Name: Chicken bharta recipe | Chicken bhorta | How to make chicken bharta | Kolkata style chicken bharta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup = 250 ml; To poach the chicken; 500 Grams Chicken breast fillet; 1 cup Water; ½ tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste; ¾ teaspoon Salt; 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta); inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini); 2 Cardamoms (Elaichi); 3 Cloves (Laung); For the masala paste; 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds (Posto); 15-16 Cashew nuts; 2-3 tablespoons Water; 3 tablespoons Yogurt; Other ingredients for chicken bharta; 3 boiled Eggs, 2 chopped for gravy and 1 for garnishing; 2 large Onions, finely chopped; 1 & ½ tablespoons Ginger-Garlic paste; 2 Tomatoes for paste; 2-3 green Chillies; ¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds; 1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta); 2-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini); 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon red Chilli powder; ¾ teaspoon Cumin powder; ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder; 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder; ¾ tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)

Chicken bharta recipe aka chicken bhorta is a scrumptious chicken curry recipe which is crazily popular all over India, especially in the subcontinents of east India. It is one of the most ordered chicken curries in the restaurants of Kolkata. Chicken bharta is a rich, creamy, lip smacking chicken curry where pouched shredded chicken is cooked in onion-tomato gravy with cashew-poppy seeds paste, chopped boiled eggs, cream and some spices. This inimitable delight is mostly accompanied with butter naan, kulcha or paratha.

Table of Contents

About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Chicken bharta (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Chicken bharta history

There are few different theories are involved with this spectacular chicken curry recipe.

According to few people, chicken bharta recipe reflects the Mughal empire’s involvement in Bengal. They also believe that this recipe originated as a Mughlai cuisine but was later amalgamated and tweaked to enhance the flavour quotient of Kolkata cuisine.

In another theory, chicken bharta is an adapted recipe from rich Punjabi cuisine. For work purpose, many Punjabis settled in east India. Due to the construction of national highways, myriad dhabas started their journey along with it. In this way, the flavour of Punjabi food spread in Bengal and tandoori roti, naan, dal tadka, chicken tikkas have become a regular part of Kolkata food. Kolkata style chicken bharta is an adaption of Punjabi chicken bharta recipe.

One more story behind the history of chicken bhartha denies both the above-mentioned theories. According to this, chicken bharta recipe is created by the brilliant cooks of restaurants where too many leftover tandoori chicken pieces were reused rather than wasting them. They shredded the chicken pieces and cooked it in rich, creamy gravy and created this amazing recipe.

In fact, in many dhabas and restaurants during the time of cutting the kabab pieces the small pieces and strips remain as wastage. They gather them and reuse them to prepare the chicken bharta recipe.

What is chicken bharta?

Chicken bharta recipe is a rich, creamy and delicious chicken curry recipe where either cooked shredded chicken or sometimes thin strips of boneless chicken is used to prepare it. In this preparation, chicken is cooked in onion-tomato gravy with ginger-garlic paste, cashew nut-poppy seeds paste, chopped boiled eggs, fresh cream and minimal spices. It is a thick luscious chicken curry which is mostly served with naan, paratha or simply with tandoori rotis.

Chicken bharta – Reason behind its popularity

Chicken bharta has occupied place in the Menu card of almost all the Non-vegetarian Indian restaurants in north and east India.
Chicken bharta is known for its inimitable taste and unique flavour. The mild gravy with the richness of nuts and eggs has won the hearts of millions.
It is one of the most versatile dishes which can be accompanied with any rice items or flat breads.
It is a simple dish and is very easy to prepare.
It is a perfect way to reuse your leftover chicken and convert them to this lip-smacking curry recipe.
Chicken bharta is less spicy and prepared with shredded chicken which makes the dish kids friendly.

Chicken bharta recipe aka chicken bhorta is one of my most favourite chicken curries which I can’t stop myself to devour till my stomach is tightly packed. Though Bengalis always prefer mutton curries over chicken curries but when it comes to Kolkata style chicken bharta, according to me, every Bengali comes to a big dilemma to pick one between the two. In fact, I never met any non-vegetarian bong in my entire life who does not like Chicken bharta.

