Badami Chicken Curry is a rich North Indian style curry with chicken pieces cooked in a gravy prepared with almonds (badam). Serve it with naan or tandoori roti for a festive meal or get-together (gluten-free).
If you like this recipe, try Restaurant Style Kadai Chicken, Malai Chicken Curry, Restaurant Style Chicken Angara, or North Indian Boneless Chicken Curry.
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About Badami Chicken Curry
Badami Chicken Curry is a north Indian curry with succulent and juicy chicken pieces simmered in a rich gravy made with almonds, yogurt, milk, and spices.
This delicious chicken curry bursts with flavors and is perfect for festive meals, get-togethers, or special occasions.
The curry has exquisite flavors from tender, succulent chicken pieces, slight sweetness from the almond paste, and creaminess from yogurt and heavy cream.
You can double or triple the recipe for a bigger crowd.
Ingredients
Chicken – Use skinless bone-in chicken pieces, as the bone releases a lot of flavor in the curry. You can also use boneless chicken cut into small pieces.
Almonds – Use good quality almonds for a delicious sweet flavor in the curry.
Yogurt (Dahi, Curd) & Milk make the gravy base richer. I like to whisk the yogurt with all-purpose flour (maida) to prevent it from curdling while cooking.
Spice Powders – This curry is spiced with basic spice powders such as turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder.
Cream – Use unsweetened heavy cream to make the curry richer.
Whole Spices – You will need cloves (laung), black peppercorns (kali mirch), cinnamon (dalchini), black cardamom (badi elaichi), and bay leaf (tejpatta).
Kasuri Methi – The addition of dried fenugreek leaves adds a distinct flavor. Do not miss this.
Others – You will also need cooking oil, ghee, onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and salt.
How To Make Badami Chicken Curry
Soak 25 almonds in boiling water for 30 minutes.
Peel their skin.
Add the peeled almonds with ¼ cup of water to a blender. Blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
Heat 3 tablespoon vegetable oil and 2 tablespoon ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 black peppercorns
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 2-3 black cardamoms
- 2-3 bay leaves
and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
Add 1 and ½ cups of finely chopped onions and cook until they turn light brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add 2 teaspoon grated ginger and 2 teaspoon minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Now add 2 pounds (1 kg) of skinless bone-in chicken (cut into 1 and ½-inch pieces) and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add ½ cup yogurt (whisked with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour) and 2-3 green chilies (slit into half) and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 2 teaspoon salt, and almond paste and mix well.
Now add ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of water and stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked well. Stir a few times while cooking.
Add ¼ cup of unsweetened heavy cream and 2 tablespoon Kauri methi and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Badami Chicken Curry with Indian bread such as Naan, Garlic Naan, Tandoori Roti, Phulka, Tawa Paratha, or Lachha Paratha. Serve some pickled onions and lemon wedges on the side.
It also tastes great with Steamed Rice, Jeera Rice, Matar Pulao, or any other lightly spiced Pulao.
Storage Suggestions
Badami Chicken Curry will easily last for 3-4 days when stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat it in a pan or microwave until hot before serving. Add water if the curry looks thick after refrigeration.
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Recipe Card
Badami Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 25 almonds
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2-3 whole cloves (laung)
- 2-3 whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 2-3 whole black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
- 2-3 whole bay leaves (tejpatta)
- 1 and ½ cups finely chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds skinless bone-in chicken (1 kg, cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces)
- ½ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd) (whisked with 1 teaspoon all purpose flour (maida))
- 2-3 green chilies (slit into half)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons Kasuri methi
Instructions
- Soak the almonds in boiling water for 30 minutes.
- Peel their skin.
- Add the peeled almonds with ¼ cup of water to a blender. Blend to make a smooth paste. Keep aside.
- Heat oil and ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, black cardamoms, and bay leaves, and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- Add onions and cook until they turn light brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Now add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add yogurt and green chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder, salt, and almond paste, and mix well.
- Now add milk and ½ cup of water and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked well. Stir a few times while cooking.
- Add cream and Kauri methi and mix well.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Serve hot.
Blossom singh
Usually we say badami will be somewhat sweet on the pallet, but this recipe turned out real good;especially with roasted almonds on the top. The entire family loved it. Thanks.
Neha Mathur
Thnx a lot for trying.Do not forget to give the recipe 5 stars. It will help to rank it.
Madeleine Francis
Really lovely!! Making for the second time tonight and will definitely try more of your recipes.
Madeleine Francis
I did end up just using almond butter to save on time and dishes and went heavy on the methi, it was great
Neha Mathur
Thnx for trying :). I am glad you liked it.
Diana Mehta
My very first recipe that was tried without my mum’s help. Super awesome and easy to follow. Family loved it too.
Neha Mathur
I am so glad you liked it 🙂
Evie
Hi. What if I can’t get curd? I’m desperate to try this…
Neha Mathur
Hey Evie. You can use plain yogurt.
Ashiyana
I made it with lamb as well. And it tastes amazing. Thank you for a brilliant recipe. Served it with Naan to guests who do not like curry. They want to eat it every day.
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Isabelle Adam
Great and easy recipe! Thanks ????
Neha Mathur
I am glad you liked it 🙂
Alison anderson
I what to try this love curry, but what is maida,is this curry powder.
Neha Mathur
Hi Alison, sorry about that. It’s all purpose flour.
Anish Khanna
I must say this is one of the best chicken curry i have made, simple minimum spice and just divine. You can’t stop eating.
Neha Mathur
Awesome 🙂
Asok Patnaik
Superb recipe, thanks a ton! We went with milk (no water). Amazing result.
Sarah Tom
This looks like a great recipe! Do you have instructions on how to make almond paste? Also, can you buy this at stores?
Neha Mathur
Hi Sarah, to make almond paste, soak almonds in hot water for 3-4 hours. Then peel and blend in a blender with little water.