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Murgh cholay in a white plate.
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Murgh Cholay (Chicken and Chickpea Curry)

Murgh cholay is a hearty, dhaba-style chicken curry made with bone-in chicken and chickpeas. Perfect for potlucks or weekend dinners! 
Course Dinner
Cuisine Indian
Keyword chicken cholay, stovetop chicken curry
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 people
Calories 483kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Blender
  • 1 large and deep pan

Ingredients

  • ½ cup cooking oil
  • 1 red onion medium-sized, sliced fine
  • 1 red onion medium-sized, chopped roughly
  • 8 garlic cloves chopped
  • 2" piece ginger chopped
  • 1 whole chicken medium-sized, bone-in, skinless, cut into 14 pieces
  • 1 ½ tablespoon coriander powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste canned
  • 2 tablespoon yogurt
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 4 green chillies slit lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon kasuri methi dried fenugreek leaves

Instructions

Preparation

  • Slice one red onion finely.
  • Put the wet masala ingredients (chopped onions, ginger, and garlic) in a blender with a few tablespoons of water and blend to a smooth paste.

Cooking

  • Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the sliced onions. Fry until caramelized.
  • Add the wet ground masala you prepared earlier and fry for 4-5 minutes on high heat.
  • Add the chicken and dry ground spices (coriander, turmeric, red chilli, and garam masala). Mix well and fry on high heat for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup water and cover the pan. Turn down the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Add tomato paste and yogurt cook uncovered for 15 minutes. 
  • Drain the can of chickpeas, rinse, and add to the chicken. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the chickpeas are coated with the masala (curry).
  • Add slit green chillies and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek). Give the chicken a stir and switch off the heat. Cover the pan again and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with naan or pita bread.

Notes

  1. Kasuri methi or dried fenugreek is easily available in any Indian or Pakistani grocery or the international aisle of a big supermarket. 
  2. Don't add a lot of water as the sauce will become too thin. You want a thick sauce for this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg