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It’s no surprise that the word ‘pasanda’ loosely translates to ‘favourite’ from its Urdu heritage. Bring this restaurant classic into your kitchen and it is sure to become one of the most prized staples on your meal rotation. Mild, creamy and enriched with the flavours of almond and coconut, chicken pasanda has a wide flavour appeal and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. 

What is it?

Unsurprisingly pasanda originates from the Indian subcontinent. More specifically it is traditionally found in Northern India and Pakistan, where it was originally prepared with lamb or goat meat. This is a British Indian restaurant style curry, so it may not be 100% true to the original recipe or preparation methods. However, if you are looking for a Brit-style pasanda this is the recipe for you.

Taste-wise, chicken pasanda is most similar to its more famous cousin, korma. It’s a mild and creamy curry but leans heavily on the flavour of almonds and coconut, giving a more fruity and nutty flavour. It uses a few earthy spices, without packing much heat, combined with a yogurt and cream sauce.

What can I serve it with?

As with any classic curry, a side or two of carbohydrates is essential. Pair with some steaming rice or warm bread such as naan or chapati. You could also add a salad and a creamy yoghurt-based sauce for variety.

A few ideas to try include:

• Cucumber and mint raita
• Saffron rice
• Chicken pakora

How do I stop the yogurt from curdling?

If you struggle when using yogurt in your curry sauce, then there are a few things you can do to keep your sauces free from unsightly splitting or lumpiness:

1. Use full-fat yogurt. If you are trying to eat a low-fat diet, then sadly this will make your curry preparation a little more difficult for you (although not impossible). Whole yogurt is far less likely to split or curdle than low-fat varities. But if you are intent on using lighter yogurt then follow the instructions below. You can also check out this healthy chicken korma recipe for a light and creamy mild curry option.
2. Make sure the curry sauce isn’t too hot when you add the yogurt – this is the main issue 90% of the time. Bring the sauce to a light simmer or below before adding the yogurt. Alternatively, you can spoon a few tablespoons of the sauce into a mug and cool for a few seconds before whisking in the yogurt. This will temper the two ingredients – increasing the temperature of the yogurt so when you add it into the sauce there isn’t a big gap in heat.
3. Use room temperature yogurt. As mentioned in the above point, the greater the difference in temperature the more likely that the yogurt will curdle rather than integrate into the sauce.
4. Whisk a little cornflour into the yogurt. You really don’t need to worry too much about doing this unless you are using a low-fat yogurt, but it will help the yogurt hold its consistency.

How long does it keep?

This curry is great for reheating from either chilled or frozen, so what better excuse is there than making a batch of it for those nights when you simply don’t have time to cook?

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob/stove or in the microwave. Alternatively, you can freeze the curry for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating. If the sauce appears to split a little when thawing, then reheat it gently and stir regularly to incorporate.

How do I thicken the sauce?

As far as curries go chicken pasanda is quite saucy. This makes it great for dipping a buttery naan into or for serving with some steaming rice to mop up the juices.

However, if you feel that the sauce is just too thin for your liking, there are a few things you can do:

1. Reduce the sauce by increasing the heat. Let it simmer or lightly boil for a little longer which will evaporate some of the liquid and concentrate what juices remain.
2. Use a cornflour (cornstarch) slurry. Use 1/2 tablespoon of cornflour per portion and mix with the same amount of water until you have a smooth white liquid. Slowly pour this into the curry and stir until it thickens. Cornflour requires heat to activate so you’ll need to make sure that the curry reaches a simmer for it to work properly.
3. Arrowroot is an alternative to cornflour that you can also use. Use it in the same manner as cornflour but reduce the amount by a third (e.g. 1 tablespoon of cornflour would be equal to 2 teaspoons of arrowroot). If using arrowroot add it at the end of cooking and don’t leave it on the heat for more than 1-2 minutes as it may start to thin again.
4. Add more yogurt. This is a simple way to add a little extra thickness to the curry.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

• Onion, finely diced
• Cinnamon stick
• Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
• Cumin
• Turmeric
• Almond powder
• Coconut milk powder
• Chicken stock
• Sugar
• Single/whipping cream
• Full-fat natural yogurt

How to make it

For more detailed steps, with recipe tips, jump to the printable recipe card.

1. Saute the onion and cinnamon stick until softened.
2. Add the chicken and cook until sealed all over.
3. Add the garlic for a further minute and then add the cumin, turmeric, almond powder and coconut powder and stir through for 30 seconds.
4. Add the stock, sugar and cream along with the yogurt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
5. Serve with toasted almonds and chopped coriander.

Looking for more great curry recipes? Try:

• Healthy chicken korma
• Lamb bhuna
• Chicken rogan josh
• Slow cooker chicken korma
• Chicken pathia
• Chicken tikka biryani

Products that work well for this recipe:

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