Methi Chicken Recipe (Indian Fenugreek Chicken Curry)
Methi Chicken is a classic North Indian style chicken curry made with fenugreek leaves (methi), yogurt, onions, tomatoes, and warming Indian spices. The slightly bitter taste of fenugreek balances beautifully with the rich gravy, creating a dish that is aromatic, comforting, and deeply flavorful.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil
- 3-4 cloves (laung)
- 2 black cardamons (badi elaichi)
- 5-6 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 and ½ cups chopped red onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons green chilies
- 500 grams boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 3 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped fenugreek leaves
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns and fry for 4-5 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn translucent, stirring frequently.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies, and cook until the onion turns golden brown.
- Now add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add yogurt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, cumin powder, salt, and garam masala powder to the pan and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan and cook the chicken for 20-25 minutes, stirring a few times in between.
- Add fenugreek leaves and cook covered for another 10 minutes.
- Add some hot water if the curry looks very thick. Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Add lime juice and mix well. Serve hot.
Notes
I used boneless chicken thighs to make this recipe, but you can use chicken breast as well. If you like bone-in chicken, then that works as well. Use 1 kg of bone-in chicken in place of 500 g of boneless chicken.
This curry can be made using fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves. I used fresh leaves. If using frozen leaves, then thaw them to room temperature before using. Also, use half the quantity compared to fresh leaves. The frozen fenugree leaves are already compressed.
This curry tastes the best when made in mustard oil, but you can use any cooking oil instead.
Adjust the chilies as per your taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 438IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg
