Chicken pasanda recipe with step-by-step photos & a video. Chicken Pasanda is a flavorful chicken curry from Mughlai cuisine with a deliciously creamy texture and a gentle blend of spices. The chicken is marinated in yogurt, spiced with simple seasonings, and cooked. You can make this quick and easy one-pot dish in just 30 minutes. You can serve this Pasanda curry with rice or Naan.
Pasanda is traditionally made with lamb or goat meat. The meat is flattened into thin strips. These strips are marinated with thick yogurt, seasoned with spices & cooked. Nowadays, the ingredients & cooking process are the same but it is also made with chicken (chicken pasanda) & king prawns (prawns pasanda).
This chicken pasanda recipe is mildly spicy. Your kids are going to love it. You might also like these other popular Mughali dishes - Mughlai Chicken Curry, Chicken Korma, Dum Ka Chicken, Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani, Hyderabadi Chicken Masala, and Mughlai Egg Paratha.
About This Recipe
Pasanda is a creamy chicken curry from Mughal cuisine. The word Pasanda or "Pasande" is derived from the “Urdu language” which means “favorite". Pasanda was everyone's favorite dish whether young or old in the Mughal courtyard. Hence the dish got its name “pasanda”.
The chicken is marinated with yogurt, almonds, and a few spices, and cooked. Serve pasanda with Naan, Roti, or Paratha. You can also serve it with steamed rice. I loved the texture, creaminess & the way it just melts in the mouth. Truly, this dish deserves the name pasanda. You have to try this recipe to experience the same.
The dish is originally white or pale yellow in color. The creaminess in the curry comes from yogurt & almond paste. The creamy texture of the gravy is amazing.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This chicken pasanda recipe is quick and easy to make with simple ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen pantry. I skipped the addition of cream at the end of the cooking process. The gravy gets its creaminess from yogurt and almonds.
- Almonds - Almond paste thickens the gravy. Makes the gravy rich & delicious. Alternatively, you can also use cashews.
- Chicken - I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Curd/Yogurt - Use fresh curd/yogurt. Full-fat yogurt is preferred.
- Flavoring - ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, black pepper powder & salt.
- Whole spices - green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon & bay leaf. Skip if you do not have one or two of these whole spices.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Chicken Pasanda (With Step by Step Photos)
1) Soak almonds in warm water for 15 minutes. Transfer it to a mixer grinder and add 2-3 tablespoon water. Grind it to a fine paste. Set it aside.
2) In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, almond paste, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, black pepper powder, and salt.
3) Add chicken strips to the marinade. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes or overnight. If you are marinating it overnight then cover it & keep it in the refrigerator. (Images 3, 4, 5 & 6)
4) Heat 3 teaspoon oil on medium-low heat. You can also use ghee/clarified butter.
5) Saute the whole spices & cumin for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Be careful not to burn them. (images 7 & 8)
6) Next, add onions and stir-fry them until golden. (image 9)
7) Add the marinated chicken & cook stirring continuously until the gravy comes to a boil. (Images 10 & 11) 
8) Add in ½ cup of water. Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per your liking. (image 12)
9) Cover & cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Stir it in between as required (the almond paste sticks to the bottom of the pan). (image 13). Garnish with coriander leaves. 
Chicken pasanda is ready to serve. (image 14). Serve it hot with Roti/Naan.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Marinate the chicken strips for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Overnight marination is the best. The longer it marinates the better it tastes. If you are marinating it overnight then cover & keep it in the refrigerator.
- Slightly open the cardamom pods before adding them to the hot oil. Otherwise, the cardamom will burst in hot oil & oil will splatter on you.
- Saute the whole spices on low-medium heat.
- While cooking the chicken gravy stir it in between as required. The almond paste sticks to the bottom of the pan.
- The gravy will thicken after some time. Add some hot water & stir to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a mildly spicy and creamy chicken curry.
Korma and Pasanda both are rich, thick & creamy curries. The difference is Korma is spicier than Pasanda. Pasanda is milder in flavor.
A thin slice of boneless meat cut into strips & flattened (or escalope) is used to make Pasanda.
Pasanda Variations
- Make a vegetarian version by adding mixed veggies and paneer to the curry.
- Skip the addition of nuts (almonds and cashews). Add coconut milk and cream.
More Chicken Curry Recipes
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Madras Chicken
- Chicken Dhansak
- Chicken Korma
- Chicken Pathia
- Indian Butter Chicken
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Recipe Card
Chicken Pasanda Recipe
Ingredients
To make the almond paste
- 15 almonds (badam)
To marinate the chicken
- 300 g chicken breast (cut into strips & flattened)
- ½ cup curd/yogurt
- ground almonds paste
- 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (adrak lasan ka paste)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (red chili powder)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder (kali mirch ka powder)
- salt to taste
To make the chicken pasanda recipe
- 2 green cardamom (choti ealichi)
- 3 cloves (laung)
- 1- inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
- coriander leaves
- 2 onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Soak almonds in warm water for 15 minutes. Transfer it to a mixer grinder. Add 2-3 tablespoon water and grind it to a fine paste. Set it aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, ground almond paste, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, black pepper powder and salt.
- Add chicken strips to it. Marinate the chicken strips for 30 minutes or overnight. If you are marinating it overnight then cover it & keep it in the refrigerator.
- Heat 3 teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat. You can also use ghee/clarified butter.
- Saute the whole spices & cumin for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Be careful not to burn them.
- Next, add onion slices, and stir fry them until golden.
- Add the marinated chicken & cook stirring continuously until the gravy comes to a boil.
- Add ½ cup of water. Adjust the consisrency of the gravy as per your liking.
- Cover & cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Stir it in between as required.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Chicken pasanda is ready to serve. Serve it hot with Roti/Naan.
Video
Notes
- Slightly open the cardamom pods before adding them to the hot oil.
- While cooking the chicken gravy stir it in between as required. The almond paste sticks to the bottom of the gravy.
- The gravy will thicken after some time. Add some hot water & mix to adjust the consistency of the gravy.
- If you prefer spicy, increase the quantity of red chili powder.
- Storage Suggestion:
- Store the leftover Pasanda curry within 2 hours of making it.
- Let the pasanda gravy cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate. Stays good for a day.
- You can freeze the curry. Stays good for a week. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Add some water to adjust the consistency of the gravy. Reheat until piping hot and serve.
- Do not store the gravy again, once you thaw it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Shreya
Awesome recipe
Preeti
Thanks
Ramesh
Nice! I tried it. Delicious chicken recipe. Will try other recipes from your blog.
Preeti
Thanks.
Jess
Made this last night and LOVED it. I have trouble digesting dairy, so I curdled some coconut milk with lime juice for the chicken marinade. It was phenomenal. The poppy seeds and almond paste give the dish a certain something special. A great recipe!
Preeti
Glad you liked it. Thanks for sharing dairy-free version that you tried.