you can also watch the YouTube Video for this creamy recipe.
Marinade the Chicken
Add boneless chicken in a large mixing bowl. Combine all spices like Salt, Grounder black pepper, garam masala, cumin, and coriander powder in the bowl. Don’t forget to incorporate ginger garlic, lemon juice, and kasoori methi. Keep it a side for 30 minutes. After that add 2 to 3 table spoon of thick yogurt.
Mostly I use my hands to mix them up finely. I recommend you use your fingers and give the chicken a good massage. Ensure the spices are deeply absorbed in the chicken. Please keep it in the fridge for at least 40 minutes. For the best taste, I recommend marinating it overnight.
Tip: Choose only thick or hung curd to marinade the chicken. Runny yogurt won’t adhere to the chicken during grilling or pan-frying.
Pan Fry the Chicken
Take a large skillet or grilling pan and pour some oil. Once the pan is heated, place the chicken cubes one by one. Keep the heat/flame on medium level and cook each side for 4 to 5 minutes. At this point tong is my favorite kitchen utensil to change the sides of the cubes.
Grill the chicken partially because this chicken will be sautéed in white gravy sauce. Don’t brown the chicken too much while pan-frying. As the chicken is cooked partially, place the cube on paper towel.
Don’t thoroughly cook the chicken when pan-frying. Partially grill the chicken on the pan and then cook the chicken completely in sauce.
Make Chicken Malai Gravy
Saute Whole spices – Firstly, impart some oil in a preheated pan. Later, add whole spices and saute them over medium heat.
Saute the Onion – add ginger and chopped onion to the pan. Saute them along with whole spice until translucent or soft. We don’t need to brown them. The purpose of sautéing the onion is to eliminate the rawness.
Add Green Chilies and Ginger Garlic – Next also add the the remaining garlic and ginger paste along with 3 to 4 green chilies and saute them well.
Cool down the Mixture – Once the onion mixture is soft, please remove it from the stove and wait until it cools.
Make puree – Incorporate the pre-soaked cashews, onion mixture, 2 green chilies and milk/cream in the grinder. Grind the ingredients thoroughly until they form a smooth puree.
Cook Puree – Heat some oil in a deep pan and pour the grinded puree in it. Please ensure the heat level should be medium low.
Adjust gravy consistency – Stir the sauce for one to two minutes. As sauce starts to thicken add water in small batches to prevent the runny gravy.
Combine fried Chicken – Add the grilled chicken cubes with the sauce and mix it well. Now, it is time to adjust the salt and spice level after adding water to the gravy.
Add Yogurt – After adding in chicken we will add in yogurt to replace tomatoes. Mix them well and cook it on medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add Cream – Next combine 100 grams cream and cook it along with everything.
Slow Cook – Cover the pan and simmer it over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Please stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning.
Garnish the Dish – Once the malai chicken gravy is thick, not runny. Turn off the flame and garnish it with kasuri methi and cream. Just before to serve make it more appealing by add sliced ginger and chopped green chilies.
How to Serve it?
This simple and best malai chicken recipe can serve with a variety of condiments.
- Roti: Enjoy this dish with warm naan, roti, phulka and paratha.
- Rice: Serve the Chicken boneless malai handi on the soft bed of jeera rice, saffron rice, garlic rice, brown rice and pulao.
- Salads: Simple vegetable salad pairs well with murgh malai.
- Pickles & lemon wedges: Add a variety of pickles to add a tangy kick if you are missing spices.
Pro Tips
- Chicken Cube Size: Cut the chicken into medium or large cubes. Small cubes can be challenging to pan-fry as they may break apart during simmering. On the Other hand, very large pieces are harder to tenderize.
- Substitute Chicken: If you don’t like chicken, then you can substitute it with beef, mutton, or lamb. Each type of meat has its own taste and health benefits. But let me tell you one thing first that beef, mutton, or lamb will require much more time and patience compared to chicken dish.
- Marination: Ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated with thick marinade. Generally, the longer the marination time, the more flavorful the outcome. It allows the meat to soak up the flavors of the yogurt, cream, and spices, for tender and flavorful dish.
- Marinade Time: Ideally, I marinate the chicken for at least 30-40 minutes. But I recommend you to marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours. Please place the marinated chicken only in refrigerator not at room temperature.
- Heavy Cream Heavy cream is optional if you use milk, cashew, or almond paste. When milk simmers on low flame, the addition of cashew paste makes the sauce creamy and thick naturally.
- Use of Yogurt: I only used the yogurt for marination. If you substitute milk with yogurt, it’s crucial to maintain a low flame during the sautéing process. Low heat prevents the yogurt from curdling and ensures a smooth texture in your dish.
- Green Chilies: Don’t add green chilies if you are making it for the kids.
- Sauce Thickness: Adjust the sauce consistency as it suits you. But the standard is not too runny or not too thick.
- Right time to use Lemon: Don’t add lemon juice during the simmering process. Otherwise, the sauce will curdle. Only use in marinating or when serving.
- Partial grilling: Don’t thoroughly cook the chicken when pan-frying. Partially grill the chicken on the pan and then cook the chicken completely in sauce.
- Slow Cooked Techniques: Using slow-cooked techniques for Malai Chicken ensures the meat becomes incredibly tender and absorbs the rich flavors of the creamy, spiced sauce. It takes mostly 40 minutes if you are cooking at home.
