Hyderabadi green chicken curry, also known as Hariyali chicken, with step-by-step photos and a recipe video. This chicken curry gets its lovely green colour from mint, coriander, and green chilli. It's a medium-spicy curry, easy to cook for beginners.
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This recipe is just outstanding! You are gonna get addicted once you try this, I bet ya. My sister and I absolutely love it! - Naihrita
This Hyderabadi green chicken curry recipe is the one I always enjoy making. There are so many ways to make hariyali chicken. This one is much lighter on spice than the Green Chili Chicken, Hyderabadi Chicken, and Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani.
Hariyali means green, and this chicken curry gets its vibrant green color from fresh coriander, mint, and green chilies. The almond paste gives the gravy a rich, creamy taste, and lemon balances the spices perfectly.
I first tasted green chicken curry at my friend's home in Hyderabad. It tasted so good that I wanted to make it at home. This hariyali chicken is mildly spicy, creamy, and the chicken turns soft after cooking. Tastes good with Roti, Naan, or rice.
Quick Look: Hyderabadi Green Chicken Curry Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Calories: ~937 kcal per serving
- Cook Method: Make green paste → Marinate chicken → sauté onions → Add chicken and cook → Add fried onion paste and cook until the gravy turns creamy
- Spice Level: Medium
- Flavor Profile: Fresh, mildly spicy, light mint, and coriander taste
- Difficulty: Easy, beginner-friendly
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Disclaimer: AI summaries may contain errors. Please check the original Hyderabadi Green Chicken Curry recipe for accurate steps.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Traditional Hyderabadi style: It has that classic green masala taste we love and amazing flavours. The mix of mint, coriander, green chilli, and lemon gives the curry a lovely spicy & tangy flavor.
- Quick and easy: Marinate and cook, and it comes together effortlessly.
- Creamy gravy: The brown onion paste gives hariyali chicken a rich, smooth texture just like the Hyderabadi chicken korma.
- Family favourite: In my home, this green chicken disappears from the table faster than I expect every single time. That's why many Indian families, including mine, love cooking this hariyali chicken for special meals.
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Ingredients Notes
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Chicken: I prefer bone-in chicken for this recipe. Boneless chicken can also be used.
- Green Chilies: The green chilies that I used are mild, but if yours are spicier, adjust the quantity to suit your taste.
- Green Masala Paste: Made from ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. The combination is amazing, and I use it for my green fish fry and for marinating chicken.
- Almonds: Traditionally, almonds are used in this chicken curry. You can substitute cashews for almonds in this recipe. I have tried it, and it doesn't make much difference in taste.
- Whole Spices: If you do not have the entire list of whole spices mentioned in this recipe, add a few that you have on hand.
- Chicken Masala Powder: You can use any garam masala powder that you use for non-vegetarian recipes.
Substitutes and Variations
- You can try coconut milk instead of nuts to add creaminess to the recipe.
- Don't have mint leaves, skip it.
- Extra green color - Grind a few spinach leaves while making green masala paste. If adding spinach leaves, first blanch them and then add them.
How to make Green Chicken Curry
Preparations to be done
Step 1: Making the green paste
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic & green chilies. Sauté until the ginger & garlic are light brown in color. Remove from heat. Let it cool down a little.
- Take a mixer/grinder jar. Add the fried ginger, garlic, and green chili. Add coriander leaves & mint leaves. Pour a little water and grind to a fine paste.
- Your green masala is ready. We will use it to marinate the chicken. Keep this aside.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken
- In a mixing bowl, take chicken pieces, curd/yogurt, chicken masala powder, lemon juice, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt & green paste. Mix it well.
- Marinate for 2 hours or overnight. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator.
Making the green chicken curry
Step 3: Making the onion & almond paste
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry sliced onions. Sauté until light brown.
- Now add almonds. Sauté until onions are golden in color.
- Remove everything onto a plate. Add a little water and grind it into a smooth paste. Your onion-almond paste is ready. Grind it only when you are about to cook the chicken curry, as it may turn dark in color.
Step 4: Cooking the hariyali chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over low heat. Add the whole spices & sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the onions and fry until they turn golden brown.
- Next, add marinated chicken & cook it uncovered for 5 minutes. Then cover it and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add green chilies, onion-almonds paste, salt & water. Be careful while adding salt, as we have already added some while marinating the chicken. Mix everything well. Cover & cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, your green chicken curry is ready. Serve it hot with roti, naan, or steamed rice.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken: 2 hours or overnight is best. The longer it marinates, the softer and juicier the chicken becomes while absorbing all the flavors.
