This chicken changezi recipe is a classic Old Delhi street-style chicken curry made with rich tomato and onion-cashew gravy, flavoured with vibrant ground spices. I've tried and tested this recipe to get that finger-licking taste, deep colour, and tender chicken using everyday ingredients. No more bland or disappointing takeaways!
🔍Quick Look: Chicken Changezi Recipe
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 45 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4 to 6
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop tawa
- ⭐ Difficulty: Moderate
- 😋 Recipe Highlights: Restaurant style food
- 🎯 Key to Success: Make sure the chicken is cooked through in the gravy.
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What is Chicken Changezi?
Firstly, let me tell you what is NOT chicken changezi:
- It is Not a Mughal royal dish and has no proven connection to Mongol history or Genghis Khan.
- It is Not a slow-cooked dum-style curry either.
This is a modern Old Delhi street-style preparation built on bold flavours that local food culture popularised. The dish is made using the tawa cooking method, where chicken, paste, and gravy are prepared in stages and then cooked together uncovered for maximum flavour.
Why This Recipe Has My Heart
Two reasons - I wanted to have something different from the usual chicken curries and something that is rich, spicy, indulgent enough for a potluck gathering.
Even though I'm fairly sure I may have tasted this during a solo trip to Delhi in my early 20s, spotting chicken changezi on a restaurant menu truly piqued my interest. I came back home, started reading about this chicken dish, and knew I had to recreate it in my own kitchen.
You'll love this chicken changezi recipe because it's a vibrant, flavour-packed alternative to the ever-reigning global Indian favourite, butter chicken! Ikr?
Key Ingredients
- Bone-in chicken pieces are ideal here; thighs, drumsticks, or quarters stay moist during pan-searing and simmering.
- Yoghurt helps in tenderising the chicken and adding gentle tang to the gravy.
- Cooking oil any neutral works best.
- The onion-cashew paste is the backbone of this recipe. Cashews add body and richness without making the curry heavy.
- Kashmiri chili powder and paprika gives colour without excessive heat, while coriander powder and garam masala build warmth and depth.
- Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) at the finish add that unmistakable restaurant aroma.
Refer to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this page for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
In Photos: How to make Chicken Changezi
Before marinating, make a few shallow gashes on the chicken pieces, especially on the drumsticks and thighs. This allows the marination to penetrate deeper, ensuring the spices and yoghurt flavour the meat thoroughly. It also helps the chicken cook faster and more evenly during tawa cooking.
Coat the chicken pieces thoroughly with yoghurt, ginger-garlic, ground spices, and salt. This early seasoning ensures flavour goes deep, not just surface-level. Let it rest while you prep everything else.
Shallow-fry the sliced onions in oil until soft and lightly golden. They should be partially cooked, not browned. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, fry the cashews until just golden and add them to the onions.
Grind everything together with the spice powders into a smooth, thick paste. This paste gives changezi chicken its signature creamy gravy. Reserve the remaining oil.
Heat some of the reserved oil and sear the marinated chicken tawa-style. You're not cooking it fully here…just building colour and locking in flavour. Remove the chicken pieces and keep aside.
In the same pan, add more reserved oil. Whole spices, if using, goes in first, followed by ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Add the tomato purée and the onion-cashew paste and cook patiently until the gravy thickens and oil begins to surface.
Lower the heat and add whisked yoghurt, stirring constantly. Return the pan-seared chicken to the gravy along with water and cream, if using. Let it simmer uncovered until the chicken is cooked through and the gravy turns luscious.
Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and stir them in with chopped green chillies, fresh coriander leaves, and a final sprinkle of garam masala. Some people also like a pinch of chaat masala for extra zing.. it's optional but lovely.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this chicken changezi with soft rumali roti, chapati, or naan.
Chicken changezi is often compared with butter chicken, but the two are very different in flavour and technique. If you're looking for the classic sweet, buttery, tomato-rich curry, try my makhani sauce recipe.
If you enjoy hearty, meat-forward curries, you may also like my aloo gosht.
For similar cooking method but without tomatoes, try my chicken afghani recipe.
Storage
Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container. I have never tried freezing this but don't see why not. Reheat in microwave or stovetop after it comes to a room temperature.
