Hyderabadi Shadi Wala Red Chicken (Wedding-Style Red Chicken)

I made this Hyderabadi Shadi Wala Red Chicken for my family this weekend and it went down an absolute treat. Everyone loved it! Shadi Wala means wedding-style, and this is a dish that has been making quite a splash on social media recently. It's easy to see why.

Read more: Hyderabadi Shadi Wala Red Chicken (Wedding-Style Red Chicken)

The chicken is coated in a rich, creamy marinade made with almonds, cashews, desiccated coconut, yoghurt, tomatoes, fried onions, ginger, garlic and a generous combination of spices and chilli sauces.

The nuts and coconut create a wonderfully rich base, while black pepper, red chilli powder, fresh green chillies and two types of chilli sauce bring plenty of heat. I also add a little green chilli paste, which takes the heat up considerably, so this is entirely optional. The chicken cooks gently in the marinade until tender, before a little cream is stirred through at the end.

The result is beautifully vibrant red chicken with a thick, flavour-packed sauce. It looks impressive on the table but is surprisingly straightforward to make. You simply prepare the marinade, leave the chicken to absorb the flavours and let everything cook together.

Serve with fluffy basmati rice or hot naan, alongside a fresh kachumber salad.

Jump to:

• Recipe Snapshot
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• What Is Shadi Wala Red Chicken?
• Ingredients
• How To Make Hyderabadi Shadi Wala Red Chicken
• Tips For Making The Best Shadi Wala Red Chicken
• Variations
• What To Serve With Shadi Wala Red Chicken
• Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe Snapshot

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Marinating Time: 2 hours minimum, preferably overnight
• Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
• Total Time: Approximately 3 hours
• Servings: 4-6
• Cuisine: Hyderabadi-inspired
• Course: Main Course
• Dietary: Halal

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A recipe worth the social media attention - Shadi Wala Red Chicken has been circulating widely online again, and having made it for my own family, I can see the appeal.
• A rich, creamy marinade - Almonds, cashews, coconut, tomatoes and yoghurt create a thick marinade that coats every piece of chicken beautifully.
• Layers of chilli flavour - Black pepper, red chilli powder, fresh green chillies and two types of chilli sauce bring different kinds of heat. The optional green chilli paste takes things up another notch.
• Beautiful colour - The combination of red chilli powder, tomatoes and a little food colouring gives the chicken its distinctive deep red appearance.
• Straightforward preparation - Most of the work happens before cooking. Once the chicken is marinated, everything goes into one pan.
• Perfect for sharing - This is a lovely dish for family meals and occasions when you want something a little different from your usual chicken curry.

What Is Shadi Wala Red Chicken?

Shadi Wala Red Chicken, also known as Shadiyon Wala Chicken or Hyderabadi Wedding Red Chicken, is a rich, spicy chicken preparation associated with Hyderabadi wedding food.

The word shadi (also spelt shaadi) means wedding, while wala describes something associated with or in the style of. The name therefore translates loosely as wedding-style chicken.

The dish has been shared in different forms for years. One earlier online reference I found is a 2017 video by Hyderabad Wala Recipes featuring Maimoona Yasmeen's Dum Ka Red Chicken. In July 2018, Norien, through the YouTube channel Hyderabadi Mom In Dubai, published a recipe specifically titled Hyderabadi Shadiyon Wala Red Chicken.

More recently, the dish has found a new audience on social media. Food creator Noor Baqtiar has shared a popular version featuring almonds, cashews, coconut, yoghurt, chilli sauces and ghee. Her recipe was also featured in a March 2025 Hindustan Times article.

There are variations between recipes, and I wouldn't attribute the entire dish to one particular creator or claim there is one definitive original recipe. It's lovely to see an older celebratory-style dish gaining attention again and finding its way into more home kitchens.

My version uses almonds, cashews and desiccated coconut blended into a rich marinade with yoghurt, puréed tomatoes, fried onions, ginger, garlic, chilli sauces and spices.

Ingredients

Chicken - 1kg chicken legs or thighs, preferably bone-in and cut into manageable pieces. Chicken thighs are particularly good here as they remain juicy during cooking and contribute flavour to the sauce.

Almonds - 15 almonds. These are ground with the cashews and coconut to create the base of the marinade, adding body and a subtle nuttiness.

Cashews - 15 cashews. Cashews are naturally creamy when blended and help give the sauce its rich consistency.

