Cream Chicken

Cream chicken is one of my favourite chicken preparations and that’s why I thought of including it as the first recipe post in my new website. What I love about it is that it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or attention while cooking. The dish is cooked covered on low to medium flame. So make sure you have time because this slow cooking is necessary to get that perfect moist texture that is full of flavours. It is also a little rich since we are using cream, but the curd helps to cut the excessive richness and makes the chicken soft and juicy. You could add some milk and reduce the amount of cream accordingly, if you want to bring down the number of calories. But I usually make Cream Chicken when we have guests over, so it’s ok to indulge once in a while! Here are the ingredients and the method. A brief printable recipe is also available at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 500 gm
Curd: 3/4^th cup
Oil: 1 tbsp
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Bay leaf: 1
Cardamom pods: 3-4
Cloves: 2
Finely chopped ginger: 2 tbsp
Finely chopped garlic: 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder: 2 tsp + 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tbsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: ½ tsp
Water: 3/4^th cup
Chopped coriander leaves: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
Garam Masala Powder: 1 tbsp
Cream: 1 cup
Butter: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut chicken into medium sized pieces and make shallow dents on them. This will help the meat absorb the marinade well. Now rub the pieces with the curd and around 1 tsp salt and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Bring it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat comes back to room temperature.

2. Heat oil and add the whole cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaf and cloves. Once they start to splutter, add the chopped ginger and fry on low to medium heat for 5 minutes. Keep the lid covered most of the time throughout cooking so that the aroma of the spices does not escape. Now add the chopped garlic, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi and 2 tsp black pepper powder and continue frying for another 5 minutes.

3. Add water, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. Be careful about the salt and add a small amount because this dish does not have a lot of gravy, and when the water dries up you may end up with excessive salt.

4. When the mixture mixture starts bubbling, add the marinated chicken and mix well to coat the pieces from all sides. Cover and let it cook for 20-25 minutes on low to medium heat till all the water almost dries up and the masala sticks to the chicken pieces. Stir occasionally.

5. When the chicken looks cooked, add the garam masala powder, cream, the remaining 1 tsp pepper powder and butter.

6. Mix, cover the pan and let it cook till the cream starts to release the oil, stirring occasionally. If you like more gravy, 12-15 minutes should be enough but if you are eating it with flatbreads and like it dry, cook it for 15-20 minutes.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with parathas, naans or plain rice.

Here is the easy printable version of the recipe:

Cream Chicken

 

Print

Prep time

3 hours

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

3 hours 50 mins

 

Cream Chicken is a tender and juicy chicken dish served with rice or naan. The gravy, with a hint of pepper and tangy curd, is full of delicious flavors.

Author: Meghalee Das

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Chicken: 500 gm
• Curd: ¾th cup
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
• Bay leaf: 1
• Cardamom pods: 3-4
• Cloves: 2
• Finely chopped ginger: 2 tbsp
• Finely chopped garlic: 1 tbsp
• Black pepper powder: 2 tsp + 1 tsp
• Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Cumin powder: ½ tsp
• Water: ¾th cup
• Chopped coriander leaves: 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala Powder: 1 tbsp
• Cream: 1 cup
• Butter: 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Cut chicken into medium sized pieces and make shallow dents on them. Rub the pieces with the curd and around 1 tsp salt and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight. Bring it out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat comes back to room temperature.
2. Heat oil and add the whole cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaf and cloves. Once they start to splutter, add the chopped ginger and fry on low to medium heat for 5 minutes. Keep the lid covered most of the time throughout cooking so that the aroma of the spices does not escape. Now add the chopped garlic, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi and 2 tsp black pepper powder and continue frying for another 5 minutes.
3. Add water, 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. When the mixture mixture starts bubbling, add the marinated chicken and mix well to coat the pieces from all sides. Cover and let it cook for 20-25 minutes on low to medium heat till all the water almost dries up and the masala sticks to the chicken pieces. Stir occasionally.
4. When the chicken looks cooked, add the garam masala powder, cream, the remaining 1 tsp pepper powder and butter.
5. Mix, cover the pan and let it cook till the cream starts to release the oil, stirring occasionally.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with parathas, naans or plain rice.

3.2.1230

Written by Meghalee Das

Meghalee Das is a former journalist, who occasionally writes as a freelancer. She loves traveling, camping, hiking, kayaking, gardening and of course, cooking. Currently she is doing her MBA from Texas State University and updates her blog whenever she gets the time!