Methi chicken step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
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About this recipe
Methi murg or methi chicken is a flavorful chicken curry made with fenugreek leaves. This hearty, classic Indian curry has a burst of flavors from the spices and an earthy taste from the fenugreek leaves. It can be paired well with Basmati rice and also red rice.
Fenugreek leaves are also known to reduce blood sugar levels, lower inflammation, control blood pressure levels, and improve gut health. This healthy recipe is a great way of including them in your diet.
I use frozen fenugreek leaves a lot in my cooking. I have earlier shared the recipes for methi rice and methi dal. Here is my version of methi chicken. Read on for ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and tips on how to prep the fenugreek leaves.
Ingredients
Step by step instructions
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, coriander powder, chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well making sure there are no lumps (steps 1,2).
Add the chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes (steps 3,4).
Heat oil and add whole spices (cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and pepper). Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute until the onions soften (steps 5,6).
Add tomatoes, methi leaves, and salt. Mix well (steps 7,8).
Add the marinated chicken and saute for 2 minutes (steps 9,10).
Add water and mix well. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Do a natural release of pressure (steps 11,12).
Useful tips
This dish is great for meal prep. You can marinate the chicken overnight and place it in the fridge, and prep the methi depending on what you use. This way, the dish is ready in no time.
Marinate the chicken for at least 15-20 minutes.
Fresh methi can also be used to make this dish; however, I prefer frozen methi as it is very convenient to use. Cleaning fresh methi is tedious and needs a lot of time.
Tomato is an optional ingredient and can be skipped.
If you want to thicken the sauce, set the IP back to saute mode for 3-4 minutes after pressure cooking. Keep stirring every minute or so.
For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with fresh paneer and reduce the pressure cooking time to 2 minutes.
How to prep methi leaves
If you are using frozen methi, defrost them completely and squeeze out all the excess water.
If you are using fresh methi, wash and clean the leaves. Remove the thick and thin stems and separate the leaves. Roughly chop the leaves. For every cup of frozen greens, replace it with 2 cups of fresh greens.
If you are using Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), soak them in water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out all the water after soaking. For every cup of frozen methi, replace it with ¼ cup of Kasoori methi. Also, click here to see how to make methi thelpa in Rotimatic using kasuri methi.
FAQs
Soak ¼ cup Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) for every cup of frozen methi in water for 30 minutes and use it.
Fenugreek leaves are loaded with numerous health benefits. They are known to reduce blood sugar levels, lower inflammation, control blood pressure levels, and improve gut health. Fenugreek leaves are often given to lactating mothers as it is known to increase milk supply.
Bonus
This dish is:
- ready in less than 30 min,
- very healthy,
- very unique and delicious,
- high in protein.
Recipe card
Methi Chicken in Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken bone-in, skinless
- 2 cups fenugreek leaves (see notes)
For the marinade
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the curry
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 2-3 small pieces cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-3 cardamom
- 2-3 cloves
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 inch ginger finely chopped or 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Marinating the chicken and pre
- In a large bowl, combine yogurt, coriander powder, chili powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well making sure there are no lumps.
- Add the chicken pieces and mix well.
- Cover and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare the methi leaves depending on fresh, frozen, or dried (see notes).
Making the curry
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add oil.
- Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and pepper. Saute for a few seconds.
- Add onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute until the onions soften (3 minutes).
- Add tomatoes, methi leaves, marinated chicken, and salt.
- Mix well and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of water and deglaze the pot well.
- Secure the IP lid and set it to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes.
- Do a natural release of pressure.
- Open the lid once the pin drops and mix well. If you want to thicken the sauce, set the IP back to saute mode for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring every minute or so.
- Serve hot with rice or roti.
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