Chicken Pasanda
Chicken Pasanda is a mild curry with air-fried boneless chicken pieces cooked in a luscious almond-rich gravy. This dish is scented with kewra water and laced with saffron and garnished with toasted almond slivers. Serve this dish on a bed of steamed rice, with paratha or naan!
Equipment
- wok or saucepan
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 1½ lb chicken breasts boneless
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1½ tbsp whole yogurt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp salt
For the spice mixture:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp ground almonds
For the gravy:
- 3 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
- 2 star anise
- 3 green cardamom
- 2 onion chopped fine
- 4 tomato blanched and puréed
- 4 birds eye chili chopped
- ¼ tsp saffron soaked in milk
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tbsp almond slivers toasted
- 1 tsp kewra water optional
Instructions
How to make the marinade:
- Mix the ingredients and marinate the chicken breasts for ½ an hour.
- Air fry the chicken after drizzling one tablespoon of ghee on top of the breasts at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. I have used the air frying basket with a foil-lined tray below to collect any juices from the chicken.
How to make the spice mixture:
- Roast and powder the ingredients for the spice mixture and mix with the almond meal. Roast the spices on low heat until they are fragrant or turn brown.
How to make the gravy:
- In a medium wok, heat the ghee with the star anise and cardamom. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Cool and grind the onion in the spice grinder to a paste.
- Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the spice mixture and 1 1/2cups of water or leftover juices from air frying the chicken or leftover water from washing the spice grinder. Add 1 tsp salt. Add the chicken pieces and cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the garam masala pd and saffron milk. Cook for a minute and turn off the heat. Add a few drops of kewra water and garnish with the toasted almond slivers.
- Serve the Chicken Pasanda with rice or naan.
Notes
- Ginger or garlic pastes are available at Asian grocery stores.
- I air fried the chicken breasts. You could choose to grill, bake or even simply pan fry the breast cubes.
- Partial cooking is essential as the chicken will then be cooked again in the gravy. What you really don't want is to overcook the chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 40gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 792mgPotassium: 1129mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1111IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 2mg