History
In 1960, late Attar Singh Chawla visited Haldwani, Nainital. He cooked chicken, deciding to add milk. This was his Punjabi intuition. Adding and cooking milk with chicken modified the recipe. Thus, creamy chicken curry might have originated in Nainital. This led to the creation of Cream Chicken. There is another group who claims that this Indian chicken curry belongs to Mughlai cuisine.
Pakistani malai chicken recipe, is one of my family’s favorite dishes. I have noticed that many restaurants and hotels offer various versions of chicken malai recipes. Each of them has its own color and taste preferences. And that’s why I say, there is nothing Right or wrong. I always do experiments with the dish to achieve a new taste.
Chicken Malai versus Chicken Handi
When comparing both dishes, the distinct differences in their ingredients, flavors, and preparation techniques immediately come to mind. I’ve outlined these distinctions clearly in the following table, so you no longer need to feel confused.
| Feature | Chicken Malai (Malai Handi) | Chicken Handi |
|---|---|---|
| Main Ingredients | Chicken, cream (malai), yogurt, spices, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies | Chicken, yogurt, onions, tomatoes, spices, ginger, garlic |
| Texture | Creamy and rich | Spicy, thick gravy, more towards a traditional curry consistency |
| Flavor Profile | Mild with a creamy, slightly sweet taste | Spicy, rich, and aromatic |
| Cooking Time | About 30-45 minutes | About 30-40 minutes |
| Marination | Yes, often marinated in cream, yogurt, and spices for a few hours or overnight | Yes, typically marinated in yogurt and spices for a few hours or overnight |
| Traditional Cooking Vessel | Made in regular pots and white in hue | Traditionally cooked in a handi (clay pot) but can also be made in regular pots. Red in hue |
| Popular Pairings | Naan, roti, | Naan, roti, rice, riata |
| Calories | Higher due to cream and dairy content | Moderate, depends on the amount of oil and yogurt used |
| Regional Popularity | Popular in subcontinent | Common in North Indian and Pakistani cuisine |
| Additional Ingredients | Often includes cashew/almond paste for extra creaminess | May include ingredients like fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) for added flavor |
Conclusion
Malai Chicken Curry is globally renowned and simple to make. I hope you found the recipe enjoyable and will try at home. Detailed instructions are included for your convenience. Please share any issues you encountered and your overall experience. You can also follow me on my different social media handles. and share your images there as well. Have a good time.
Malai Chicken Curry Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bowl For Marinade
- 1 Skillet for pan frying chicken
- 1 Pan for making Graving
Ingredients
- 500 Grams Bone Less Chicken
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger paste
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 2 Medium Onion dice cut fine chopped
- 250 Grams Yogurt
- 100 Grams Fresh Cream
- 10 Pieces Cashews
- 120 Grams Oil – half cup
- 4-5 Pieces Green Chilies
- 1 Piece Lemon
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Dried fenugreek leaves – kasoori methi
Whole Spices
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 10 piece Cloves
- 10 piece Black Pepper Corns
Instructions
Marinade the Chicken
- Add boneless chicken in a large mixing bowl. Combine all spices like Salt, Grounder black pepper, garam masala, cumin, and coriander powder in the bowl. Don’t forget to incorporate ginger garlic, lemon juice, kasoori methi and yogurt.
- Mostly I use my hands to mix them up finely. I recommend you use your fingers and give the chicken a good massage. Ensure the spices are deeply absorbed in the chicken. Please keep it in the fridge for at least 40 minutes.
Pan Fry the Chicken
- Take a large skillet or grilling pan and pour some oil. Once the pan is heated, place the chicken cubes one by one. Keep the heat/flame on medium level and cook each side for 4 to 5 minutes. At this point tong is my favorite kitchen utensil to change the sides of the cubes.
Make Malai Chicken Gravy
- Saute Whole spices – Firstly, impart some oil in a preheated pan. Later, add whole spices and saute them over medium heat.
- Saute the Onion – add ginger and chopped onion to the pan. Saute them along with whole spice until translucent or soft. We don’t need to brown them. The purpose of sautéing the onion is to eliminate the rawness.
- Add Green Chilies and Ginger Garlic – Next also add the the remaining garlic and ginger paste along with 3 to 4 green chilies and saute them well.
- Cool down the Mixture – Once the onion mixture is soft, please remove it from the stove and wait until it cools.
- Make puree – Incorporate the pre-soaked cashews, onion mixture, 2 green chilies and milk/cream in the grinder. Grind the ingredients thoroughly until they form a smooth puree.
- Cook Puree – Heat some oil in a deep pan and pour the grinded puree in it. Please ensure the heat level should be medium low.
- Adjust gravy consistency – Stir the sauce for one to two minutes. As sauce starts to thicken add water in small batches to prevent the runny gravy.
- Combine Chicken – Add the grilled chicken cubes with the sauce and mix it well. Now, it is time to adjust the salt and spice level after adding water to the gravy.
- Add Yogurt – After adding in chicken we will add in yogurt to replace tomatoes. Mix them well and cook it on medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Cream – Next combine 100 grams cream and cook it along with everything.
- Slow Cook – Cover the pan and simmer it over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Please stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from burning.
- Garnish the Dish – Once the malai chicken gravy is thick, not runny. Turn off the flame and garnish it with kasuri methi and cream. Just before to serve make it more appealing by add sliced ginger and chopped green chilies.
