Shahi Chicken Keema – is a very delicious and flavorful dish. What is Keema? Minced meat is referred as keema in India. Mostly goats meat is used to make shahi keema however I have used chicken which tastes equally great and yummy. To be honest quite healthy dish, great for kids and can be served as meal or lunch box too.
My hubby ate for dinner and next day for lunch too he just loved them so much. I am looking forward to make more of Shahi Chicken Keema. Nobody eats goats meat in our house hence chicken 🙂 Most probably I will try the same recipe with cottage cheese and tofu for a variation. My vegetarian and vegan readers can try the same recipe with cottage cheese or tofu. I am sure it will taste great with them too.
In India you get keema (minced meat) easily available. Sometimes the mince is still chunk sized. In this case you could grind into a processor to make them fine. Keema is quite a popular dish in Mumbai and Hyderabad region. Mostly keema is served with pav (bread) and known as Keema Pav. Some Irani joints in Mumbai serve delicious keema pav and omelettes.
In fact keema is made with lot of variation. The one I have chosen today is shahi which means rich. Shahi Chicken Keema were made for the Mughal emperors in olden days. Lots of cashewnuts, poppy seeds etc are used for making Shahi Chicken Keema. It’s a long process to make this keema but it’s worth it. Let’s get started in making this.
If looking more chicken recipes then do check recipes on blog like chicken keema, chicken curry, chicken fry, chicken biryani and pan-fried chicken.
How to make Shahi Chicken Keema recipe card below:
- 500 gms minced chicken (keema)gms minced chicken (keema)
- 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) Or oil
- 1 onion choppedonion chopped
- 1.5 inch ginger
- 12 to 13 garlic cloves
- 10 to 12 mint leaves
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 to 5 green cardamoms
- 10 black pepper
- 1 mace (javitri)javitri)
- 1 tbsp fennel seed
- 1 tbsp cumin seed
- 1 tbsp caraway seed (shahi jeera)shahi jeera)
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp chicken biryani masala powderbiryani masala powder
- 4 to 5 dry red kashmiri chilieskashmiri chilies
- 5 cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seed (dhaniya)dhaniya)
- 1 tbsp poppy seed (khuskhus)khuskhus)
- 1 tbsp white sesame seed (safed til)safed til)
- 1 tbsp melon seed
- 1 t/s turmeric powder
- 10 to 12 almonds
- 20 cashewnutscashewnuts
- 1 glass boiling hot water
- 1/2 cup milk (optional)
- 2 boiled eggs (optional)
- salt as per taste
- few chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
- Marination:
- 1 lime juice
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- Marinate the keema (mince) with lime juice and ginger-garlic paste.keema (mince) with lime juice and ginger-garlic paste.
- Mix well and marinate for an hour Or overnight in the fridge.
- Grind the keema (mince) with chopped onion, ginger, garlic, mint leaveskeema (mince) with chopped onion, ginger, garlic, mint leaves
- and coriander leaves. Keep it aside.
- Take a pan add 1 tbsp ghee Or oil. Once oil is hot add whole spices like caraway seed, cumin seed and fennel seed.
- Once it crackles add the dry red chilies, cinnamon, mace, peppercorn, cloves, green cardamom and coriander seed.
- Saute for a minute then grind into a processor until smooth paste is formed.minute then grind into a processor until smooth paste is formed.
- Separately grind melonseed, poppyseed, almonds and sesameseed till smooth paste is formed.melonseed, poppyseed, almonds and sesameseed till smooth paste is formed.
- Add little water if required. Add rest of ghee Or oil to another pan.to another pan.
- Place on low heat once oil is heated add the grounded red chili paste.oil is heated add the grounded red chili paste.
- Saute for 2 to 3 mins Or until it starts leaving oil around the edges.
- It’s time to add the grounded keema. Saute until the water evaporates.keema. Saute until the water evaporates.
- Now mix turmeric,cashewnut,garam masala,chicken biryanimasala. Mix nicely.
- Add milk if using + boiling hot water. Allow keema to cook until gravy thickens.
- Lastly add salt for seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves and sliced boiled eggs if using.
- Serve hot with pav Or roti.
Naresh Patel says
A well-made Chicken Kheema is indeed delicious but I have always had this dish on the streets of Mumbai. I have been looking for a good recipe of Chicken Kheema to try out and this seems apt. I am going to prepare this for breakfast to go with buttered Paav, the Mumbai style.
maria says
Thanks Naresh do try and let me know how the keema was? thanks.
sandeep kumar sethi says
i love keema ..n i have become a great fan of ur recipie
maria says
Thankyou Sandeep 🙂 for trying and I am glad you liked them.
Suzanne Perazzini says
It sounds delicious and has one million ingredients but I am sure it is worth the effort. I would probably choose chicken too though I had some lovely goat curries when I lived in Fiji.
maria says
Thanks Suzanne 🙂