By Aditi Saraswat
August 18, 2026
If you relish creamy curries with layered flavours, Chicken Mughlai Curry is worth trying. Rooted in the Mughlai culinary tradition shaped by the Persian and Central Asian influences, this royal-style curry stands out for its creamy blend of nuts, yoghurt as well as aromatic whole spices. The result is lightly spiced, velvety gravy that adds richness and warmth in every bite.
500 gm chicken, curry-cut 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste ½ cup thick yoghurt, whisked ¼ cup cashews 2 tbsp melon seeds 3 tbsp oil or ghee 1 bay leaf 3 green cardamoms 4 cloves 1-inch cinnamon stick 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp garam masala ½ cup water 2 tbsp fresh cream 1 tbsp coriander, chopped Salt to taste
In a bowl, mix chicken with yoghurt, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and let it rest for about half an hour.
In a pan, heat oil and add whole spices to it. Let them bloom, then add onions to it and cook until they turn golden, but not brown.
Now, add ginger-garlic paste to the spices and then mix in cashew-melon seed paste. Cook everything until the gravy turns glossy.
Add the marinated chicken to the gravy and mix everything nicely so that the pieces get coated evenly. Cover and cook for about 15–20 minutes.
Now add water, cream and garam masala to this; let it simmer for a short span, then serve hot with naan or rice.