Chicken keema is a simple and easy to make Indian dish with chicken mince, onions,tomatoes, spices and herbs. Minced meat known as keema or qeema is used to make various dishes like curry, paratha, samosa, sandwiches, cutlets or keema balls. This is one of the basic chicken mince recipes from Indian cuisine which you can serve as a side in an Indian meal. It goes well with plain rice, butter naan, roti or paratha.
The recipe shared here is much similar to this mutton keema. You can also use this recipe to make boiled egg keema or soya keema.
I have used homemade chicken mince so it is not fine. If using ready minced meat or machine minced meat the texture will be more fine.
This chicken keema is easy to make, tastes delicious and can be used in so many other ways. It can be used as a stuffing in your samosas, sandwiches, wraps, kathi rolls, parathas etc.
If using for parathas or kebabs then make sure you use fine mince.
To make this chicken keema ensure you use an aromatic spice powder like a meat masala or a good garam masala. The flavor of your dish depends on the spice powder you use. I used a store bought meat masala powder here.
This recipe will give you a dry keema. If you prefer to make a gravy or curry then you can simply pour some coconut milk or cashew milk towards the end. I have included the details in the recipe card below.
You may also like to check this Mutton keema recipe and Egg keema recipe.
Related quick chicken recipes,
pepper chicken
kadai chicken
garlic chicken
chicken majestic
gongura chicken fry
Preparation for Chicken keema
1. Heat oil in a pan on a low to medium heat. Add the whole spices & let them sizzle.
2. Then add onions, green chilies and fry until golden.
3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
4. Transfer tomatoes or tomato puree and fry until the tomatoes turn soft.
5. Add garam masala, red chilli powder and mint or curry leaves.
6. Fry until the raw smell goes off from tomatoes.
How to make chicken keema
7. Set aside the onion tomato mixture to a plate. Add bay leaf back to the pan and then keema, sprinkle salt and turmeric. Most times tomatoes turn the meat tough or hard, hence i prefer to set aside.
8. On a low flame, cover and cook till it is completely cooked and is soft. If needed sprinkle some water.
9. Lastly add the onion tomato mixture back to the pan. Stir well. on a low flame, cover and cook again till every thing blends well.
10. Add chopped coriander leaves. Off the stove. To make a gravy version of this, add 1/3 cup coconut milk or blend 12 cashews to smooth milk and pour it. Cook till the curry thickens. If you prefer to use cream check the recipe below on how to use.
Garnish and serve it with rice or roti.
onion raita, mint raita, cucumber raita also go well.
Related Recipes
Chicken keema
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
Whole spices
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon cumin or shahi jeera
- 1 small cinammon stick
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 4 black pepper corn (optional)
other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup onions chopped
- 1 green chili (chopped or slit)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tomato
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala or meat masala (adjust to suit your taste)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder
- 8 mint leaves chopped or 1 sprig curry leaves
- 250 grams chicken keema or minced chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt or as needed
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves for garnish
optional ingredients
- ¼ cup green peas or cashews
- ¼ cup cream or coconut milk or 12 cashews nuts (to make gravy)
Instructions
- Pour oil to a pan and heat it. Add the whole spices and saute till they begin to sizzle.
- Add onions and green chilli. Fry until the onions turn golden.
- Next add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes off.
- Transfer the chopped tomatoes, fry until softened. If tomatoes are dry, sprinkle very little water.
- Add chili powder and masala powder, mint leaves and fry until the raw smell of tomatoes go off.
- Set the onion tomato mixture to a plate.
- Add back the bay leaf and minced meat, turmeric and salt.
- Cover and cook on a low heat till the qeema is soft cooked in its own moisture. If needed sprinkle little water.
- Add back the onion tomato mixture. Mix everything well.
- Cook covered on a low flame till minced meat and onion tomato mixture blends well. This depends on the quantity of moisture left in the pan. To make dry keema curry, cook tiil all the moisture evaporates.
How to make chicken keema gravy
- To make a gravy version of the chicken keema recipe, pour coconut milk or cashew milk and cook till the curry thickens. To make smooth cashew milk, blend cashew nuts with little water.
- If using cream, pour the cream in a bowl, add little keema to the cream first. stir it and then add it to the pan. This way it doesn't curdle. Add chopped coriander leaves.Serve with rice or roti, naan
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
I had to leave a comment to mention how well it turned out. I’m a very nervous cook and botch up all recipes. But you had explained everything to the T. It came out so well even when I didn’t have some of the ingredients. Thank you so very much.
Love your recipes. So glad I came across them online. So tasty. My husband was happy with the result as I made this especially for him.
Thanks Swasthi.
Thank you so much Sufi
So happy to know!
🙂
I have a stash of blended onion in my fridge. Can I use that?
