Top 5 Northern Indian Chicken Dishes

Probably the best known of all Indian dishes, murgh makhani, internationally referred to as butter chicken, is a staple dish at most Indian restaurants. The dish originated in Delhi during the 1950s, when a man named Kundan Lal Gujral opened his restaurant called Moti Mahal. The restaurant's cooks combined leftover marinade juices with tomatoes and butter, and then stewed the tandoor-cooked chicken in it, without even knowing that they have accidentally stumbled upon one of the most loved dishes ever and a future international delicacy. Moti Mahal became one of Delhi's attractions, and soon after, butter chicken spread throughout the world. With a combination of roasted meat, plenty of spices, a rich gravy made with cream, tomatoes, and butter, this dish is best accompanied by naan bread and garnished with even more butter, coriander, or green chilis.Expand

Tandoori chicken or tandoori murgh is one of the most popular dishes in Indian cuisine, its name derived from the Persian word tannur, meaning fire. The dish consists of chicken meat that is marinated in yogurt, seasoned with tandoori masala, nutmeg, and cumin, then placed on skewers. It is a unique dish because of the way it is prepared - traditionally, it is cooked at high temperatures in cylindrical clay ovens called tandoor, resulting in succulent meat with a smokey flavor. One popular theory suggests that it was invented by a man named Kundan Lal Gujral in his restaurant Moti Mahal (Palace of Pearls). He wanted to make a new dish, so he tried cooking the chicken in the tandoor, which was mostly used for baking the famous Indian bread called naan. The dish was an instant hit with the hungry customers, and the crispy, yet succulent chicken dish even caught the attention of Indian Prime Minister Jawaharial Nehru, who often ate at the restaurant and made it a regular dish at official banquets. The aforementioned theory belongs to the recent past, but historians claim that tandoor-cooked chicken actually dates back to the Mughal period, when the dish was merely a part of gigantic Indian feasts at the time. Tandoori chicken's fame led to many derivatives such as chicken tikka masala and butter chicken, both of them commonly found in restaurants across the country.Expand

Tangdi or tangri kabab is a traditional chicken dish originating from North India. The dish is made with chicken drumsticks that are grilled in a tandoor or over charcoal. Although there are many variations, with different recipes from one restaurant to another, the marinade is usually prepared with a combination of lemon juice and dahi, pepper, cream, corn flour, ginger-garlic paste, cardamom, and garam masala. Once prepared, tangdi kabab is served hot with green chutney on the side. Expand

Kalmi kebab is a traditional dish influenced by Mughlai cuisine, and it’s especially popular in Punjab. The dish is made with chicken drumsticks that are marinated and shallow-fried on high heat in a pan until deep golden in color. The meat can also be prepared in a tandoor oven. The marinade is usually made with a combination of dahi, cream, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, turmeric powder, cashews, jeera powder, garam masala, red chili powder, and black pepper. Once done, kalmi kebab is often served as an appetizer with pickled onions, rice, or chutneys on the side. Expand

Chooza chaat is a traditional dish (or a snack) originating from Delhi. Although there are variations, it's usually made with a combination of shredded chicken breasts, bell peppers, mustard paste (mustard, vinegar, and hot peppers), ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black peppercorns. The bell peppers are charred over an open flame, sealed in a plastic bag, cooled, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into strips. The shredded chicken is mixed with the bell peppers, sprinkled with all the other ingredients, seasoned with salt and pepper, and tossed well before serving. Chooza chaat is often garnished with chopped walnuts.Expand