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CHICKEN PASANDA(badam pasanda)

Chicken pasanda, is a rich and creamy North Indian chicken curry with a mild flavour.

Tender chicken pieces are first marinated in yoghurt, garam masala, freshly ground coriander seeds, peppercorns

The longer you marinate, the better the chicken pasanda(almond chicken curry) will taste.

Once marinated, you’ll be cooking in a creamy, nutty sauce made up of ground toasted almonds and various other aromatic spices.

badam chicken or almond chicken curry in a bowl with almond slices on top.

Since chicken pasanda is so thick and rich with its almond curry sauce, keep everything else as simple as possible.

    serve warm wirh a few slivers of almond slices and coriander leaves.
    • have all the ingredients ready.
    • Marinate the chicken.
    • Toast and grind the almonds.
    • Make the spice blend.
    • Make the almond(pasanda)curry sauce.
    • Add the chicken and cook.
    • Chopping board and knife.
    • Large bowl to marinate the chicken.
    • Spice blender to first grind the almonds and then the spices.
    • Medium-large pan to cook the curry.
    Chicken pasanda, an indian almond chicken curry made with yogurt, Indian spices and cooked in an almond curry sauce.

    MUGHLAI CHICKEN KORMA(North Indian chicken curry).
    chicken vindaloo
    INDIAN CHICKEN CURRY WITH YOGHURT AND TOMATO.

    Once cool, transfer to a glass container with a lid and refrigerate. If you use plastic containers to store, make sure they are a little old as this curry can stain the container.

    Store in an airtight container, once the curry is cold and consume within 4 to 5 days.

    Make only as much as you need. if you have any leftovers after a party, there’s always someone who would appreciate some curry they can take home.
    Freeze any leftovers and use them within the week.

    The ingredients mentioned below are used in standard measuring cups and spoons.

    700g of chicken breast cut into the required size

    1/4 cup almonds

    1 and 1/2 tablespoons of coriander seeds

    2 teaspoons of black peppercorns

    1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

    1 teaspoon of red chilli powder

    1 teaspoon of garam masala powder(add 1/2 a teaspoon more for stronger flavour)

    Salt to season(add more as needed)

    1/4 cup plain yogurt

    To make the almond curry sauce

    2 tablespoons of ghee

    1 large onion sliced fine

    2-inch piece cinnamon

    3 green cardamom slightly bruised

    1 and 1/2 tablespoons of minced ginger-garlic paste

    1 large tomato pureed or you can chop the tomatoes until they are mushed.

    Please make sure to read the recipe instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.

    Prep work to make the chicken pasanda.

    Cut the chicken breast into the required size and place in a bowl. you can use boneless chicken or breast for best results. set aside.

    Into a small frying pan, add the almonds and toast them for 1 to 2 minutes over low-medium fire.

    Once the almonds cool, add them to the spice grinder, pulse until you have a powdery consistency to the almonds.

    ground toasted almonds in a spice grinder.

    Wipe down the same spice grinder and add peppercorns(2 tsp)and coriander seeds(1 and 1/2 tbsp)

    Pulse to grind them into a coarse powder.

    grind pepper corns and coriander seeds in a spice grinder.

    Add the crushed coriander, pepper powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, and plain yogurt

    Set aside or refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

    The marinated chicken should be at room temperature before it’s added to the almond curry sauce.

    For this reason, make sure the meat is removed from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking time.

    marinating the chicken for chicken pasanda.

    Chop the tomatoes and puree or you can simply chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces. set aside.

    Place a large cooking pan over a low fire.

    Heat a pan and then add oil or ghee, sliced onions, cinnamon, ginger-garlic paste and cardamom.

    Cook until onions are soft and slightly turn brown, avoid burning the spiced as you do this over a low-medium fire.

    temper onions, ginger-garlic and spices in a pan.

    Add the pureed or finely chopped tomatoes to the cooking onions and spices. Combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

    add the chopped tomatoes to the frying onions to make the chicken pasanda.

    Reduce fire to low and add the powdered almond to the cooking ingredients.

    Stir and make sure the almond powdered to the cooking ingredients.

