10 Chicken Recipes - Phoran Chicken Masala Protein Power!
Deepa ShahShare
By Deepa Shah | Stone-ground spice expert & founder of Phoran Masala
10 Essential Indian Chicken Recipes
Chicken is the most versatile protein in Indian cooking — it takes on the character of whatever spices surround it, which means the range of chicken dishes in Indian cuisine is extraordinary. From the silky richness of butter chicken to the bold heat of Chettinad pepper chicken to the fragrant complexity of biryani, each dish is a different expression of what spices can do. Here are 10 essential recipes, each with Phoran Premium Chicken Masala and pure whole spices at the center.
1. Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)
The world's most famous Indian dish. Tandoori chicken in a silky, mildly spiced tomato-cream gravy. The key is straining the gravy through a fine sieve for restaurant-quality smoothness. Full butter chicken recipe here. Spiced with Phoran Garam Masala and Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder.
2. Chicken Biryani
Fragrant basmati layered with spiced chicken and cooked dum-style in a sealed pot. The dum method — slow cooking in trapped steam — is what gives biryani its characteristic depth. Full biryani recipe here.
3. Kadai Chicken
A bold, semi-dry chicken curry cooked in a kadai (wok) with freshly ground coriander, black pepper, and whole dried red chilies. The freshly ground spices are what make kadai chicken taste different from other chicken curries — don't use pre-ground masala for this one.
Method: Dry roast 2 tbsp coriander seeds and 1 tsp black pepper. Grind coarsely. Heat oil in a kadai. Add whole red chilies and onion. Cook until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, and the freshly ground spice mix. Add chicken and cook on high heat. Add capsicum in the last 10 minutes. Finish with garam masala and fresh coriander.
4. Chicken Tikka Masala
Grilled chicken tikka in a spiced tomato-onion gravy — richer than butter chicken, more assertive. Make chicken tikka first (see our tandoori chicken guide), then add to a masala base of onion, tomato, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, and cream.
5. Chettinad Pepper Chicken
South India's boldest chicken dish — dry, intensely spiced, built around freshly ground black pepper. The pepper is added in two stages: in the marinade for depth, and at the very end for fresh heat. See our black pepper recipes guide for the full Chettinad pepper chicken recipe.
6. Chicken Korma
The Mughal classic — chicken braised in a rich, aromatic sauce of yogurt, cream, and whole spices. The key is the whole spice tempering: cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and jeera bloomed in ghee before the onions go in. The korma should be pale, fragrant, and deeply aromatic — not red or heavily spiced.
Method: Bloom whole spices in ghee. Add onions and cook until very soft (not brown). Add ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, and chicken. Cook on low heat 25–30 minutes. Add cream and garam masala at the end. Garnish with saffron and fried onions.
7. Chicken Saag
Chicken in a vibrant spinach gravy — nutritious, deeply flavored, and one of the best ways to eat greens. Blanch spinach and blend smooth. Cook chicken in a spiced onion-tomato base with turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, and garam masala. Add spinach puree and simmer 10 minutes. Finish with cream and a pinch of cardamom.
8. Chicken Rogan Josh
The Kashmiri classic — chicken in a deeply colored, aromatic gravy built on Kashmiri red chilli (for color, not heat), fennel, and whole spices. The characteristic brick-red color comes entirely from Kashmiri chilli — no artificial color needed when the spice is pure and fresh.
9. Chicken Keema
Minced chicken cooked with onions, tomatoes, peas, and Phoran Chicken Masala. Fast, versatile, and excellent as a filling for parathas, rolls, or served with rice. Ready in 20 minutes — the fastest complete chicken meal in Indian cooking.
Method: Cook onions until golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, and spices. Add minced chicken and cook on high heat, breaking up lumps. Add peas and cook 10 minutes. Finish with garam masala and fresh coriander.
10. Chicken Pulao
A one-pot chicken and rice dish — simpler than biryani but deeply satisfying. Chicken is cooked with whole spices and onions, then rice is added and cooked in the same pot, absorbing all the chicken juices and spice flavors. Spiced with cardamom, cloves, jeera, and garam masala.
The Spice Foundation
Every recipe above is built on the same foundation: pure, potent spices that deliver real flavor. Phoran Premium Chicken Masala is specifically balanced for chicken — the spice ratios complement chicken's mild flavor without overwhelming it. Combined with individual whole spices from Phoran Masala, these recipes produce results that are genuinely restaurant-quality at home. Read more about why spice quality matters.
