Murgh makhani: yogurt-marinated chicken charred, then folded into a silky tomato-butter-cream sauce warm with garam masala.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
600 g
🍗 Chicken Thighs ›
bite-size
150 g
🥛 Greek Yogurt ›
2 tbsp
🍛 Garam Masala ›
1 tsp
🟡 Turmeric ›
1 tsp
🟤 Cumin ›
1 thumb
🫚 Ginger ›
grated
4 cloves
🧄 Garlic ›
400 g
🥫 Canned Tomatoes ›
60 g
🧈 Butter ›
150 ml
🥛 Heavy Cream ›
1 tsp
🍬 Sugar ›
1 handful
🌿 Cilantro ›
2 portions
🍚 Basmati Rice ›
to serve
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
25m
Prep
30m
Cook
55m
Total
4
Serves
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Chicken Thighs — bite-size
Ginger — grated
Basmati Rice — to serve
4 steps
Method
1
Marinate the chicken in yogurt, half the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, half the ginger and garlic, and salt — 30 minutes minimum, overnight for glory.
2
Sear the chicken in batches over high heat until charred at the edges (it needn't cook through). Set aside.
💡
The char stands in for the tandoor — crowd the pan and you lose the soul of the dish.
Learn the technique ›
3
Melt the butter; cook remaining ginger and garlic 1 minute, add tomatoes and remaining garam masala, and simmer 15 minutes. Blend smooth.
4
Return chicken to the sauce with the cream and sugar; simmer gently 8 minutes. Finish with cilantro over basmati rice.
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Off-dry Riesling or a mango lassi — both handle the spice and the cream.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Crusty bread or buttered rice
·
A sharp green salad
·
Roasted seasonal vegetables
Garnish
Fresh herbs added off the heat
A squeeze of lemon
Flaky salt
Taste map
Flavor profile
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Umami
Heat
Per serving
Nutrition
620
kcal
40g
protein
46g
carbs
32g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
Where it comes from
A little history
Invented in 1950s Delhi at Moti Mahal to rescue leftover tandoori chicken in a tomato-butter sauce — thrift became a global icon.