Growing up in California, there was a masjid (mosque) nearby that we used to attend frequently. It was a small masjid, a ranch-style home that was transformed into a few prayer halls and a large kitchen. It had a very homey feel to it and I have wonderful memories of my time spent there. Unfortunately several years ago, a bigot that lived nearby decided to take it upon himself to vandalize and set fire to the mosque (you can read more about that here). Since then, a new mosque has been built in its place.
Some of my fondest memories of that masjid revolve around the community potlucks. They were simple affairs, and the women from the community always brought with them plenty of home-cooked meals. The majority of the community in that area was of Pakistani Punjabi background, and that reflected in the food that was brought to these events. Murgh Cholay, Chicken and Chickpea Curry, was almost always present at these potlucks, and was loved by all. It is a simple dish, and it is often enjoyed with plain rice or with naan/roti (traditional unleavened flatbread).
Enjoy!
Pakistani Chicken and Chickpea Curry / Murgh Cholay
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless or bone-in chicken, skinless and cut into desired size pieces
- 2½ cups boiled chickpeas, divided
- ½ cup neutral flavored oil
- ½ medium onion, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Salt, to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 green chili (serrano or jalapeño), sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Tempering
- ¼ cup neutral flavored oil
- ½ medium onion, sliced thin
Instructions
Prepare Curry
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Use ½-cup of chickpeas and blitz them in a blender or food processor to form a thick puree. Add water as necessary to help attain a smooth paste. Set aside.
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Heat oil in a large vessel over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt, and cook until the oil starts to separate from the spices, about 3 to 5 minutes.
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Add tomatoes and chicken, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the tomatoes have softened and the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir and sauté periodically, and add splashes of water as necessary to prevent the mixture from burning.
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Add chickpeas and pureed chickpeas to the chicken, and continue cooking until the chickpeas have slightly softened and the curry has thickened. Add garam masala and green chili, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for a few minutes.
Prepare Tempering
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Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, stirring often. Once onions have turned golden, carefully pour the mixture over the curry. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro.
This was sooooo good. I added a tspn of coriander powder while the onions were sautéing just for some more fragrance/out of habit, but it probably didn’t need it. So flavorful!! You were right, it went really well with both, rice and roti. The cherry on top?- SO QUICK AND EASY! A perfect weeknight delicacy. That’s always a keeper in my books 🙂 thank you for this recipe!!
Oh Kashvi! Thank you soooo much!!
I forgot to comment saying I had made this beautiful recipe! thank you so much. I’ve come back to it again to make for my friends this weekend. its gorgeous. I’m Pakistani but have always been intimidated by Pakistani cooking because I never thought I could do it as well as my mum/aunties – your recipe gave me that chance to prove that I can 🙂 thank you xxx
This made my day! Thank you so much!
Pardon my ignorance when I say that I never knew Pakistani food could be sooo good (I’m Mexican btw). I originally followed your directions to make this for myself only but then when found just how delicious this dish turned out, I just had to make a vegetarian version for my girlfriend (just switching out the chicken for fried tofu). Needless to say, she loved it. Thank you so much for sharing not only this delicious dish with us, but also for sharing a bit of your culture too.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment. It truly fills my heart, and I’m just so happy to hear that you and your loved ones enjoyed it!