- Always cover and refrigerate while marinating.
- Make onion and almond paste fresh: Don't prepare it in advance, or it will turn brown. Fry the onions and almonds, keep aside, and make the paste while cooking the curry.
- Optional green food color: The natural green from coriander, mint, and green chili reduces once the almond paste is added. In restaurants, green food color is added while marinating, but I avoid food color. You can add it if you like.
- Roast ginger and garlic: Roasting before adding to the marinade removes the raw smell.
- Adjust mint to taste: I use ¼ cup for a mild flavor, but you can increase to ½ cup if you love the minty taste.
Recipe Card
Hyderabadi Green Chicken Curry (Hariyali Chicken)
This green chicken curry, also known as hariyali chicken gets a beautiful green color and fresh flavors from mint, coriander and green chilies. Here's my easy recipe to make this green chicken at home with step by step photos and a recipe video.
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 937kcal
Equipment
- Heavy bottom pan or wok
Ingredients
To make the green paste
- 1- inch ginger chopped
- 15 garlic cloves
- 5-6 green chilies
- 1 Cup coriander leaves
- ¼ Cup mint leaves
To marinate the chicken
- 750 gm chicken, cut into cubes
- ½ cup curd/yogurt
- 1 teaspoon chicken masala powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder, jeera powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder, dhaniya powder
- green paste
- salt to taste
To make the onion & almond paste
- 2 onions sliced
- 15 almonds, badam
whole spices
- 1 bay leaf, tej patta
- 5 cloves, laung
- 2 green cardamom, choti elaichi
- 1 black cardamom, badi elaichi
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, shahi jeera
Other ingredients to cook the chicken
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3-4 green chilies, slit
- salt to taste
- 2 cup water
Instructions
Making the green paste
- Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic & green chilies. Sauté until golden brown. Remove from heat.1- inch ginger, 15 garlic cloves, 5-6 green chilies
- Take a mixer/grinder jar. Add the fried ginger, garlic and green chili.
- Add coriander leaves & mint leaves. Add a little water and grind it to a fine paste. The green masala to marinate the chicken is ready.1 Cup coriander leaves, ¼ Cup mint leaves
To marinate the chicken
- In a mixing bowl, combine chicken pieces, curd/yogurt, chicken masala powder, lemon juice, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt & green paste. Mix well.750 gm chicken, cut into cubes, ½ cup curd/yogurt, 1 teaspoon chicken masala powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon cumin powder,, 1 teaspoon coriander powder,, green paste, salt to taste
- Cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Making the onion & almond paste
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions. Sauté until light brown.2 onions
- Now add almonds. Fry until onions are golden in color.15 almonds,
- Take it out on a plate. Add water & grind it to a fine paste. Onions & almonds paste is ready. Grind it only when you are ready to cook chicken or it will turn dark brown in color.
Cooking the hariyali chicken
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the whole spices & sauté it for a minute.1 bay leaf,, 5 cloves,, 2 green cardamom,, 1 black cardamom,, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds,
- Add the onion and fry until it is golden in color.1 onion,
- Add marinated chicken & cook it uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add green chilies, onion & almonds paste, salt & water. Mix it well. Cover & cook for 15 minutes.3-4 green chilies,, salt to taste, 2 cup water
- After 15 minutes, the green chicken curry is ready to serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hariyali chicken hot with roti/naan/steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken: 2 hours or overnight is best. The longer it marinates, the more the chicken becomes soft and juicy while absorbing all the flavors.
- Always cover and refrigerate while marinating.
- Make onion and almond paste fresh: Don't prepare it in advance, or it will turn brown. Fry the onions and almonds, keep aside, and make the paste while cooking the curry.
- Optional green food color: The natural green from coriander, mint, and green chili reduces once almond paste is added. In restaurants, green food color is added while marinating, but I avoid food color. You can add it if you like.
- Roast ginger and garlic: Roasting before adding to the marinade removes the raw smell.
- Adjust mint to taste: I use ¼ cup for a mild flavor, but you can increase to ½ cup if you love the minty taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 937kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 99g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 647mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 876IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Milton
Wow, I made this recipe recipe many times and it tastes delicious. Its the long list of ingredients that I hate that goes into the curry but loved the taste. Will try few more recipes from your blog.
Naihrita
This recipe is just outstanding!
You are gonna get addicted once you try this, I bet ya. My sister and I absolutely love it!
Preeti
Thanks a lot for the lovely feedback. Have a good day 🙂
pragya
Will try it.
Preeti Nayak
Sure, share your feedback with us.