Desiccated coconut - ½ cup. This adds another layer of richness and gives the marinade a lovely texture.

Yoghurt - 1 cup plain yoghurt. Yoghurt forms the main body of the marinade, adding tanginess and helping tenderise the chicken.

Puréed plum tomatoes - ¼ tin (from a 400 g tin). These add acidity, savouriness and colour to the marinade. Use plum tomatoes and blend until smooth.

Ginger paste - 1½ tbsp. Ginger brings warmth and a little sharpness to balance the creamy ingredients.

Garlic paste - 1½ tbsp. Garlic adds savoury depth and is an important part of the marinade.

Black pepper - 2 tsp. Black pepper contributes a different kind of heat from the red chilli powder, giving the chicken a more rounded spiciness.

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp. This provides warmth and contributes to the colour. Adjust according to the variety and strength of chilli powder you use.

Garam masala - 2 tsp. This brings aromatic warmth and rounds out the other spices.

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp. Turmeric adds earthy flavour and a little colour.

Lemon juice - Juice of 1 lemon. The acidity cuts through the richness of the nuts, coconut and cream.

Ching's red chilli sauce - 2 tbsp. This adds a sweet, tangy chilli flavour. If you cannot find Ching's, use another Indian-style red chilli sauce. Alternatively, combine 1½ tablespoon sriracha with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar.

Ching's green chilli sauce - 2 tbsp. This adds a sharper green chilli flavour. Use another brand of green chilli sauce as an alternative, or blend fresh green chillies with a little vinegar and salt.

Green chilli paste (optional) - 1 tsp. This adds a considerable amount of heat. I used it in my version, but it is entirely optional. Leave it out if you prefer a more moderate level of spice.

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp. Soy sauce adds savoury depth and balances the other flavours. If you need a gluten-free option, use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce.

Green chillies - 4, slit down the middle. These add fresh chilli heat to the marinade and sauce.

Ghee - 2 tbsp. Ghee adds richness and a lovely buttery flavour to the marinade.

Fried onions - ¾ cup, loosely packed. Fried onions add sweetness and depth, helping create a rich, rounded sauce.

Cream - 3 tbsp, divided. One tablespoon goes into the marinade, while the remaining two tablespoons are stirred through at the end for a creamy finish.

Salt - To taste. Remember that the soy sauce and chilli sauces already contain salt, so adjust accordingly.

Red food colouring - Approximately ¼ tbsp, depending on the strength of your food colouring. Add gradually, as some varieties are much more concentrated than others.

Fresh coriander - Chopped, to garnish.

How To Make Hyderabadi Shadi Wala Red Chicken

1. Prepare the nut and coconut paste

Add the almonds, cashews and desiccated coconut to a blender. Grind until finely powdered or blended into a coarse paste.

If needed, add a tiny splash of water to help the mixture blend. You want a fairly fine consistency so that it incorporates evenly into the marinade.

2. Marinate the chicken

Add the ground almond, cashew and coconut mixture directly to the chicken, followed by all the remaining marinade ingredients: yoghurt, puréed plum tomatoes, ginger paste, garlic paste, black pepper, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice, red chilli sauces, optional green chilli paste, soy sauce, slit green chillies, ghee, fried onions, 1 tablespoon cream, salt and red food colouring.

Mix thoroughly, ensuring every piece of chicken is well coated in the marinade.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

3. Cook the chicken

Add Chicken to a pot.

Cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the chicken is coated and the marinade begins to cook.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender.

Stir occasionally to prevent the thick marinade from catching on the bottom of the pan. If the sauce becomes too thick before the chicken is cooked, add a small splash of water.

The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces and whether you are using bone-in or boneless chicken.

4. Finish with cream and coriander

Once the chicken is tender and cooked through, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoon cream.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot.

Tips For Making The Best Shadi Wala Red Chicken

Grind the nuts finely - A finer nut and coconut mixture will give you a more cohesive sauce. Avoid leaving large pieces of almonds or cashews in the marinade.

Give the chicken time to marinate - Two hours is the minimum, but overnight marinating gives the flavours more time to develop.

Use chicken thighs - Thighs are particularly forgiving during cooking and tend to stay juicy. Bone-in pieces also contribute plenty of flavour.

Cook gently once covered - The yoghurt, nuts, coconut and tomatoes make this a fairly thick marinade. Keep the heat low after the initial cooking period and stir occasionally to prevent it catching.