I have no experience cooking with frozen onions. I think they turn bitter
Great recipe. Uber delicious!
Thanks Neeta
Hi, can you add spinach? Any spices need yo be adjusted if I do??
Hi,
Yes add it at the last, 3 to 4 mins before finishing the dish. You don’t need to adjust the spices. 2 to 3 cups of chopped spinach is enough
Thank you! Love all your recipes, everything so far I’ve tried has been a win with my family.
So glad to know Asma
hi, have you ever used beef mince to make a samosa ?, and if you have, is the cooking and ingredients the same as the chicken (but with beef)
kind regards Ben
Hi Ben
No! I don’t cook beef.
Tried this yesterday and it was very yummy.. Thank you..
Glad to know Vidya
Can I add eggs to this chicken keema? Also can I use yogurt or buttermilk rather than cream?
Hi,
Yes you can use boiled eggs. Fry them until blistered in 1 tablespoon ghee or oil in a separate pan. Turn off and sprinkle some red chilli powder and garam masala. Add this as a garnishing to the final dish. Yogurt or buttermilk can’t be a substitute for cream.
Cream is a optional ingredient which you can skip
Hello, if I wanted to add potatoes how should I cook them and when should I add them ?
Thank you for your help !
Hi Nandita,
Chop them to 1.5 by 1.5 inch pieces and saute in oil before adding keema. When they are half cooked, add the keema. Also soak the potatoes in water for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking so they cook faster.
Hi, Swasthi. Your ingredients list “1 green slit”. Can you clarify what you mean? Thank you, and I’m looking forward to making this. I tried your chicken korma recipe and my family loved it.
Hi Kim,
Sorry it is 1 green chilli – slit or chopped
I have updated it. Glad your family loved the chicken korma. Thank you
Swasthi, I don’t know where you’ve been (or where I’ve been), but I’m so glad to have found you. I just made your samosas, both chicken and vegetarian. My family and I are in love. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Welcome Kim!
🙂
So glad to know your family loves the samosas! Thank you so much!
Hi. I remember going through your website and coming across several recipes for chicken mince/kheema, but now see only one. I was particularly interested in trying a chicken mince meatball curry. Could you let me know if you have one? I don’t know if I was mistaken because I can’t find it on your website anymore.
Hi,
I don’t have a recipe for meatball curry
Thank you very much for the recipe.
First time cooked Keema and it tasted so yummy.
You are welcome!
Glad to know!
This was delicious! I served the chicken keema over spaghetti noodles. My family loved it. Thank you.
Welcome Amala
Glad to know it was good.
Thank you
Excellent and very nicely depicted.
Thank you
Ever since I came across your website (I really don’t know how) but it has been a godsend. Earlier I used to struggle to search for easy and good recipes on the net. No more, I just look you up and my problem solved? a very BIG thank you. P
Hello Prista
You are welcome! So happy to read your comment. Thanks a lot! You made my day!
🙂
The chicken keema came out mind blowing … the spices blended really well with the onion and tomato… the meat masala with tumeric,dhaniya & chill powder played its magic. The fried pudina and coriander garnishing was truly the game changer.thank you swathi ….
I owe you big time
NAVEEN GJ
Hi Naveen
You are welcome. Thank you so much for the comment. So glad your chicken keema turned out good.
Didn’t have meat masala but it still tasted superb. Thank You
Welcome Ambita
Glad it turned out good. Thank you!
Hi Swasthi, this recipe is absolutely amazing.
I made it yesterday and everyone loved it. I’d added some peas else followed the recipe to the T.
Hi Chetan Mahajan,
Thank you so much for trying. Glad you liked it.
Excellent family enjoyed it
Thanks for trying Sheena!
Tried it and loved it, the keema really turned out well. The only modification I did was after cooking the onion tomato mixture, I blended it in the processer a little as I like mashed out keema. I also dried the keema and used it as a stuffing in paratha for lunch. Tasted great with coriander chutney. Thank you for sharing the recipe !
Delicious…
I have two questions for some modifications:
-do you think I could skip the onion? I can’t digest onion very well unfortunately ;_;
-if I want to use it in savory pastries that are baked in the oven (like little pittas or empanadas or a whole pie), should I cook the meat less, or moisten it more?
Thanks Didina
Yes You can skip onions and tomatoes as well, also the dry whole spices. Actually we make it that way most times as it is easy to digest.
Just saute the meat on a low heat with lot of curry leaves, jeera, chilli powder and garam masala. You can also add green peas or cashews.
To use for empanadas or pies, it is good to keep keema moist but not with dripping juices otherwise they may turn soggy from inside very quickly. Cooking time don’t need to be reduced since they are used as filling and keema would be covered so it doesn’t get overcooked. Hope these help