Chicken pasanda is a relatively mild curry loaded with yoghurt, almonds and coriander and it has become one of my absolute favourite curry recipes.
Simple techniques and a relatively small number of spices make this quick 30-minute curry a wonderful introduction to cooking Indian-inspired food at home.
Mild Chicken Curry with Yoghurt, Almonds and Coriander
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My reward for being a brave little soldier was a belly full of beer and a curry.This is a true British treat!
My wife ordered a chicken pasanda, sometimes called a passanda and it was fantastic.I went for a Vindaloo, which to be honest was a little more disappointing my beef vindaloo or pork vindaloo is hands down better.
However, the pasanda was so good thatI pulled over on the way home to buy the ingredients to begin work on this recipe.
It is a triumph of a dish, creamy with a tart edgefrom the yoghurt but fragrant with spices and just a little heat.
It is much more commonly associated with lamb and that is a glorious dish, you should definitely check out my lamb pasanda recipe.
The creamy yoghurt sauce is thickened with ground almonds and then finished with loads of fresh coriander and some toasted almonds.
In many ways, this dish is similar to another yoghurt-based curry, the chicken korma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, and as a bonus they do deliver more flavour. But you cannot cut them into large cbhunks which I like in this curry.
Can I use low-fat or fat-free yoghurt?
I personally would not because it increases the chances of the sauce splitting. We do stabilise the sauce a little with ground almonds but the rish is still there.
My sauce has split can I rescue it?
First of all, do not throw away your dinner, it will still taste great!
The first thing to do is remove the chicken scraping off as much of the pasanda sauce as possible. Then remove it 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce and whisk it with double the amount of yoghurt.
Return it to the pan and and give it all a whisk, then re-add the chicken and gently warm it up. It will not be perfect but it will be much more presentable and no less delicious!
How spicy is a pasanda curry?
It is very much at the milder end of the spectrum! However we all have different levels of tolerance to chilli spice, one person’s mild tickle is another’s raging inferno.
If you are worried feel free to skip the addition of the green chilli pepper at the start of the cooking process. You can always add more chilli pepper when you add the garam masala at the end.
Serving Suggestions.
Curry has an affinity with rice and I have served this chicken pasanda woth some plain white rice in these pictures. A good pilau rice would work equally well!
Of course, you then need some flatbread, something like a tandoori-style naan bread or a chapati or two would be perfect.
If you wanted something different, my roasted Bombay potatoes work wonderfully as do aloo methi.
If you are after some “greens” how about this green bean poriyal or even some cabbage poriyal?
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Grater.
- Quick read meat thermometer. This is optional but recommended due to the low cooking temperature.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
Yield: 2 Servings
Easy Creamy Chicken Pasanda Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This chicken pasanda curry is creamy and tart from yoghurt and fragrant with cumin and coriander. It is one of the milder and simpler Indian chicken curry recipes and a real treat for all the family!
Ingredients
- 400g (14oz) Chicken Breast
- 2 Tbsp Mustard oil
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Onion
- 15g (Half of a thumb-sized piece) Ginger
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Green Chilli Pepper
- 3 Green Cardamom Pods
- ¼ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
- ½ Tsp Ground Kashmiri Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp Ground Turmeric
- 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 25g (¼ Cup) Ground Almonds
- 250g (1 Cup) Full Fat Natural Yoghurt
- ½ Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
- 75ml (⅓ Cup) Water
- Lots of Fresh Coriander
- 1 Tsp Garam Masala
- 20g (3 Tbsp) Toasted Flaked Almonds
Instructions
- Cut the onion, peel it and then cut it into a 2-3mm (⅛") dice.
- Peel and grate the ginger.
- Peel and mash the garlic cloves into a paste.
- Cut the chilli pepper in half lengthways.
- Bash the cardamom with the side of a knife to crack them.
- Cut the chicken into large 3-4cm (1½-1¾) chunks.
- Heat a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a medium heat and when it is hot add the mustard oil.
- When the oil is hot add the chilli pepper, cardamom pods and onion and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook on for a further 1 minute.
- It is now spice time, throw in all of the spice powders, cumin, chilli powder, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon and cook out for 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat in the spicy mix.
- Turn the heat down to low and add the ground almonds, salt, water and yoghurt stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes taking care not to boil the sauce. Make sur that the chicken has reached 73°C or 165°F before serving.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the chopped coriander, and garam masala then let sit for 3-4 minutes, this will thicken up the sauce.
- Then finish with the toasted almonds and serve.
Notes
Using low-fat or no-fat yoghurt in this recipe increases the risk of the sauce curdling.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 530Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 173mgSodium: 546mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 7gProtein: 68g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
