A delicious recipe for homemade Shahi Chicken Masala Gravy, featuring a rich and flavorful sauce made with freshly ground whole spices.
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This authentic Indian-style chicken masala curry uses a homemade spice blend for maximum flavor. The tender, juicy chicken simmers in a rich, creamy gravy that’s perfect served with rice, naan, or roti.
Simple Shahi Chicken Masala Recipe
This Shahi Chicken Masala recipe has a rich, tasty, spicy sauce made from scratch with freshly ground spices—no need for store-bought chicken masala powder! Using fresh spices makes the dish extra special.
You can enjoy this delicious curry with phulkas, puris, or rice, along with a fresh salad and raita for a full meal.
With this recipe, you can easily prepare Indian restaurant-quality creamy chicken curry just at home, with easily available spices and ingredients.
About This Recipe
We start by marinating the chicken in yogurt to make it tender. This important step helps the chicken stay juicy while cooking, so it turns out really tasty.
This Chicken Masala Gravy recipe is made with freshly ground spices and onion, tomato, and cashew paste to create a thick and creamy gravy. The marinated chicken is then cooked in this creamy sauce to create a delicious chicken curry.
This recipe has been tried and tested and has been a guest favorite. Prepare this chicken curry in advance as the taste enhances the next day.
The flavor of this chicken recipe is very similar to the Indian wedding party chicken curry and creamy chicken curry served in Indian restaurants. I call it my ‘shaadi wala chicken curry’.
This recipe is so simple yet so delicious that you will end up going back to it whenever you want to prepare a special chicken curry masala.
For this recipe, it’s best to use skinless, medium-cut bone-in chicken for the best flavor and texture. Adjust the spice levels as per personal preference.
More Chicken Recipes
Ingredients and Substitutes
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found on the Recipe Card below.
Chicken: Skinless, bone-in whole chicken cut into medium or bite-sized pieces. Alternatively, boneless and skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast pieces can also be used. The cooking time may vary accordingly.
Marination: The chicken pieces are marinated in thick plain yogurt or hung curd, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder.
Green spice paste: Fresh ginger, garlic, green chillies, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamoms, a bunch of coriander leaves, and salt are ground into a smooth paste.
Onion tomato paste: Red onions, tomatoes, and cashew nuts are sauteed, cooled, and then ground into a smooth paste. Alternatively, 4 tbsp tomato puree can also be used instead of fresh tomatoes.
Spice powders: Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. This recipe uses just 4 spice powders. For extra flavor, you can add 1 tsp of store-bought chicken masala powder.
Herbs: Dry fenugreek leaves or kasoori methi are crushed and added after the chicken is cooked. The curry is then garnished with freshly chopped coriander leaves, aka cilantro.
Lemon juice: To finish, juice of half a lime or lemon is added for extra freshness and to balance the flavors.
Ghee: Homemade ghee or clarified butter is used for this chicken masala curry recipe. You can also use mustard oil or any neutral oil you prefer. Alternatively, butter can also be used for preparing the curry.
Salt & Water
Optional: Heavy cream, coconut milk, or coconut cream for a thicker and creamier gravy.
Tools Needed
Recipe Video
How to make Shahi Chicken Masala
Step-by-Step Pictures
Marination:
In a large bowl, marinate the chicken with hung curd or thick plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder(or paprika powder) for at least 30 minutes (for best results, marinate for 8 hours or overnight in the fridge).
Green Paste:
Grind together ginger, garlic cloves, green chili, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, coriander leaves, and a pinch of salt into a smooth paste. Add 1 tsp water if required.
Tomato Onion Paste:
On medium-high, heat a wok, kadhai, or dutch oven add 1 tbsp ghee and chopped or sliced onions. Saute onions till it’s raw smell goes and it turns translucent, then add in chopped tomatoes and 8-10 cashew nuts. Sauté this for 2 -3 min or till the tomatoes are soft.
Remove from heat and let it cool down. Then, using a hand blender or grinder, grind it into a smooth paste.
Prepare the chicken curry:
Heat the same wok/kadhai and add 2 tbsp ghee. When the ghee is hot, add 2 bay leaves and the masala paste. Sauté continuously for 2 mins or till the raw smell of ginger and garlic is gone.
