By Aditi Saraswat
October 23, 2026
Chicken Changezi is a North Indian chicken curry loved for its thick tomato-onion gravy, blend of warming spices and creamy finish. Prepared by marinating chicken in curd and spices, then simmering it in a slow-cooked masala, this homemade chicken changezi uses measured oil and cream for a lighter weekend dinner without losing its classic richness.
500 g chicken, bone-in 2 medium onions, finely chopped 3 medium tomatoes, pureed 2 tbsp thick curd 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp fresh cream 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp cumin powder ½ tsp garam masala ½ tsp kasuri methi, crushed ¼ cup water, or as needed Salt to taste 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
In a bowl, mix chicken with some curd, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, chilli powder and salt. Leave this for about 20–30 minutes so that the flavours deepen.
In a pan, heat the oil and cook the marinated chicken until it turns lightly browned. Turn the pieces so that they get cooked nicely from all over, then keep aside.
In the same pan, add the remaining oil and sauté the onions until they turn golden brown, then mix in the remaining ginger-garlic paste, followed by tomato puree and powdered spices.
Cook this masala until you get a thick texture, then add chicken and water. Cover and let it simmer until the chicken gets fully cooked and soft.
Mix in cream, garam masala and some crushed kasuri methi. Let it simmer for some time, garnish with coriander and serve hot.