Name: Authentic Methi Murgh (Methi Chicken Recipe)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 500 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut in 2 inch pieces); 1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder; 1 to 1.25 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste); 1/4 cup (45g) whole plain yogurt (make sure its not sour or watery ); 1 teaspoon kasuri methi ( crushed between palms); 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder (can go up or down depending on warmth of your garam masala); 3 tablespoon mustard oil (or use ghee); 1 large (150g) onions (thinly sliced); 2 teaspoon garlic paste; 1 teaspoon ginger paste; 3-4 thai bird green chilies; 1 (100-120g) tomato (crushed in a food processor); 2 cups (100-120gg) fresh methi leaves (tightly packed); 1- 2 tablespoon heavy cream (optional); 1 large bay leaf; 1 black cardamom (skip if not available); 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste, I use degi mirch); 2 teaspoon coriander powder; 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

My methi chicken recipe features boneless and skinless chicken thighs and fresh methi (fenugreek). It's a deliciously spiced dish that lets the natural bitterness of methi shine without overpowering the chicken. I often return to this classic homestyle preparation because it's simple and reliable. Gets ready in about 45 minutes, and pairs beautifully with soft rotis or fragrant jeera rice for a satisfying meal. Step by Step Photos & Video Included.

Methi Chicken is served in an oval green bowl with fresh methi leaves and roti in background.

Save The Recipe!

Just enter your email and we'll send this post to you!

This indian chicken recipe is easy, quick, and does not need any marination or grinding spices, which is honestly my favorite part. If you enjoy cooking chicken recipes made with leafy greens, this is a great option and sits right alongside palak chicken in terms of comfort and flavor.

During the summer months, when fresh methi leaves are harder to find, you can still make this fenugreek chicken using frozen methi (if available) along with kasuri methi(dried fenugreek leaves) commonly used as a finishing touch indian curries.

You may wonder if only kasuri methi can be used, but the answer is no. While it adds a lovely aroma, this chicken with fresh methi leaves gets its identity from the well balanced methi masala that forms when onions, tomatoes, spices, and fenugreek leaves come together.

Cooked chicken methi curry in a wide steel cooking pot with fresh methi on the side.

My Recipe Development (& Learnings)

So first and foremost, we are cooking with methi and the goal is clear. The dish should taste of methi above everything else. We want every bite to carry the loud flavor of methi with tender, succulent chicken supporting it rather overpowering it.So dont go heavy handed on ginger, garlic or even certain spices(which I discuss next).
On the lines of my palak murgh recipe, I initially tried using freshly ground spices while recipe testing. They work beautifully with spinach(which is bland in comparison), but in this case they overpowered the methi completely. The flavor of fenugreek is far more delicate, so I went back to using basic ground spices in small amounts to let the methi remain the star of the dish.
One thing I've learned the hard way is not to add methi too early. It cooks very fast, and long cooking or high heat can dull its flavor and bring out bitterness. This is different from how I approach my methi paneer recipe, where paneer cooks quickly and the leaves are less likely to overcook. Since chicken needs more time, adding methi towards the end works best so that it cooks just enough.
Another important lesson I learnt is how leafy greens like methi or spinach handle salt. They absorb salt differently, which is why I recommend always adjust seasoning after cooking, once the dish has rested and cooled slightly. Too little salt makes the flavors feel flat, while too much salt only highlights the bitterness of methi.

Close up of methi chicken in a green oval bowl.

Which Cut of Chicken

I make it with cut up boneless skinless chicken thighs. Since there's no marination, thighs work great as compared to leaner chicken cuts. You can use bone in chicken as well.You will need to adjust the time of cooking(as noted in the recipe card). Since we are adding the chicken early on and it is going to fry with spices, tomatoes, yogurt everything, it is best to stick to dark chicken meat to prevent it from getting stringy (which could be the case with chicken breast)

How to make Methi Chicken

Mustard Oil is tempered with spices and green chillies in a steel cooking pot.

In a wide, heavy bottomed cooking pot, warm up mustard oil on medium heat. Once oil is lightly smoky, temper with whole spices and green chilies.

2. Add sliced onions next and while stirring regularly, brown them until golden. Takes about 8-10 minutes on medium heat.

Ginger and garlic is added to browned onions along with some water.

3. Next, add the ginger and garlic pastes to the onions along with a splash of water to prevent sticking.

Raw chicken is added to the browned onions.

4. Add the salt and black pepper rubbed chicken to the pot next. Keep flame on medium high.

Chicken is browned with the onion and whole spices.

5. Brown the chicken on medium high heat. Don't brown on high else it will become chewy. Neither we want the chicken to release its water on low heat.

6. Sprinkle the ground spices and salt over the chicken.

Chicken is fried with the ground spices.

7. Mix well and fry the chicken and spices until spices are lightly toasted.

Crushed tomatoes are added to the chicken.

8. Add the crushed tomatoes to the cooking pot next.

Chicken is cooked with tomatoes until oil begins to release.

9. Fry the tomates until you start seeing oil on the sides and the raw taste of tomatoes is gone.

10. Next, reduce stove to low and add the yogurt mixture. Start stirring immediately and continue for 2 minutes.

Chicken is cooked with yogurt until oil is seperating.

11. Once the yogurt is warmed through, bump the stove to medium and cook off the yogurt. After few minutes, you will see oil seperating.

Tips when using Yogurt in Any Curry Recipe :- Before you start cooking, take the yogurt out of the fridge and let stand on counter. This takes the chill out of yogurt and prevents curdling due to temperature difference. Secondly, always add the yogurt on low heat and whisk/beat the yogurt before addin. As soon as yogurt is in the cooking pot, start stirring and continue for at least 2-3 minutes until the yogurt is warmed through.

Fresh chopped mehi is added to the cooking pot.

12. Add the fresh chopped methi to the chicken now. Mix well.

Methi is cooked with chicken until its wilted and forms part of masala.

13. Cook the methi and chicken together until methi has wilted fully and forms part of the masala.

Heavy cream is added using a steel spoon to methi chicken.

14. Add the heavy cream to the methi chicken.

15. Mix well and on low heat, let cook until cream is part of the masala. Your methi chicken is ready.

Tanvi's Tips

Always taste your methi first. A little bitterness is normal and actually nice, but sometimes it can be too bitter. If that happens, it's best not to use it because there's no fixing the curry later.
Skip watery methi. Wash the methi to remove dirt and let air dry or with a kitchen towel fully. If the leaves are wet, they'll thin out the gravy and mute the flavor.
Use both fresh methi and kasuri methi. Fresh methi in the U.S. is usually mild, which is great, but it lacks that deep methi punch. Kasuri methi fills that gap and really rounds out the sauce.
Mustard oil - This is a rustic Punjabi chicken curry, and mustard oil gives it that authentic taste. If you don't have it, ghee or a neutral oil works too.
Keep the spice and heat gentle. Methi Chicken isn't meant to be fiery. Let the methi be the star. Add just enough chillies (red and green) for warmth and flavor.