Malai Chicken With Gravy – A Creamy, Comforting North Indian Delight || Air Fryer addition

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If you love rich, creamy, melt-in-the-mouth chicken recipes, then Malai Chicken with Gravy is going to become your new favourite. This dish is a beautiful blend of subtle spices, tender chicken, and a silky smooth creamy base that feels luxurious without being too heavy. The word malai literally means cream, and the name perfectly sums up the soul of this recipe — soft, mild, and irresistibly creamy.

Let’s walk through the story, flavours, ingredients, and method behind this classic dish.

Ingredients 

Here are the ingredients for Malai Chicken with Gravy (easy, home-style version):

For the chicken marinade

  • 500 g chicken (preferably boneless or mixed pieces)

  • ½ cup curd

  • 4 tbsp fresh cream (malai)

  • 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp garam masala

  • Salt to taste

For the gravy

  • 2 tbsp ghee or oil

  • 2 medium onions (roughly chopped)

  • 1 green chilli

  • 8–10 cashews (soaked for 10–15 minutes)

  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

  • ½ cup cream

  • ½ cup milk (add more for thinner consistency)

  • ½ tsp kasuri methi

  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder

  • Black pepper and salt to taste

Optional

  • A pinch of sugar for balance

  • Coriander leaves for garnish

These ingredients come together to create a smooth, flavourful malai gravy that is not spicy but absolutely comforting.

How to Make Malai Chicken With Gravy

Marinate the chicken

Start by mixing curd, cream, ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, and garam masala in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces, coat them well, and let them rest for at least 30 minutes.
This step ensures tender, juicy chicken and enhances flavour beautifully.

Prepare the gravy base

Heat ghee in a pan and sauté chopped onions and green chilli until soft and slightly golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook until raw smell disappears.

Let the mixture cool slightly and blend it with soaked cashews into a smooth paste. This paste is the backbone of your creamy malai gravy.

Cook the chicken in Air Fyer

Set the air fryer for 180 C, spray the air fyer basket either a silicon or any baking dish and add the marinated chicken cook for 10–12 minutes then flip teh chicken and cook again for 10-12 minutes you will see a charred top and that indicates it's done.


Cook the chicken on stove top

The chicken can be cooked in In the same pan, add a little more ghee. Add the marinated chicken and cook on medium flame until the chicken changes colour and releases a bit of moisture. This takes around 10–12 minutes.

Add the creamy gravy

Now add the onion-cashew paste to the pan and mix well. Pour in cream and milk to get the desired consistency. Keep the flame low—you don’t want the dairy to split.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and kasuri methi for aroma. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until everything combines into a silky gravy.


Final touch

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or cream. If you like a slightly sweet note, add a pinch of sugar. Garnish with coriander. Your comforting, rich Malai Chicken is ready to be served hot.

Serving Suggestions

Malai Chicken pairs beautifully with:

  • Butter naan

  • Tandoori roti

  • Garlic naan

  • Jeera rice

  • Plain paratha

  • Steamed basmati rice

Its subtle flavour profile makes it versatile and kid-friendly. You can also add sautéed mushrooms or soft paneer cubes for a richer texture.

Enjoy!

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