You Must Try These Mouth-watering Indian Chicken Dishes

Whether you are at a fast-food joint or at a fine dining restaurant that serves Indian fresh food in NYC if you are not a vegan you are probably craving some chicken. And why wouldn’t you? It’s tender white meat is worth the calories it will add to your system. And if you are looking for some variety, Indian cuisine has many chicken dishes on its menu. In India, chicken dishes vary from state to state based on the spices, gravy, cooking and serving method. Their taste ranges from sweet, spicy and sour to spicy tongue burning good. Here are some Indian chicken dishes you must try:

Chicken Tikka Masala
If you love kebabs, you must try these chunks of pre-marinated chicken. The cook marinades the chicken pieces in spices, yogurt and the special tikka masala before grilling the cubes. The result is a plate of smoky cubes that tingle in your tongue. If you want something more filling, you can add a thick layer of creamy gravy with coriander and chilies on top.

Chicken Chettinad
First cooked in the Chettinad district, Tamil Nadu, this dish is a must-try for all spicy food lovers. All the chilies and spices are ground and mixed in a ginger-garlic paste that is combined with tomatoes and curry leaves to create a spicy gravy. The chicken simmers in this gravy until it turns tender. A little coconut paste is added in case the spice is too much for your tongue. This meal is wholesome with some rice on the side.

Butter Chicken/Chicken Makhani
This is probably the most popular chicken dish as every restaurant that serves Indian fresh food in NYC seems to have their version of it. First, the chicken is marinated, then roasted and finally cooked in gravy. The cook adds some butter to the gravy and cooks the chicken in it. The result is a creamy chicken gravy that tastes best with some naan and black lentils on the side.

Tandoori Chicken
It’s fried chicken, but spicier and tastier. A special spice called tandoori masala is used for cooking it. The spice consists of yellow turmeric powder and red chili powder which combine to create the famous orange color associated with this meat. The cook first marinades the chicken in some yogurt and spices, then skewers it and roasts it in a special clay oven called tandoor. The result is a smoky spicy tender chicken waiting ready to be served.

Chicken Saagwala
If you want a light gravy, try chicken saagwala. Commonly served in the northern parts of India, this curry dish consists of spinach that gives the gravy a good leafy taste. The chicken is cooked in this gray on an open pan. The result is a chicken swimming in a healthy light green gravy that you will crave as much as the main ingredient.

Mughlai Chicken
This dish is an example of the Central Asian influence on Indian cuisine. Developed during the Mughal dynasty, the dish takes a long time to prepare and is worth the wait. The chicken is cooked in a mixture of ghee, spices and onions for fifteen minutes. The thick creamy gravy is prepared by whipping it with an almond paste. Then the cook adds the cream to the chicken to create the creamiest chicken dish that is perfect for special occasions or when you feel decadent.

Chicken Dum Biryani
This list would be incomplete without a biryani in it. This particular biryani is cooked at low flame in a pot covered by a lid. The pot is sealed with flour to prevent steam from escaping. The process takes some time and the result is a lump of soft tender meat that blends with the rice. Like Mughlai chicken, dum biryani was also introduced during the Mughal era and has become popular since then.

These are just some Indian chicken dishes you can try at restaurants or your friend’s home.