Adjust the food colouring - The amount needed will depend on the type and concentration of food colouring. Start with less and build up to the colour you want.

Be careful with the green chilli paste - Even 1 teaspoon makes a noticeable difference to the heat. Leave it out if you prefer a milder version.

Taste before adding more salt - The chilli sauces and soy sauce can already be quite salty.

Don't skip the finishing cream - It softens the chilli heat slightly and gives the finished sauce a lovely consistency.

Variations

Adjust the heat - Reduce the red chilli powder or fresh green chillies if you prefer a milder dish. The green chilli paste is optional and can be omitted altogether.

Use different chicken pieces - Chicken drumsticks, thighs or a mixture of bone-in pieces all work well. Boneless chicken thighs are another option, although they will cook more quickly.

Make it without food colouring - The food colouring is there for appearance rather than flavour. Leave it out if you prefer. The red chilli powder and tomatoes will still contribute colour.

Change the chilli sauces - If Ching's sauces are unavailable, use the suggested alternatives. For Ching's red chilli sauce - use another Indian-style red chilli sauce. Alternatively, combine 1½ tablespoon sriracha with a splash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar. For Ching's green chilli sauce - use another brand of green chilli sauce as an alternative, or blend fresh green chillies with a little vinegar and salt.. Bear in mind that different sauces vary in sweetness, saltiness and heat.

Make it less rich - You can reduce the finishing cream, although the nuts, coconut and yoghurt are important to the consistency and character of this particular marinade.

What To Serve With Shadi Wala Red Chicken

This chicken has a rich, spicy sauce, so it works particularly well with simple accompaniments.

Rice - Serve with plain basmati rice, jeera rice, ghee rice or a fragrant rice pilaf. The rice is lovely for soaking up the sauce.

Naan - Hot, fluffy naan is ideal for scooping up the chicken and its thick marinade. Try my Butter Garlic Naan Bread for a homemade accompaniment.

Kachumber Salad - A fresh, crunchy salad of cucumber, tomatoes and red onion provides a refreshing contrast to the richness of the chicken. My Indian Kachumber Salad is a lovely accompaniment.

Raita - Cucumber raita, Red onion Raita, Mint Raita or plain yoghurt with a little cumin helps balance the heat.

Lemon wedges - A squeeze of fresh lemon just before eating brightens the richness of the dish.

Storage

Refrigeration - Allow the chicken to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezing - Freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating - Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened during storage.

Can it be made ahead? - Yes. You can prepare the marinade and leave the chicken to marinate overnight. This makes it particularly convenient when cooking for family or guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called Shadi Wala Chicken?

Shadi means wedding, so Shadi Wala Chicken refers to wedding-style chicken. It is associated with celebratory Hyderabadi food and is also known as Shadiyon Wala Chicken.

Is Hyderabadi Red Chicken very spicy?

It has a noticeable chilli heat from the black pepper, red chilli powder, green chillies and chilli sauces. The optional green chilli paste makes it considerably hotter. Reduce or omit it if you prefer a milder dish.

Why does Shadi Wala Chicken have a red colour?

The distinctive red colour comes from red chilli powder, tomatoes and, in many versions, red food colouring. The amount of colouring needed depends on the brand and concentration.

Can I use boneless chicken?

Yes. Boneless chicken thighs work particularly well because they remain juicy. However, they will cook more quickly than bone-in pieces, so check for doneness earlier.

Can I make this without Ching's chilli sauces?

Yes. Substitute the red chilli sauce with another Indian-style red chilli sauce or sriracha mixed with ketchup. For the green chilli sauce, use another brand or blend fresh green chillies with a little vinegar and salt.

Is the green chilli paste necessary?

No. It is completely optional. I used 1 teaspoon in my version, but it makes the chicken very hot. The recipe already contains several sources of chilli heat, so you can leave it out without compromising the dish.

Can I marinate the chicken overnight?

Yes. Overnight marinating is ideal for this recipe. Keep the chicken covered in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

Why is my sauce too thick?

The ground nuts, coconut, fried onions and tomatoes all contribute to the thickness. Add a little water during cooking and stir until you reach your preferred consistency.

How do I know when the chicken is cooked?

The chicken should be tender and cooked through. If using a food thermometer, the thickest part should reach 75°C, avoiding contact with the bone.

Can I freeze Shadi Wala Red Chicken?

Yes. Once cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.

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