Shahjahani Chicken: A Recipe Straight Out From The Royal Kitchen

This recipe is named after the fifth Mughal Emperor Shahjahan of India. During his reign (1627-1658), this chicken has a special connection in the royal kitchen as his love for food was abundant. It is believed that Shahjahan always used to ask his bawarchis to prepare some new varieties of food to impress his beloved Mumtaz. Hence, it is also called murgh Shahjahan, shahi chicken, or Mughlai chicken in some different places. This dish shows the richness and creaminess of royalty. It has a mild gravy with yoghurt spices and is cooked in the paste of cashew nuts and muskmelon. Prepare this beloved shahjahani chicken dish at your home and enjoy it with your loved ones. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg chicken with bone
  • 8 tbsp ghee
  • 1-2 bay leaves 
  • 1- inch cinnamon stick 
  • 2-3 cloves 
  • 2 black cardamom 
  • 2-3 green cardamom 
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds 
  • 2 tbsp ginger- garlic paste 
  • 1- ½ cup onion (chopped)
  • Pinch of nutmeg powder/ 1 nutmeg 
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds 
  • 2 tbsp muskmelon seeds 
  • 10-15 cashew nuts 
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder 
  • 1 tbsp red chilli powder 
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 4 tbsp curd
  • 3 tbsp fresh cream 
  • 4-5 drops of kewra essence 
  • Salt, per taste 
  • 3-4 boiled eggs (cut into halves)
  • Water, as needed 
  • Freshly chopped coriander for garnishing

How To Make Chicken Shahjahani?

  1. Take a bowl, soak poppy seeds, muskmelon seeds, and cashew nuts in warm water for 20 minutes. Then grind to make a fine thick paste and keep it aside. 
  2. Heat a kadhai with ghee, add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, black & green cardamom. Crackle them a little. 
  3. Now add chopped onion and followed by ginger- garlic paste. Saute for a couple of minutes till the material turns translucent. 
  4. Now add cashew, poppy and muskmelon seed paste, stir and saute for 4-6 minutes. 
  5. Add yoghurt along with a bit of water. And simmer it on low flame. 
  6. Time to add the spices, add turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli, garam masala, and salt. Stir well and cook for another 4-5 minutes. 
  7. Add chicken pieces, mix well, adjust the consistency as per your requirement. 
  8. Give a good stir and cook it on a low flame for 20-25 minutes or till the chicken is cooked correctly. 
  9. Lastly, add kewra essence and boiled eggs to the cooked chicken. Gently mix it, be careful you do not break the egg yolks. 

Your chicken Shahjahan is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves with naan, laccha paratha, rumali roti, or rice.