Then add the onion and tomato paste and cook this for 2-3 mins, stirring occasionally. Fry till the paste turns brown and the oil separates.
On low heat, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chilli powder and sauté for a minute. Add a little water if the spice mix is too thick.
Then, add the yogurt-marinated chicken and cook the chicken in the masala for 4-5 mins.
Add 2 cups of water and salt. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook on medium heat till the chicken is cooked through (this may take around 15 minutes). Add more water if required, according to your preference.
Then add the crushed kasuri methi, lemon juice, garam masala powder, and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything well, cook for 2 minutes, and serve hot.
Optionally, you can add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and some sliced green chilies for some extra flavor.
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Serving Suggestions
Serve this delicious shahi chicken curry with Basmati rice, chapati, peas pulao, or puri. You can enjoy this Indian curry with a side of soft bread like brioche or naan.
Recipe Card
Shahi Chicken Masala Gravy
Video
Equipments
Ingredients
Marination
- 800 grams chicken medium cut
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ cup curd/plain yogurt
Green Paste
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 6-7 black pepper corns
- 10-12 garlic cloves small
- 1 tbsp ginger chopped
- 2 green chilli
- ½ cup coriander leaves with stem
Onion-Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp ghee/oil
- 2 onions sliced
- 2 tomatoes sliced
- 8-10 cashew nuts
For the gravy
- 2 tbsp oil/ghee
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves/cilantro chopped
- 1-2 cups of water as per desired consistency
- salt as per taste
Instructions
Marination:
- In a large bowl marinate the chicken with hung curd or thick plain yogurt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder(or paprika powder) for at least 30 minutes (for best results marinate for 8hrs or overnight in the fridge).
Green Paste:
- Grind together ginger, garlic cloves, green chilli, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, coriander leaves, and a pinch of salt into a smooth paste. Add 1 tsp water if required.
Tomato Onion Paste:
- On medium-high, heat a wok, kadhai, or dutch oven add 1 tbsp ghee and chopped or sliced onions. Saute onions till it's raw smell goes and it turns translucent, then add in chopped tomatoes and 8-10 cashew nuts.
- Sauté for 2 -3 min or till the tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and let it cool down. Then using a hand blender or grinder, grind it into a smooth paste.
Prepare the chicken curry:
- Heat the same wok/kadhai and add 2 tbsp ghee. When the ghee is hot add 2 bay leaves and the masala paste. Sauté continuously for 2 mins or till the raw smell of ginger and garlic is gone.
- Then add the onion and tomato paste and cook this for 2-3 mins stirring occasionally. Fry till the paste turns brown and the oil separates.
- On low heat add the turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chilli powder and sauté for a minute. Add a little water if the spice mix is too thick.
- Add the yogurt-marinated chicken and cook the chicken in the masala for 4-5 mins.
- Add 2 cups of water and salt. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook on medium heat till the chicken is cooked through (this may take around 15 minutes). Add more water if required according to your preference.
- Then add the crushed kasuri methi, lemon juice, garam masala powder, and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Mix everything well, cook for 2 minutes, and serve hot.
Notes
- Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and some sliced green chilies for some extra flavor.
- For best results marinate the chicken for 8hrs or overnight in the fridge
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make my chicken gravy thick?
To thicken any chicken gravy add heavy cream, rice flour and water paste, or some smooth mashed potatoes. To prepare a thick gravy add cashew nuts, and yogurt to prepare the gravy. Blend the gravy or curry sauce with a hand blender before adding the chicken for a thicker and creamier gravy.
What is the best cut of chicken for a curry?
The best cut of chicken for a curry is skinless chicken thighs with bone-in. A whole chicken cut into medium pieces with bone also tastes great in a curry.
How to store leftover chicken masala?
Store leftover chicken masala in air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not reheat more than once.
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This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My go to chicken curry when having guests over
Definitely worth the effort of making. I only used half the amount of chilli as I wanted to serve this to my family, this curry is absolutely delicious but still quite hot for us so added lots of cream to cool it down. Will definitely cook again as we really enjoyed it.
I’m so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed it! 🙂