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Fenugreek Chicken

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Methi Murg is the Indian name for this dish and I am excited about this one!

Fenugreek Chicken is a delicate dish that uses one of my favourite herbs. two hearts image

I use fenugreek often in different forms. The seeds are highly prized and they release the most amazing aroma as you fry them in oil — my tech guy says:

"it always reminds me of Chinese curry, just wonderful!"

The dried leaves are essential for many dishes but fresh leaves are my favorite delicate but powerful in so many ways.

The biggest challenge is going to be those browned onions... Patience as they say is a virtue! Add in garlic, ginger, green bullet chillies and my interest is peeked to get cooking. Thank you to Romy Gill MBE for sharing this delicious dish on James Martin's Saturday Morning show. Catch up with them both on Instagram @RomyGill & @saturdayjamesmartin.

Click the Method tab below to see a step-by-step guide on how to make Fenugreek Chicken along with some pictures as a guide.

close up fenugreek chicken plated with a chapati

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

serves 4

Marinade ingredients

  • 500g chicken breast or thigh diced into 3cm cubes
  • 4 tsp single cream
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Curry ingredients

  • 60ml oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 20g / 2 inch peeled ginger batons
  • 200g / 2 onions thinly sliced
  • 4 diced green bullet chillies
  • 100g / 1 bunch fenegreek — stems and leaves roughly chopped
  • 100g baby spinich roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground corriander
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric

method

Our first task is to get the chicken into its marinade and set it aside in the fridge for two hours — allowing us plenty of time to do our dreaded browned onions (you can use red or white) I did one of each to add colour, but use which ever you prefer or have to hand.

While the chicken is taking on them flavours, slice & dice your chillies and prepare your spices.

On a Nutty level this one is going to be a breeze :-). I was totally intrigued about using all the fenugreek including stalks here — which is new for me so here goes! My fingers are crossed! Hate striping leaves off fenugreek!!! I may never have to do it again!

how we do it

  1. Place the 500g chicken breast or thigh pieces in a large plastic or glass bowl. (do not use metal! Tis a science I shall not bore ys with.) along with:
    • ½ tsp the ground turmeric,
    • 1 tsp garam masala,
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 4 tsp of single cream
    Mix well to combine, then cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.
chicken in marinade
chicken in marinade
  1. Now prepare all your ingredients — slice the onions, chillies, garlic and ginger. Pot up the spices ready and we are good to go.
prepared ingredients
sauce ingredients
  1. Heat the 60ml oil in a heavy based pan over a high heat. Once the oil is hot, Pre-brown your onions for 20 minutes, strain & set the onions aside.
brown the onions well
a pile of cooked browned onion slices on a plate

let's cook!

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F gas 6. I used my air fryer which is a mini oven / grill — absolutely perfect — no pre-heat required.
  2. Take the marinated chicken & spread out on a baking tray (lined with baking paper if necessary) and cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
chicken on oven tray
chicken and marinade spread on a tray
  1. While the chicken cooks — re-heat the oil over a high heat in the same heavy based pan you used for the onions. Then add 1 tsp cumin seeds. As soon as they start to sizzle, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Add the green chillies and remaining 1 tsp of salt then add pre-browned onions, stir and cook for 3 minutes.
add chillies & salt
chopped chillies added to pan
  1. Add the fresh fenugreek leaves & 100g baby spinich, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes.
fenugreek & spinach
spinach added to pan
  1. Add:
    • the remaining ½ teaspoon of turmeric
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • the remaining 50 ml (3 tbsp) of cream
    • the cooked chicken
    then stir.
add spices cream & cooked chicken
grilled chicken pieces added to pan
  1. Cook over a high heat for 2 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving - cover to keep warm.
rest before serving
fenugreek chicken cooking in a pan

Now decide what you wish to accompany your dish. Simple chapati or basmati rice are a perfect choice.

fenugreek chicken & chapti
fenugreek chicken and chapati on a plate

Serving suggestion

Simple chapati is a perfect partner

This dish was amazing! Delicate spinich & bullet chillies — which are much milder than finger chillies.