Chicken Shahjahani Recipe

A bowl of Chicken Shahjahani curry garnished with fresh cilantro and served with halved boiled eggs. Pieces of flatbread and green chili are on the side, with some herbs scattered around on a dark surface.

4 from 4 votes

Chicken Shahjahani Recipe

Chicken Shahjahani is a rich and creamy chicken recipe cooked in a rich masala made with nuts, onions, and spices. Here is a simple recipe to make it.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Soaking Time30

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Servings: people

Author: Neha Mathur

Ingredients

For The Masala Paste

2 teaspoons white poppy seeds
2 teaspoons melon seeds
10-12 cashew nuts
3 tablespoons ghee
2 tablespoons oil
3-4 cloves (laung)
2 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
2 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
1 and ½ cups chopped red onions
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste

For The Curry

1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 kilogram skinless bone-in chicken cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces
4 tablespoons plain yogurt (dahi, curd) whisked
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3-4 drops kewra essence
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
3-4 hard-boiled eggs cut into halves

Instructions

Make The Masala Paste

Soak poppy seeds, musk melon seeds, and cashew nuts in ¼ cup of warm water for 30 minutes.
Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add cloves, black cardamom, and green cardamom, and fry for 4-5 seconds
Add onions and cook until they are translucent, stirring frequently.
Add ginger garlic paste and cook until onions turn light brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and let the onion mixture cool for 10 minutes.
Once cooled, add to a blender with soaked nuts and ¼ cup water and blend to make a fine paste.

Make The Curry

Transfer the paste back to the pan.
Add ¼ cup of water and mix well.
Cook for a minute.
Add turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.

If you prefer boneless chicken, use 500 g. I prefer using thighs, but breasts are also fine.

Reduce the heat to low.
Add yogurt and ½ cup of water and mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cream and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Now, add kewra essence and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Garnish with chopped cilantro. Arrange the halved hard-boiled eggs on top and serve hot.

Video

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