Pista chicken curry aka pista murgh is a scrumptious chicken curry recipe that is rich, creamy, flavoured, and mildly spicy. This curry is slightly sweet with a nutty flavour and the colour of the curry has a mild green hue because of the usage of a generous amount of pistachios. In this preparation, marinated chicken is cooked with pista-coriander leaves paste along with onion, ginger-garlic, and a few specific spices in clarified butter aka ghee. This inimitable delight is mostly accompanied by rumali roti, butter naan, or paratha, and even with pulao, plain rice, etc.
Table of Contents
About the recipe
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Pista Chicken (step wise photos)
Recipe Card
What is Pista Murgh?
Pista murgh is a popular recipe in India but inspired by Mughlai cuisine. The dish is similar to the chicken korma recipe but not the same. The name of the dish pista murgh is pretty straightforward forward and it explicates the recipe. The word ‘pista’ means ‘pistachio’ and ‘murgh’ means ‘chicken’. In short, it is a chicken curry cooked in pistachio sauce.
Honestly, pistachio chicken is a rich curry that is not prepared on regular days. The addition of pistachio makes the dish rich and lavish. It could be a perfect dish to celebrate any occasion. Eid al-Fitr is knocking on our doorstep and I like to dedicate this recipe to all my beautiful Muslim friends. The Mughlai touch of the recipe makes it a perfect fit for the festival.
Pistachio chicken curry aka pista murgh is one of my favourite chicken curries which I can’t stop myself from devouring till my stomach is tightly packed. Though pista chicken is not as popular as chicken korma but nowadays, in many restaurants, it has occupied a place on the menu card. The first time I had this delight was in one of the popular restaurants in Bangalore and then I tried to recreate the dish in my kitchen. After succeeding, it has become pretty popular among my family and close ones.
Pista chicken curry is a very simple chicken curry recipe and the difficulty level of cooking this recipe is low. The ingredients required to prepare the dish are easily available in any supermarket. Though it is a slow-cooking recipe where the chicken pieces melt in the mouth still it does not take much longer.
Ingredients for Pista Chicken
Chicken: The primary ingredient that provides the base to the curry recipe. I have used medium-sized bone-in chicken pieces for the recipe.
Chicken marination: Yogurt, salt, and black pepper powder are used to marinate the chicken. These ingredients provide a basic taste to the chicken and make it tender.
Pista-Coriander leaves-green Chilli paste: It is the most important ingredient of the recipe which provides richness, creaminess, a nutty refreshing flavour, and a mild heat taste to the dish.
Onion & Ginger-Garlic: These are the most common ingredients used to provide texture and to flavour up the curry.
Whole spices: I have used cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, white peppercorns, and black cardamoms for tempering. All the spices induce a nice flavour to the dish.
Garam masala: I used garam masala powder at the final stage of cooking the recipe. It plays a vital role in flavouring up the curry.
Salt and sugar: These two ingredients provide a basic taste; I mean salty taste along with mild sweetness to the curry.
Water: It is used to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Oil & Ghee: Any cooking oil can be used to prepare the curry. I have used olive oil, but you can also use flavourless oil like vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, etc. The addition of ghee with cooking oil gives a better taste and flavour to the dish.
Pista chicken with step-by-step pictures and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. I have included all the tips and tricks to make the recipe easier for you. If you follow the recipe step by step, then you will surely get perfect pista murgh.
Tips to prepare perfect Pista Chicken
- Try to prepare a pista chicken recipe with medium size bone-in pieces for better texture.
- Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour so that the flavour goes inside the chicken pieces. Overnight marination works best for the recipe. Marinate the chicken then cover with cling film and keep it in the refrigerator.
- Peel the skin of the pistachios before making paste for a smoother texture and better colour.
- Cook the recipe either in ghee aka clarified butter or with a combination of oil and ghee for better taste and flavour.
- The whole spices induce a nice flavour to the dish. Don’t skip it.
- You can adjust the amount of green chilli according to your own preference.
How to make Pista Chicken?
To prepare the pista chicken, first clean and wash the chicken pieces. Then marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour with yogurt, salt, and black pepper powder. Cover the bowl and keep it aside.
Then take a bowl and add pistachios to it. Add hot water to it and allow it to soak for 20 minutes. Now, peel off the skin of each pistachio and wash it once. Transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Add some coriander leaves, green chillies, and a little bit of water, and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
Next chop the onions, garlic and make a paste of ginger and keep it aside.
After this, put a pan on flame and add oil and ghee to cook. Once it’s hot, temper the whole spices – cinnamon stick, cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, white peppercorns, bay leaves and allow them to crackle.
Then add the chopped garlic into the pan and cook it until it turns golden in colour. Now, add the chopped onion into the pan and fry them over medium to medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes until soft in texture and golden in colour. Stir continuously.
After this, add the ginger paste and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
Add the marinated chicken pieces into the pan and mix with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it over medium to medium-high flame for 15-16 minutes. Stir in between.
Add the pistachio paste to the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Stir in between.
Then add salt, sugar, coriander powder and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes.