    Stir and make sure the almond powder does not stick to the pan.

    The salmon powder tends to settle in the bottom if not stirred regularly.

    add the almond powder to the pan.

    Once you cook the almond(badam) powder into the tomato curry, the result would be a thick paste-like consistence.

    almond curry sauce cooked over low heat.

    Add the chicken parts which should be at room temperature into the almond curry sauce.

    adding the chicken parts to the almond curry sauce.

    Maintaining low flame and continue to cook the chicken curry with the almond sauce.

    Again make sure to stir as the almond powder tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.

    If you feel the chicken needs more time to cook without the curry sauce burning, add 1/3 cup of water and continue to cook.

    Make sure to taste the curry and season with salt as needed.

    cooking the chicken in the almond curry sauce.

    Once cooked, transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a few slivers of almond and coriander leaves.

    Serve warm. 

    chicken pasanda(Indian almond-badam chicken curry).

    chicken pasanda(Indian almond-badam chicken curry).

    Yield: 4
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Additional Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

    The Almond chicken curry which is also referred as badam chicken curry can be served to guests and family who are sensitive to spicy food. 

    Ingredients

    • Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
    • 700g chicken breast cut into required size
    • 1/4 cup almonds.
    • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of coriander seeds
    • 2 teaspoons of black peppercorns
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon red chilies powder
    • 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder(add 1/2 teaspoon more to increase the taste of garam masala)
    • Salt to season(start with 1/2 teaspoon and use as needed)
    • 1/4 cup plain yogurt
    • To make the almond curry sauce
    • 2 tablespoons of ghee
    • 1 large onion sliced fine
    • 2-inch piece cinnamon
    • 3 green cardamom slightly bruised
    • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of minced ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 large tomato pureed or you can simply chop the tomatoes until they are mushed

    Instructions

    Preparing the necessary ingredients before making the Pasanda curry.

    Cut the chicken breast into required sized and place in a bowl.

    You can use boneless chicken or breast for best results. set aside.

    Into a small frying pan add the almonds(1/4 cup) and toast them for 1-2 minutes over low-medium fire.

    Once the almonds cool, add them to the spice grinder, pulse until you have a powdery consistency to the almonds.

    Wipe down the same spice grinder and add peppercorns(2 tsp) and coriander seeds(1 and 1/2 tbs).

    Pulse to grind them into a coarse powder.

    Add the crushed coriander+pepper powder, turmeric(1 tsp), red chillie powder(1 tsp), garam masala(1 tsp, add 1/2 more if needed), plain yogurt(1/4 cup).

    Set aside or refrigerate for 1 hour or more. the marinated chicken should also be at room temp before it’s added to the pasanda curry sauce.

    For this reason, make sure the meat is removed from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking time.

    Chop the tomatoes and puree or you can simply chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces. set aside.

    HOW TO MAKE

    THE ALMOND

    CURRY SAUCE

    FOR THE PASANDA.

    Place a large cooking pan over low fire.

    Heat a pan and then add oil or ghee(2 tbs), onion(1 large sliced fine), cinnamon(2″ piece), ginger-garlic paste(1 tbs), cardamom(3).

    Cook until onions are soft and slightly turn brown, avoid burning the spiced as you do this over a low-medium fire.

    Add the pureed or finely chopped tomatoes into the cooking onions and spices.

    Combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.

    Reduce fire to low and add the powdered almond to the cooking ingredients.

    Stir and make sure the almond powder does not stick to the pan. the almond powder tends to settle in the bottom if not stirred regularly.

    Once you cook the almond/badam powder into the tomato curry, the result would be a thick paste-like consistency. 

    Add the chicken parts which should be at room temperature into to the almond curry sauce.

    Maintaining low flame and continue to cook the chicken curry with the almond sauce.

    Again make sure to stir as the almond powder tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.

    If you feel the chicken needs more time to cook without the curry sauce burning.

    Add 1/3 cup water and continue to cook.

    Make sure to taste the curry and season with salt as needed.

    Once cooked, transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with a few slivers of almond and coriander leaves.

    Serve warm

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