Murgh Badam Pasanda came into regular rotation in my kitchen because of my sister-in-law. She had eaten it at a wedding years ago and kept describing it as “that almond chicken thing with the rich gravy.” When she visited last winter, I decided to finally work it out properly. What I did not expect was how much the flattening step would matter.
I used to skip it on earlier attempts, thinking it was just for presentation. It is not. Flattening the chicken to about 3 cm means the marinade soaks in evenly and the breast cooks through without drying out at the edges. Now I do it every single time, and the difference is obvious. This has become the dish I make when someone specific is coming over and I want the meal to feel like I really meant it.
About the Recipe
All the ingredients here are available at any good Indian grocery store, and saffron is the only thing that might need a small splurge. The marinade takes about five minutes to put together, and the one hour resting time is genuinely useful because it does the work while you do something else. From griddle to gravy, the active cooking is roughly 45 minutes. I make this on weekends when I have guests coming for a late lunch and want something that looks considered without keeping me in the kitchen all morning.
Why you will love this recipe
The combination of hung yoghurt, ginger, and garlic as a marinade means the chicken absorbs flavour before it even sees heat. That is not something you get from a quick toss-and-cook approach. The saffron dissolved in warm milk goes in right at the end, and you get that faint golden colour and subtle fragrance without it overpowering the cardamom and mace that are already working in the gravy.
The fried almonds on top add a bite that cuts through the richness cleanly. I find this one genuinely satisfying to cook, not just eat — because each stage has a clear purpose and you can see the result of each step as you go.
Cooking Tips
The most common beginner mistake is rushing the onions. They need to turn properly brown, not just soft, or the gravy will taste raw and pale. On medium heat, this takes 12 to 15 minutes, and there is no shortcut. The other thing that catches people out is the flour.
Two teaspoons sounds like nothing, but add it unevenly and it clumps. Stir it in while the pan is off the heat briefly, then return it to the flame. Also, do not skip the griddle step before adding the chicken to the gravy. Partially cooking it there keeps the texture firm, not mushy.
Top Tips
- Hang the yoghurt the night before if you can — even two hours in a muslin cloth makes a noticeable difference to the consistency of the marinade.
- Flatten the chicken between two sheets of cling film using a rolling pin. This prevents tearing and keeps the thickness even across the whole breast.
- Dissolve the saffron in warm milk, not hot milk. Boiling milk kills the colour and dulls the aroma before it reaches the dish.
- Use whole green cardamoms and cloves and let them crackle properly in the butter before adding the onions. The sound tells you the fat is hot enough.
- If your tomatoes are very watery, deseed them before chopping. This keeps the gravy from thinning out and extends your cooking time unnecessarily.
- The chicken stock should be warm when it goes into the pan. Cold stock dropped into hot fat slows everything down and can make the gravy split briefly.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serves 4 to 6 people, depending on portion size. Prep time including marination is about 1 hour 15 minutes, with 45 minutes of active cooking. Serve hot with naan, roomali roti, or jeera rice. Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat gently on a low flame with a splash of water or stock to loosen the gravy, because it thickens considerably once cooled.
Similar Recipes
- Murgh Makhani (Butter Chicken)
- Chicken Korma
- Shahi Chicken
- Murgh Musallam
- Chicken Changezi
Nutrient Benefits
Chicken breast is one of the leaner proteins you can build a rich dish around, which makes Murgh Badam Pasanda more balanced than it looks. Almonds add healthy fats and a small amount of fibre. Hung yoghurt brings in calcium and keeps the fat content lower than a cream-based gravy would. Saffron and cardamom both have documented antioxidant properties, though the quantities here are modest. This is not a light dish, but it is more nutritionally considered than most gravies in the same category.
Murgh Badam Pasanda
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Chicken Breasts (skinned)
- 1/2 cup Clarified Butter
- 5 tsp Almonds (sliced)
- 3 1/2 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 1/2 cups Yogurt (hung)
- 3 1/3 tbsp Garlic Paste
- Salt to taste
- 10 Green cardamoms
- 1/2 cup Onions (chopped)
- 1 1/2 cups Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 2 Flour
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- 10 Cloves
- 5 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 tsp Mace Powder
- Saffron - a pinch, dissolved in 15 ml of milk
- 4 tsp Green Coriander
Instructions
- Brown the almonds in 1 tbsp of clarified butter.
- Clean and flatten the chicken breasts till about 3 cm thick.
- Rub the ginger paste over the chicken breasts.
- Whisk the yoghurt in a large bowl, add garlic paste and salt.
- Rub this mixture on the chicken and keep aside for 1 hour.
- Heat half the clarified butter on a griddle.
- Place the chicken breasts on it and cook, turning over once, until half done.
- Remove and keep aside.
- Add the remaining clarified butter to the pan and saute green cardamoms and cloves till they crackle.
- Then add onions and cook till brown.
- Add tomatoes, red chilli powder, flour, black pepper, cloves and chicken stock.
- Cook until the gravy becomes rich and thick.
- Place the chicken breasts in the gravy and cook, turning it over gently, for another 10 minutes.
- Add the mace powder and the saffron dissolved in warm milk.
- Serve, garnished with the fried almonds and green coriander.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My gravy turned out thin and watery. What went wrong?
A few things can cause this. The tomatoes may have been too watery, or the chicken stock was added too quickly before the base had time to reduce. Let the gravy cook uncovered on medium heat until it visibly thickens and the fat begins to separate slightly at the edges before adding the chicken. Also check that the flour was stirred in completely with no lumps, as it is there specifically to help bind the gravy.
Can I use regular yoghurt instead of hung yoghurt?
You can, but the marinade will be much thinner and will not cling to the chicken as well. If you do not have hung yoghurt ready, strain regular yoghurt through a muslin cloth or a clean kitchen towel set over a bowl for at least an hour in the refrigerator. The whey that drains out is what you want to remove. Using runny yoghurt will also make the gravy wetter and harder to control.
The chicken dried out even though I followed the timing. What happened?
This usually comes down to skipping or rushing the flattening step. If the breast is uneven in thickness, the thinner parts overcook before the thicker centre is done. Flatten each breast to a consistent 3 cm and cook on the griddle only until half done — it should still look slightly underdone in the middle when you remove it. It will finish cooking in the gravy.
I do not have saffron. Can I leave it out?
Yes. The dish will lose some of its colour and the faint floral note that saffron brings, but the gravy is rich enough from the mace, cardamom, and cloves that it still works well without it. Do not substitute turmeric for colour — the flavour is completely different and will change the character of the dish.
Can I make this ahead for a dinner party?
The gravy can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Cook the chicken separately and add it to the reheated gravy about 10 minutes before serving. I would not cook the chicken and leave it sitting in the gravy overnight, as it tends to go soft and loses the texture that the griddle step creates. Add the saffron milk and the fried almonds only just before serving.