Now, add water and mix it well. Again, cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then turn the flame to low for 8-10 minutes until the chicken pieces get tender.
Add garam masala powder into the pan and mix it well. Cook it on high flame for another minute and then switch off the flame.
Many Indian chicken curry recipes have already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like
Chicken bharta
Butter chicken
Karahi Chicken
Chicken Do pyaza
Homestyle chicken curry
..And Many more…
Ingredients:
1 cup = 250 ml
To marinate chicken
- 1 kg Chicken, bone-in skin off medium pieces
- ¾ cup Yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
For the pistachio paste
- 1 cup Pistachios
- ⅓ cup Coriander leaves
- 1-2 green Chillies
- 3 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for pista chicken
- 2 large Onions, finely chopped
- 1 medium Garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5-6 Cloves (Laung)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 1 black Cardamom (badi Elaichi)
- 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 8-10 white Peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¾ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Ghee aka clarified Butter
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1½ cups Water for Gravy
Instructions:
- First clean and wash 1 kg chicken cut into medium pieces. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
- Add ¾ cup yogurt, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder and mix it well. Cover the bowl with a dish or cling film. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour and keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 cup of pistachios into it. Add hot water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
- Peel off the skin of each pistachio and wash it once.
- Transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Add ⅓ cup coriander leaves 1-2 green chillies, 3 tablespoons water and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
- Next chop the onions, garlic and make a paste of ginger, and keep it aside.
- After this, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons ghee into the pan and wait until it’s hot.
- Once it’s hot, temper the whole spices 2 inches cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 5-6 cloves, 8-10 white peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and allow them to crackle.
- Add the chopped garlic into the pan and cook it until it turns golden in colour.
- Add the chopped onion into the pan and fry them over medium to medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes until soft in texture and golden in colour. Stir continuously.
- Add 1 tablespoon ginger paste and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces (Step 2) into the pan and mix with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it over medium to medium-high flame for 15-16 minutes. Stir in between.
- Add the pistachio paste (Step 5) into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Stir in between.
- Add salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1½ cups water and mix it well. Again cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then turn the flame to low for 8-10 minutes until the chicken pieces get tender.
- Add ¾ teaspoon garam masala powder into the pan and mix it well.
- Cook it on high flame for another minute and then switch it off.
Serving Instruction
Transfer the pista chicken into a serving bowl or on a serving plate. Serve the pista murgh hot or warm to enjoy its best taste. Pair up the succulent chicken curry with any of your favourite flatbreads like naan, paratha, pulao, or plain rice, and enjoy the incredible delight.
Ingredients
1 cup = 250 ml
To marinate chicken
- 1 kg Chicken, bone-in skin off medium pieces
- ¾ cup Yogurt
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder
For the pistachio paste
- 1 cup Pistachios
- ⅓ cup Coriander leaves
- 1-2 green Chillies
- 3 tablespoons Water
Other ingredients for pista chicken
- 2 large Onions, finely chopped
- 1 medium Garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 2 Bay leaves (Tejpatta)
- 5-6 Cloves (Laung)
- 3 Cardamoms (Elaichi)
- 1 black Cardamom (badi Elaichi)
- 2 inches Cinnamon stick (Dalchini)
- 8-10 white Peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¾ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Ghee aka clarified Butter
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- 1½ cups Water for Gravy
Instructions
- First clean and wash 1 kg chicken cut into medium pieces. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
- Add ¾ cup yogurt, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder and mix it well. Cover the bowl with a dish or cling film. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour and keep it aside.
- Take a bowl and add 1 cup of pistachios into it. Add hot water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes.
- Peel off the skin of each pistachio and wash it once.
- Transfer them into the jar of a grinder. Add ⅓ cup coriander leaves 1-2 green chillies, 3 tablespoons water and close the lid. Pulse it to a smooth paste. Keep the paste aside.
- Next chop the onions, garlic and make a paste of ginger, and keep it aside.
- After this, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons ghee into the pan and wait until it’s hot.
- Once it’s hot, temper the whole spices 2 inches cinnamon stick, 3 cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 5-6 cloves, 8-10 white peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and allow them to crackle.
- Add the chopped garlic into the pan and cook it until it turns golden in colour.
- Add the chopped onion into the pan and fry them over medium to medium-high flame for 8-10 minutes until soft in texture and golden in colour. Stir continuously.
- Add 1 tablespoon ginger paste and mix it well. Cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces (Step 2) into the pan and mix with the masala. Cover the pan and cook it over medium to medium-high flame for 15-16 minutes. Stir in between.
- Add the pistachio paste (Step 5) into the pan and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it on low flame for another 5-6 minutes. Stir in between.
- Add salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and mix it well. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1½ cups water and mix it well. Again cover the pan and cook it on high flame until the gravy starts boiling. Then turn the flame to low for 8-10 minutes until the chicken pieces get tender.
- Add ¾ teaspoon garam masala powder into the pan and mix it well.
- Cook it on high flame for another minute and then switch it off.