More Great Chicken Recipes
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📖 Recipe Card
Chicken Changezi Recipe
Equipment
- 1 thick-bottomed shallow sauce pan
Ingredients
For Marination
- 900 grams chicken bone-in pieces, thighs and drumsticks or quarters
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 3 tablespoon thick yoghurt
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder, or cayenne
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For Onion Masala Paste
- ⅓ cup cooking oil, neutral (enough to shallow fry), reserve for rest of the cooking
- 2 large red onions, sliced thinly
- 8 to 10 whole cashews
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1½ tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- salt to taste
To Pan-Sear the Chicken
- 2 to 4 tablespoon cooking oil, reserved from cooking onion
For the Curry base
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil, reserved from cooking onion
- 1 black cardamom, optional
- 2 cloves, optional
- 1 inch cinnamon stick, optional
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 to 3 green chillies, slit
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes, pureed
- 2 tablespoon thick yoghurt, whisked
- 4 tablespoon cream, optional
- ⅓ cup water
Finish
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi, optional
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala, optional
- 2 to 3 green chillies, chopped
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Make a few shallow gashes on the chicken drumsticks and thighs. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with ginger garlic paste, yoghurt, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well so every piece is evenly coated. Rest for at least 30 minutes, longer if time allows.900 grams chicken bone-in pieces thighs and drumsticks or quarters1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste3 tablespoon thick yoghurt¾ teaspoon turmeric powder1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder1 teaspoon paprika powder or cayenne½ teaspoon coriander powder¼ teaspoon garam masala1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Prepare the onion-cashew paste
- Heat the oil in a wide pan. Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and saute on medium heat, stirring often, until translucent and lightly starting to brown. Remove using slotted spoon and keep aside.⅓ cup cooking oil neutral (enough to shallow fry), reserve for rest of the cooking2 large red onions sliced thinly
- Next, fry the cashews until golden and remove.8 to 10 whole cashews
- Add the cooked onions and cashews to the food processer or grinder jar along with all the spice powders. Grind to a smooth, thick paste using a little water if needed. Set aside.2 teaspoon red chilli powder¼ teaspoon turmeric powder1½ tablespoon coriander powder½ teaspoon cumin powdersalt to taste
Pan-sear the chicken (tawa style)
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved onion-fried oil in a wide tawa or heavy pan. Place the marinated chicken in a single layer and cook uncovered on medium-high heat until lightly browned on all sides. The chicken only needs to be partially cooked, about 60% cooked. Remove and keep aside. You may do this step by using oven.2 to 4 tablespoon cooking oil reserved from cooking onion
Build the curry base
- In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons onion-fried oil. Add whole spices if using and let them crackle gently. Stir in ginger garlic paste and green chillies; sauté until aromatic.2 tablespoon cooking oil reserved from cooking onion1 black cardamom optional2 cloves optional1 inch cinnamon stick optional1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste2 to 3 green chillies slit
- Add tomato purée and the prepared onion-cashew paste. Cook on low to medium heat stirring continuously until thick and reduced with oil separating at the edges.2 to 3 large tomatoes pureed
- Add whisked yoghurt, stirring well and cook for a few minutes.2 tablespoon thick yoghurt whisked
Finish cooking the chicken
- Add the partially cooked chicken to the pan along with cream and water. Mix gently, ensuring the chicken is well coated. Cook uncovered on medium heat until the chicken cooked through and the gravy reaches a thick, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust salt if needed.4 tablespoon cream optional⅓ cup water
- Stir in crushed kasuri methi, chopped green chillies and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Sprinkle of garam masala before serving. Serve with chapati or rumali roti or plain rice.1 tablespoon kasuri methi optional¼ teaspoon garam masala optional2 to 3 green chillies choppedFresh coriander leaves chopped
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken for best flavour and moisture.
- Do not brown the onions deeply for the paste.
- Always cook the tomato and onion-cashew paste until oil separates. This step prevents raw flavours.
- For a lighter version, skip cream and rely on cashews for richness.
- This curry thickens as it rests, so add splash of water to reheat.
Nutrition Info
Interesting short read on history of Chicken Changezi.
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