I have tried making all kinds of chicken dishes, and one of my favorites is the Afgani chicken recipe, also known as Afghan chicken, that my mother used to make for me as a kid.
Over the years, I have perfected this creamy Adgani chicken, and I would love to share the recipe with you.
It is a rich, creamy, and mildly spiced chicken dish that will leave you licking your fingers and wanting more. And the signature yogurt, cream, garlic, and spice marinade is what creates the magic.
The yogurt-marinated chicken is easy to cook on the stovetop, but tastes like a restaurant’s dish. So without further ado, let’s learn all there is to learn about this Afgani malai chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Afghani Chicken
- Incredibly creamy and juicy chicken.
- Mild spices are used that make everyone feel warm and cozy.
- Only simple ingredients are used.
- Easy cooking method on the stovetop.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Restaurant-style flavor at home.
What Is Afghan Chicken?
Originating from the North Indian cuisine, this mildly spiced chicken is delicious, in simple words. It is basically a creamy chicken-curry-style recipe that will make your guests want more.
The creamy chicken marinade is made with a special green paste and a yogurt and heavy cream mixture, which makes the chicken taste amazing.
It’s actually a lot different from other kinds of spicy chicken because of the creamy white chicken marinade made with garlic, ginger, and mild spices.
Ingredients for Afghani Chicken
- Chicken: You can use any part of the chicken, as long as you make curry cuts for the recipe.
- Coriander Leaf: This adds more flavor to the green paste.
- Green Chilies: Give the green paste its flavor and color.
- Onion, Ginger & Garlic: One medium-sized onion, about 2 inches of ginger, and 6 to 8 garlic cloves are enough.
- Cashew Nuts: Make sure you soak them in warm water for 15 minutes before adding.
- Lemon Juice: To get a zesty flavor.
- Oil & Unsalted Butter:You can use any cooking oil.
- Yogurt & Cream: These are important ingredients for the green paste. To make the green paste creamier, yogurt and cream are essential ingredients.
- Spices: Garam masala, chaat masala, and kasuri methi add extra flavor and enhance the marinade.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To taste, adding a hint of spice.
- Whole Spices: Cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves—fry and marinate with these, then sauté before adding the chicken.
Tips for Perfect Afghani Chicken
- You need to marinate the chicken with yogurt and cream for about 30 minutes or overnight for the best flavor.
- Use chicken thighs, marinate for long enough, and don’t overcook the chicken to make sure it doesn’t turn out too dry.
- You should use high-quality yogurt and heavy cream to get the creamy sauce texture.
- Balance the spices and seasoning for the best flavor profile.
Storage & Reheating
- You can store leftover cooked Afgani chicken for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- To reheat the creamy garlic chicken, you can heat up the stovetop or use the microwave.
- To freeze the stovetop Afgani chicken, put it in an airtight and freezer-safe container.
What to Serve with Afghani Chicken
- You can serve the North Indian Afgani chicken with breads like naan, butter naan, and garlic butter naan.
- Serve it with boiled or fried basmati rice.
- Cook some cucumber raita to go with the juicy, creamy chicken.
- Make a fresh salad bowl to serve with the chicken.
- You can also have this chicken with pickled onions.
Variations to Try
- Spicy Afgani Chicken Version: Add more spice, like black pepper, paprika, etc., to make a spicy Afgani chicken version.
- Boneless Chicken Version: Debone the chicken to make a boneless chicken version.
- Lighter Version with Less Cream: You can also make a lighter Afgani chicken version using less heavy cream.
- Grilled or Oven-Baked Version: Instead of using the stovetop, grill or bake the chicken.
Afghani Chicken Recipe – Creamy, Mild & Restaurant-Style
This creamy Afghani chicken is rich, flavorful, and tastes even better than restaurant-style. A simple and easy chicken dinner you can make at home.
Servings6 Servings
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 kg Chicken (curry cut)
For Green Paste:
- 1 medium-sized Onion
- 2- inch Ginger
- 6-8 cloves Garlic
- 7-8 pieces Cashew Nuts ((soaked in warm water for 15min))
- ½ cup Coriander leaf
- 3 pieces Green Chilies
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
For Marinade:
- 1 cup Yogurt
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Chat Masala
- 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
- 1 & ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
For Frying:
- 3 tbsp Oil (neutral, vegetable, or cooking)
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 Bay leafs
- 2 Cinnamon stick
- 4-5 Cardamom pods
- 5 Cloves
Instructions
Making the Green Paste
- Add medium-sized onions, 2 inches of ginger, garlic cloves, soaked cashew nuts, green chilies, coriander leaves, cooking oil, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Mix the ingredients and make a paste with a hand mixer.
Make the Marinade
- Take another bowl, add yogurt and heavy cream, and mix well.
- Add the green paste to the yogurt mixture, then add your spices and seasonings, like garam masala, chaat masala, kasuri methi, salt, and black pepper, and mix well.
Marinate the Chicken
- Add the chicken to the marinade and mix them well into the marinade.
- Marinate for about 30 minutes or overnight for the best results.
Cook the Chicken
- Take a fry pan on the stovetop and put it on medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tbsp of cooking oil and fry the chicken pieces on both sides for about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Grab another pan and place it over medium heat. Then, add 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of unsalted butter, and let them melt.
- Meanwhile, add bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and cloves, and saute for a few seconds.
- Now, add the remaining marinade paste and cook until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the cooked chicken and fold it into the gravy, cover with a lid, and cook for another 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
Serving the Afghan Chicken
- When the chicken is cooked through, take it out of the pan and plate it.
- Add some chopped coriander on top as garnish.
- Serve hot with naan or rice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use chicken thighs, don’t overcook, and marinate the chicken for long enough to make sure it doesn’t dry out too much.
- Sauté the garlic, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and butter for only a few seconds to make sure the sauce doesn’t turn out too thin.
- If your chicken dish is lacking flavor, you should add more seasoning to your taste.
- Add starch slurry, cold dairy, or water if the sauce is separating.
Tried this recipe?Click Here to leave a comment
Recipe FAQs
Is Afghani chicken spicy?
Afgani chicken is spicy, but the spice is actually mild.
Which part of the chicken works best for Afghan chicken?
Chicken thighs works best for Afghan chicken.
Can Afghani chicken be made without cream?
You can make this chicken without cream, but it won’t turn out as creamy as it should.
Leave a Reply