Make this rich and creamy Mughlai Zafrani Chicken for festivals and special occasions, which has cashews, saffron and fried onions as its key ingredients. Here is how to make it.
Try a few more of my North Indian chicken recipes, that will surely satiate your taste buds – Indian Tomato Chicken Curry, Butter Chicken, Chicken Curry, Dhaba Style Chicken Curry, Achari Chicken Curry and Kadai Chicken.
About This Recipe
Zafrani Chicken, traditionally known as Zafrani Murgh is a popular recipe from Mughlai cuisine. Chicken is cooked in a rich and creamy gravy prepared with ghee, saffron, cashews, fried onions and spices.
It is quite royal and can be prepared for festivals, dinner parties and special occasions. Serve it with Naan, Tandoori Roti, Lachha Paratha or a flavourful Dry Fruits Pulao for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Chicken – Use bone in chicken pieces for this royal recipe. The bone in pieces soaks up the flavours nicely and makes the curry taste even better.
Saffron – Adds a rich flavour along with beautiful orangish hue to the curry.
Fried Onions – Use of fried onions gives the curry a darkish brown colour and also makes it richer.
Cashews – Cashews are soaked for a few minutes before grinding along with fried onions. Use of cashews makes the curry richer and creamier.
Curd – Use fresh curd and make sure it’s not sour.
Whole spices – Addition of whole spices such as black cardamom, green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon in hot oil infuses a beautiful flavour in the curry.
Spice powders – It uses basic spice powders such as Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
Ghee & Oil – I use ghee and oil both, but you can make it only ghee as well. Do not skip ghee as it is an important ingredients in this royal curry.
Others – Ginger garlic paste, kewra essence and cardamom powder are other few ingredients that adds a royal taste in the Zafrani chicken.
Serving Suggestions
Zafrani Chicken can be served along with Indian breads such as phulka, naan, tandoori roti, tawa paratha or lachha paratha. A delicious pulao like peas pulao, Kashmiri pulao or jeera rice would also be a great accompaniment with this rich chicken curry.
Storing Suggestions
Zafrani Chicken will last for 2-3 days in a clean and dry air tight container. Reheat in a pan or microwave before serving. Add in some hot water to adjust the consistency, if you fee the curry has thickened after refrigeration.
Recipe Card
Mughlai Zaafrani Murgh
Ingredients
- 10-12 strands Saffron (Soaked in 2 tablespoon warm milk)
- 3 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 2 Black Cardamom
- 2 Green Cardamom
- 4-5 Black peppercorns
- 2-3 Cloves
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 1 kg Chicken (Curry Cut)
- 2 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 cup Golden Fried Onion
- 10-15 Cashew Nuts (Soaked in warm water)
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup Curd (Whisked with 1 teaspoon Maida)
- 3-4 drops Kewra Essence
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
Instructions
- Heat ghee and oil in a pan.
- When the oil is hot, add black cardamom, green cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick.
- Fry for a few seconds.
- Add chicken and fry on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Blend golden fried onions and cashew nuts with little water to make a paste.
- Add the paste in the pan along with ginger garlic paste, curd, Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
- Add ½ cup of water and cover the pan and cook till chicken is done.
- Now add kewra essence, cardamom powder and saffron soaked in milk and cook for another minute.
- Garnish with golden fried onions, almond flakes and saffron strands.
- Serve hot with laccha Paratha or pulao.
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I’ve never heard or tried mughlai zaafrani murgh before – but I love how rich with flavour and spice it looks. It is the perfect recipe for me to make for this cool weather right now.
msnehamathur
Thalia. This is an age old recipe which got lost in time. Since it is very heavy and rich, It can only be eaten occasionally.
Roy Brophy
Looks an interesting recipe but….
“1/4 cup Curd Whisked with 1 tsp Maida” – mentioned in the ingredients – but nowhere to be seen in the Instructions?
Also in the EU Maida is banned on health grounds.
Neha Mathur
Curd and yogurt are the same thing. You can use plain flour in place of maida.
Neha
I absolutely loved it. I added green chilli while frying the chicken because the recipe lacked spice. Overall, my first attempt was very successful and it’s rich and tasty.
Neha Mathur
Nice 🙂
Matt
Has become a favorite of my whole family!
Margaret Mason
At what stage is the curd whisked with maida added to the cooking? It is not mentioned in the instructions.
Neha Mathur
Step 6.