Chicken bharta recipe is a family favourite dish and each member of my family just love it crazily. Whenever I talk about the recipe, it brings lots of nostalgia and beautiful memories in my mind. In fact, whenever we visit Kolkata, we always make sure to go to a dhaba and order chicken bharta with butter naan to complete the trip delectably.

Chicken bharta recipe aka chicken bhorta is very simple and easy to make. The ingredients required to prepare the dish are easily available in any Bengali kitchen pantry. The difficulty level of cooking this recipe is low and could be a perfect dish for a beginners or novice. It is cooked in two parts. First the chicken pieces are poached and shredded and on the other hand, flavoured onion-tomato gravy is prepared, and shredded chicken is cooked into it.

Advantages to prepare chicken bharta at home

There is no doubt in it that chicken bharta is a rich dish and it has become a part of the dinner menu for special occasions and not for regular eating. But if you prepare this scrumptious dish at home then you will have the full control to make it less rich.

You can also manipulate the amount of boiled eggs, cream and cashew nuts to be added into the gravy according to your choice without compromising the taste of chicken bharta recipe.

Chicken bharta recipe step by step with pictures and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. If you follow the recipe step by step, then you will surely get the kolkata style chicken bharta.

Tips to prepare perfect kolkata style chicken bharta

Always poach the chicken in seasoned and spiced water. It gives better flavour to the chicken and broth.
Always use the chicken broth for the gravy for better flavour.
Shredded boiled eggs are one of the necessary components of the chicken bharta gravy. It adds extra flavour, taste and creaminess to the gravy just like restaurants. Don’t skip it.
Use the paste of both cashew nuts and poppy seeds for the perfect taste and creaminess of the gravy.
Don’t skip kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) into the curry. It will give the exact restaurant like flavour to the dish.

How to make chicken bharta?

To prepare the chicken bharta recipe, first take a pan and add water into it. Add salt, ginger-garlic paste, whole spices like cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick, bay leaf into it and allow the water to boil.

Once the water start boiling, put the flame in low and add the chicken pieces into it and close the lid of the pan. Cook it in low flame for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces in between after 5 minutes. Then strain the pieces from the broth and keep it in a separate plate to cool down for 10-15 minutes. Then with the help of fork or hand, shred the chicken pieces and keep it aside.

On the other hand, discard the whole spices from the broth and preserve it for later use.

Now, take another pan of water to boil eggs. Once the water starts boiling, add eggs into it and cook it in low flame for 12-14 minutes. Then switch off the flame. Drain the water and add cold water into the pan to cool down the eggs and then peel off the shell of the eggs. Chop the eggs roughly and keep them aside.

Take a bowl and add poppy seeds and cashew nuts into it. Add hot water into it and allow it to soak for 20 minutes. Take a jar of a grinder and transfer the content into it. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste. Add some water if required to grind the content. Then add some yogurt into the jar and pulse it for 2-3 seconds. Keep the poppy seeds-cashew-yogurt paste aside in a separate bowl.

In the same jar, add tomato chunks and close the lid. Pulse it to make a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add oil into the pan and once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick into the pan for tempering and allow it to crackle.

Then add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomato paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another 5-6 minutes. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.

Add cumin powder, coriander powder into the pan and mix it well. Cook the masala in lowest flame for another 2-3 minutes.

Then add the shredded chicken into the pan and give a nice mix. Close the lid of the pan and cook it in low flame for 15 minutes. Stir in between.

Add the poppy seeds-cashew-yogurt mixture into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 5 more minutes.

Add the chicken broth into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then add green chillies and cover the pan. Put the flame in low and cook it for 5 minutes.

Add fresh cream into the pan and give a nice mix. Add butter and sugar one by one into the pan and mix it well.

