Chicken Hyderabadi Curry Recipe (dum ka murgh)
Recreate a comforting Nizami-style chicken curry at home with tender bone-in chicken simmered in a rich mix of fried onions, nuts, coconut, yoghurt, and warm spices. The slow cooking brings everything together into a creamy, nutty, deeply seasoned gravy that captures the essence of Hyderabadi cooking in a simple, approachable way.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 610kcal
Ingredients
For Fried Onions
- 3 medium-sized red onions thinly sliced
- cooking oil to deep fry
For Nut & Spice Paste
- 10 whole cashews soaked in warm water (15 minutes)
- 10 almonds soaked in warm water and peeled
- ¼ cup grated coconut
- 3 green cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
For Saffron Milk
- ½ cup milk warmed
- 1 pinch saffron strands
For Marination
- 800 grams chicken bone-in pieces curry cut
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds or 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 cup yoghurt whisked
- 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 6-8 green chillies slit
- handful Fresh coriander leaves chopped
- handful fresh mint leaves chopped
- Juice of half a lime
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ cup cooking oil reserved from onion-fried oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Soak nuts and infuse saffron
- Soak cashews and almonds in warm water for 15 minutes.10 whole cashews, 10 almonds
- Warm the milk, add saffron strands, and set aside to infuse.½ cup milk, 1 pinch saffron strands
Fry the onions
- Slice the onions thinly and fry them in small batches in hot oil until they turn golden brown. Stir often so they cook evenly and don’t burn. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain off any excess oil. Don't forget to reserve about ¼ cup of this onion-flavoured oil for later.3 medium-sized red onions, cooking oil
Prepare the paste
- Grind the soaked cashews, peeled almonds, grated coconut and whole spices to a smooth paste, adding a splash of water if needed.10 whole cashews, 10 almonds, ¼ cup grated coconut, 3 green cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick
Marinate the chicken
- In a large bowl with the clean chicken pieces, add the spices, whisked yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, mint & coriander leaves, fried onions, ground paste, saffron-infused milk, reserved onion-fried oil and lastly, ghee.800 grams chicken bone-in pieces, 1 tablespoon red chilli powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 cup yoghurt, 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 6-8 green chillies, handful Fresh coriander leaves, handful fresh mint leaves, Juice of half a lime, 1 tablespoon ghee, ¼ cup cooking oil, Salt to taste
- Mix well, ensuring every piece is coated in the aromatic masala. You may cook it immediately or let it marinate for about 15 minutes.
Cook the curry
- Transfer the marinated chicken to a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook uncovered on medium heat until it starts to boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover with a heavy lid, and simmer until the chicken is tender and the oil rises to the top. This may take around 40–45 minutes.
Serve
- Garnish with more fried onions and fresh herbs. Serve hot with rice, roti, or naan, and prepare for a Hyderabadi-style feast that’s rich, nutty, and deeply aromatic.
Video
Notes
- You can skip saffron if unavailable, but it adds a subtle royal aroma that elevates the dish.
- Use bone-in chicken for deeper flavour; boneless tends to cook faster but yields a lighter broth.
- The nut paste thickens the curry — no cream needed.
- Fried onions are key! Make sure they’re evenly browned and crisp.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, as the spices deepen overnight.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 50g
