Murgh Chole (Chicken and Chickpea Curry)

Published Dec. 15, 2025

Murgh Chole (Chicken and Chickpea Curry)
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(622)
Comments
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According to Punjabi lore, this heavily spiced chicken and chickpea dish was born during Emperor Shah Jahan’s imprisonment, when his cooks were challenged to create luxurious meals from humble chickpeas. Traditionally made with bone-in chicken, this streamlined version calls for boneless chicken thighs, browned then simmered with chickpeas in a complex tomato-onion base with ginger, garlic and green chiles. A few simple ingredients here result in a hearty, one-pot dish that delivers layers of flavor in just 30 minutes. The spritz of lemon and scatter of cilantro at the end add freshness. Serve it with rice, roti or by itself. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • ¼ cup ghee, vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 1medium red or white onion, chopped 
  • 1teaspoon cumin seeds 
  • 1teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger 
  • 1teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 
  • 2pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 
  • 1teaspoon Kashmiri or other red chile powder 
  • 1teaspoon garam masala 
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder 
  • 3plum tomatoes, chopped, or ⅔ cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 4 to 6Thai green chiles, finely chopped 
  • 1teaspoon fine sea salt 
  • 1(15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
  • ½ cup chicken stock or water
  • 2tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • Lemon wedges, for serving 
  • Rice or roti (optional), for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

684 calories; 26 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 57 grams protein; 1131 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium pot, melt the ghee over high heat. Add the onion and lower the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken and turn the heat up to high. Cook the chicken, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid from the pot has evaporated and the chicken starts to brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chile powder, garam masala and turmeric. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the tomatoes, green chiles and salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down a bit, about 5 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chickpeas and stock, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Simmer for a few minutes, until the chickpeas are warmed through and the liquid has slightly thickened into a gravy.

  4. Step 4

    Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges, along with rice or roti if desired.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
622 user ratings
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Comments

For the love of god please don’t add more than 1-2 chilies and 1/2 tsp of Kashmiri chili powder.

Really satisfying, warm flavor. I was too wimpy to add 4-6 Thai chiles - 1 was plenty!

This dish is super tasty and comes together rather quickly. I added some honey to balance the tomatoes a bit, served with a dollop of yogurt instead of lemon wedges. I’ll definitely make this one again.

I felt the chick peas to be a little 'heavy' for the combination...perhaps a smaller bean would have been better....or a large grain?

Can you use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs?

Very tasty. I used three chilis and considered it a mild curry. I would add the garlic and ginger at the end of browning the chicken to stop them getting burned.

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