Add garam masala powder, kasuri methi into the pan and mix it. Cook it in low flame for a minute. At the final stage, add chopped boiled eggs into the pan and mix it nicely into the gravy. Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

Many Indian chicken curry have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check few of them like

Butter chicken
Karahi Chicken
Chicken Do pyaza
Chettinad chicken
Homestyle chicken curry

..And Many more…

Ingredients:

1 cup = 250 ml

To poach the chicken

500 Grams Chicken breast fillet
1 cup Water
½ tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
¾ teaspoon Salt
1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
1-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
2 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
3 Cloves (Laung)

For the masala paste

1 tablespoon Poppy seeds (Posto)
15-16 Cashew nuts
2-3 tablespoons Water
3 tablespoons Yogurt

Other ingredients for chicken bharta

3 boiled Eggs, 2 chopped for gravy and 1 for garnishing
2 large Onions, finely chopped
1 & ½ tablespoons Ginger-Garlic paste
2 Tomatoes for paste
2-3 green Chillies
¼ teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf (Tejpatta)
2-inch Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red Chilli powder
¾ teaspoon Cumin powder
¾ teaspoon Coriander powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
¾ tablespoon Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
¼ cup fresh Cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt to taste
Chicken broth for the gravy
3 tablespoons Oil for cooking

Instructions:

Wash and clean the chicken breast fillet and keep them aside.
Take a pan and add 1 cup water into it. Then add ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, 3 cloves, 2 cardamoms, 1-inch cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf into the pan and allow the water to boil.
Once the water start boiling, put the flame in low and add the chicken pieces into it and close the lid of the pan. Cook it in low flame for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces in between after 5 minutes. Then strain the pieces from the broth and keep it in a separate plate to cool down for 10-15 minutes.
With the help of fork or hand, shred the chicken pieces and keep it aside.
On the other hand, discard the whole spices from the broth and preserve it for later use.
Now take another pan of water to boil eggs. Once the water starts boiling, add 3 eggs into it and cook it and in low flame for 12-14 minutes. Then switch off the flame. Drain the water and add cold water into the pan to cool down the eggs and then peel off the shell of the eggs.
Chop 2 eggs roughly for the gravy and 1 for garnishing. Keep them aside.
Take a bowl and add 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and 15-16 cashew nuts into it. Add hot water into it and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
Take a jar of a grinder and transfer the content into it. Close the lid of the jar and pulse it to a smooth paste. Add some water if required to grind the content. I have added 2 tablespoons of water. Then add some 3 tablespoons of yogurt into the jar and pulse it for 2-3 seconds. Keep the paste aside.
In a jar of a grinder, add tomato chunks and close the lid. Pulse it to make a smooth paste and keep it aside.
Now put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Then add 3 tablespoons of oil into the pan.
Once the oil is hot, add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 inches cinnamon stick into the pan for tempering and allow it to crackle.
Add chopped onions into the pan and cook it in medium flame for 8-10 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent.
Add 1½ tablespoons ginger-garlic paste into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomato paste into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in medium flame for another 5-6 minutes.
Add salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add ¾ teaspoon cumin powder, ¾ teaspoon coriander powder into the pan and mix it well. Cook the masala in lowest flame for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the shredded chicken into the pan and give a nice mix. Close the lid of the pan and cook it in low flame for 15 minutes. Stir in between.
Add the poppy seeds-cashew-yogurt mixture into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it in low flame for 5-6 more minutes. Stir in between if required.
Add the preserved chicken broth into the pan for gravy and give a nice stir. Cook it in high flame until the gravy starts boiling.
Add 2-3 green chillies and cover the pan. Put the flame in low and cook it for 5 minutes.
Add ¼ cup fresh cream into the pan and give a nice mix.
Add ½ tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, one by one into the pan and mix it well.
Add 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, ¾ tablespoon kasuri methi into the pan and mix it. Cook it in low flame for a minute.
At the final stage, add chopped boiled eggs into the pan and mix it nicely into the gravy.
Switch off the flame and put the pan down.

Serving Instruction

Transfer the chicken bharta recipe into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Garnish it with some fresh cilantro and boiled eggs. Always serve the chicken bhorta hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the succulent Indian chicken curry with any of your favourite flat bread like naan, paratha or kulcha and enjoy the incredible Indian delicacy.