Chicken Rogan Josh Recipe (Traditional Kashmiri Style)

Chicken Rogan Josh is a traditional Kashmiri curry that most restaurants get wrong. The real version uses no onion, no tomato, and no shortcut masala paste. It relies instead on two signature spices, fennel seed powder and dry ginger powder (sonth), cooked in a yogurt base with whole Kashmiri spices until the oil rises to the top in a beautiful crimson film. That thin layer of red oil floating on the surface? That is the rogan. That is what you are cooking toward.

I learned this recipe from a Kashmiri chef, and I have been making it ever since for dinner parties, festival meals, and lazy weekend indulgences. It is the dish that always gets the most questions, and now I am sharing every detail so you can make it perfectly at home.

Mohit and I travel frequently to various countries for work and leisure. We usually try to eat local cuisine and occasionally visit local Indian restaurants. However, most of our trips to these Indian restaurants have been very disappointing. They serve food that is far from authentic Indian flavor and, honestly, is quite wrong. This makes me sad because people who haven’t tasted the dishes might think this is what Indian food is.

One of the dishes that is most often tampered with is Rogan Josh. Most restaurants make onion-tomato gravy, add chicken or mutton, and pass it off as Rogan Josh. It is not even remotely close to the thin, dry ginger and fennel-flavored curry with Rogan (oil) floating on top.

In this post, I am sharing a traditional Rogan Josh recipe that I learned from a Kashmiri chef for you all to try!

What Is Rogan Josh? (And Why Most Restaurants Miss the Point)

The name Rogan Josh comes from Persian: rogan means “oil,” and josh means “heat.” Together, they describe a technique: meat cooked in clarified fat at high heat until the oil separates and rises to the surface, forming the dish’s signature glistening top layer.

Rogan Josh was brought to the Indian subcontinent by Persian settlers. It sits at the heart of the Kashmiri Wazwan, the grand ceremonial feast, and is traditionally made with lamb or mutton.

The Kashmiri Pandit version is made without onion and garlic, relying entirely on yogurt, asafetida, and spice. The Kashmiri Muslim version incorporates onion and garlic.

It is one of the most popular curry dishes in Kashmiri cuisine. However, it is not an everyday curry. It is made only for special occasions, such as weddings and festivals.

About Chicken Rogan Josh

Chicken Rogan Josh is a faster, home-cook-friendly variation using chicken instead of lamb. The yogurt base, whole-spice tempering, fennel powder, and dry ginger remain the same; only the protein changes.

This recipe can be made in an Instant Pot or a traditional stovetop pressure cooker. I am sharing both methods in the post below.

Do try my Mutton Rogan Josh and Lamb Rogan Josh recipes as well.

How To Make Rogan Josh Chicken

Preparation

Step 1: Soak 1 pinch of saffron strands in 2 tablespoon milk. Lightly crush the following whole spices in a mortar and pestle.

• 3-4 black cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• 8-10 black peppercorns
• 1 javitri

Step 2: Add ¼ cup of plain yogurt to a bowl along with the following ingredients.

• 3 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• 3 teaspoon fennel powder
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida
• 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 2 teaspoon salt

Step 3: Whisk well to combine.

Make The Curry

In An Instant Pot

Step 4: Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Add 5 tablespoon mustard oil (or ghee) to the pot. Add the following ingredients once the oil is hot, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

• crushed whole spices
• 2 bay leaves
• 4-5 Kashmiri dry red chilies
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Step 5: Now, add 1 kg of skinless, bone-in chicken (cut into 1 ½-inch pieces) and cook for 5-6 minutes. This bhunao (searing) stage seals in the juices and enriches the gravy.

Step 6: Now add the yogurt mixture and the saffron-soaked milk, and mix well.

Step 7: Add a cup of hot water and mix until well combined.

Step 8: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.

Step 9: Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually. Open the lid.

In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker

• Follow the recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
• Close the lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles on high heat.
• Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

Temper The Curry (Optional)

Step 10: Heat ¼ cup ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add a 1-2 inch piece of ratan jot and cook for a minute.

Step 11: Strain the ghee and add it to the curry.

Step 12: Serve hot with steamed rice or Naan.

Serving Suggestions

This delicious curry is typically served with Basmati rice, which absorbs the flavorful sauce very well. You can also serve it with cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal. A lightly spiced rice dish, such as Ghee Rice or Jeera Rice, also goes well with it.

You can also serve it with Indian flatbread, such as Butter Naan, Garlic Naan, Peshwari Naan, Tandoori Roti, or Lachha Paratha.

Serve cucumber raita or another raita on the side to mellow the heat of this curry. I also like to serve Kachumber Salad on the side.

Storage Suggestions

This curry tastes even better the next day, as the flavors deepen. Store the curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until hot, then serve. If the curry has thickened after refrigeration, then add some hot water while reheating.

You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.