Ever wondered how a curry can taste luxurious without cream or butter?
Meet chicken kosha — the slow-fried, caramelized-onion, mustard-oil magic from Bengal that gives you deep, concentrated flavors without any dairy overload.
If you like rich spices and thick gravy that coats the chicken, this chicken kosha recipe will quickly become a favorite.
What is Chicken Kosha
Chicken kosha is a classic from Bengali cuisine — think slowly cooked chicken in a bed of browned onions, tempered with toasted whole spices and finished with ghee.
The technique is about controlled heat and time: you want the onions deeply caramelized and the spices roasted so the dish develops sweet, smoky, and savory layers. The result? A rich-feeling curry that leans on technique, not cream — perfect if you want indulgence without heaviness.
You’ll see this called Bengali chicken kosha or served as a dry-to-semi-gravy masala; when done right, the sauce reduces and coats the chicken like velvet.
Ingredients breakdown
- Marinated chicken (curd + spices + mustard oil): curd tenderizes while the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste adds heat and freshness.
- Onions: the backbone — caramelized until brown to add natural sweetness and body.
- Toasted whole spices → chicken kosha masala: bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms, mace, cloves, nutmeg, peppercorns — when dry-roasted and ground, they give a complex, warm aroma (this is your signature chicken kosha masala).
- Mustard oil: authentic, pungent, and it adds that characteristic Bengali edge.
- Kashmiri chilli & coriander/cumin powders: color and subtle heat without bitterness.
- Ghee at the end: glossy finish and a touch of buttery fragrance without needing cream.
How the cooking actually flows
Start by tossing your cleaned chicken with curd, the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and the basic dry spices — let it sit so the flavors penetrate. Meanwhile, roast those whole spices on low heat until they whisper aromatic; cool and grind them to make your chicken kosha masala.
Heat mustard oil until it’s shimmering and slightly smoky — this oil is a flavor engine for Bengali dishes. Thinly slice a generous amount of onions and sauté them slowly until they reach a deep golden-brown; that slow caramelization builds the dish’s natural sweetness and body. Add the marinated chicken and give it a good toss so the chicken sears and mingles with the onions. Sprinkle in the ground spice mix and powdered masalas, splash in a little water, then cover and let the chicken simmer gently.
At this stage you’re not rushing: you want the moisture to reduce so the masala becomes concentrated and clings to each piece — that’s the “kosha” (slow-cooked) moment. Finish with a small knob of ghee and a final grind of the masala if you like it punchier. Serve hot with steamed rice or luchi — the sauce is thick, glossy, and intensely flavored.
Pro Tip 💡: For authentic depth, roast the whole spices until they’re fragrant but not burnt — grinding them fresh right before cooking preserves volatile oils. Also, let the chicken rest for 10–15 minutes after cooking; the flavors meld and the gravy tightens into that characteristic kosha glaze.
Why you should make this
- Comfort food with balance: protein-forward and deeply spiced, great with rice or rotis.
- No heavy dairy needed: richness comes from slow-cooked onions, mustard oil, and a finishing dash of ghee — so you get depth without cream.
- Make-ahead friendly: flavors only improve after resting, so it’s great for batch cooking or entertaining.
If you’re exploring India’s regional chicken curries, add Karnataka’s fiery Chicken Ghee Roast to your must-try list.
What goes along with Chicken Kosha
- Steamed basmati rice or plain hot rice for classic pairing.
- Luchi/poorI for festival-style indulgence.
- Simple kachumber (cucumber-tomato salad) or pickled onions to cut through the richness.
- A dollop of plain yogurt on the side if you want a cooling element.
How to serve
Serve the chicken hot, spoon the glossy masala over rice, and garnish with a few fresh coriander leaves. If you prefer, add a wedge of lemon or raw sliced green chilies for diners who want extra heat.
Packing & meal-prep
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water.
- For lunchboxes, pack rice separately and add the chicken kosha in a leakproof container. Add a small container of salad to freshen up the meal.
Party / Bulk Preparation
- Double the spice roast and grind it in one batch; store the powdered chicken kosha masala in an airtight jar for future use.
- Cook chicken in batches, reduce the final gravy to desired consistency, then combine everything in a large pan and keep warm in a chafing dish for serving.
- Kosha actually benefits from a few hours of rest — make ahead the night before for deeper flavor.
Chicken Kosha
Description
This chicken kosha is a classic Bengali-style curry that’s rich, spicy, and full of flavor. Tender marinated chicken is cooked with caramelized onions and a freshly ground chicken kosha masala, giving it a deep taste without the need for cream or butter. Perfect with steamed basmati rice or soft rotis, this chicken kosha recipe is comforting, hearty, and great for both special meals and everyday cooking.
Ingredients
To make chicken marinade
To make garam masala
To make chicken kosha
Instructions
Prep Work
-
Clean and pat chicken
Rinse chicken and pat dry so it takes the marinade evenly.
-
Make and apply marinade
Mix curd, paste, salt, turmeric, chilli, and coriander powder and mustard oil into a smooth marinade and coat the chicken fully; set aside to marinate for 1 hour.
-
Roast and grind garam masala
Dry roast whole spices on low heat until aromatic, cool, then grind to a fine powder.
Method
-
Heat oil and sauté onions
Heat mustard oil in a wide kadai and add thinly sliced onions; sauté until they turn golden brown and deeply caramelized.
-
Add marinated chicken
Add the marinated chicken to the onions and mix well so the chicken pieces are coated; cook briefly to sear the outside. -
Add powdered spices and water
Stir in the ground garam masala and the powdered spices, adjust salt, then add water and mix everything well.
-
Cover and simmer
Cover the pan and cook on medium-low so the chicken cooks for 10 mins. -
Reduce and finish
Uncover and cook uncovered until moisture evaporates and the oil separates; finish by stirring in ghee and a final pinch of garam masala, then turn off the heat.
Equipment
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 575kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 28g44%
- Saturated Fat 8g40%
- Cholesterol 8mg3%
- Sodium 860mg36%
- Potassium 700mg20%
- Total Carbohydrate 12g4%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 62g124%
- Vitamin A 100 IU
- Vitamin C 7 mg
- Calcium 30 mg
- Iron 2.2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
