Kasuri Methi Chicken Curry | Easy Indian Chicken Curry with Dried Fenugreek Leaves
- sukhmanipantal
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Kasuri Methi Chicken Curry, or chicken curry with dried fenugreek leaves as many of us call it, is one of those dishes that smells like proper Indian cooking the moment it hits the pan. That deep, slightly bitter aroma of kasuri methi is unmistakable and completely addictive. This is a classic North Indian style chicken curry, creamy without being heavy, spiced without being shouty, and perfect for scooping up with a hot paranthi or naan.
Kasuri methi, which is simply dried fenugreek leaves, is the hero here. It is often used at the finishing stage of Indian curries, but in this recipe it does double duty, flavouring both the marinade and the sauce. Old-school, sensible cooking. Nothing wasted, everything layered.
Let us get cooking.
Ingredients
500 g chicken breast, cut into small pieces
2–3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
3 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), divided
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric, divided
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons neutral oil
2 medium white onions, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ inch ginger, peeled and chopped
8–10 cashew nuts, soaked and ground to a paste
1 cup water
1 fresh green chilli, slit (optional)
2 tablespoons cream (optional)
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 dried red chilli (optional)
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 black cardamom
3-4 green cardamoms
3-4 cloves
3-4 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder (optional)
1 teaspoon garam masala
Method
Start by marinating the chicken. Combine all the marinade ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Overnight is even better!
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the whole spices and cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about a minute until fragrant. This is the moment your kitchen starts behaving like a proper Indian kitchen.
Meanwhile, take half a cup of the chopped onions and blend them with the garlic and ginger, adding a few teaspoons of water to form a paste. Keep this aside.
Add the remaining chopped onions to the pan and cook them slowly until dark golden brown. This takes patience, around 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often and do not rush it. Good curry waits for no shortcuts.
Once the onions are ready, add the onion, ginger and garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell disappears, the moisture evaporates, and the mixture turns thick and sticky. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Lower the heat and add all the ground spices except the garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves. Fry gently for a few minutes, adding a tablespoon of water if needed to prevent sticking.
Stir in the cashew nut paste and cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce looks rich and glossy.
Now add the marinated chicken. Increase the heat and stir well, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes so the chicken seals and absorbs the spices.
Add the green chilli if using, the dried fenugreek leaves, and a little salt, remembering there is already salt in the marinade. Mix, cover, and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
Pour in the water, cover again, and let the curry simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. When you see oil separating at the edges of the pan, you know you are exactly where you should be.
Switch off the heat, sprinkle over the garam masala, garnish with fresh coriander, and add a few tablespoons of cream if you fancy a more indulgent finish.
Serve this kasuri methi chicken curry with homemade paranthi or naan. Preferably hot, preferably shared, and preferably with no one asking if it is too spicy until after they have had seconds.
There are plenty of chicken recipes from India in my new cookbook, No Worries, Just Chicken Curries. The book is available on Amazon for £14.25. Happy cooking!
