This creamy Afghani chicken skips the cashews and uses yogurt, heavy cream, and a cilantro and ginger garlic herb marinade. Ready in under an hour with no soaking or blending nuts.
📋 Recipe at a Glance
- ⏱Time - 20 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook, and at least 1 hour of marinating.
- 🍗 Diet - Chicken, Gluten-free
- 🫙Equipment - No special equipment needed
- 👨👩👧 Servings - 4
- 🍽 Course: Main Course
- 🌶️ Cuisine: Indian
Inspired by a dish from an Indian restaurant (The Goat) in New Zealand, this Afghani chicken without cashews builds its creamy base from yogurt, heavy cream, and a bright herb paste of cilantro, green chilies, ginger, and garlic. Blistered lemon slices, charred whole chilies, and golden caramelized onions make this version stand apart from every other recipe out there. It is weeknight-friendly, nut-free, and super flavorful.
And once Dr. A and V(my toughest critics) declared it better than takeout, it officially earned a permanent spot in our weeknight rotation. If you love bold yogurt-based marinades, this recipe grew out of the same flavor instincts behind my Tandoori Chicken Wings but brighter, and faster on a weeknight.
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✨Why you'll love this recipe?
- No cashews, no soaking, no fuss. This recipe delivers all the creaminess of traditional Afghani chicken using yogurt and heavy cream, ingredients that you might already have in your fridge and is nutfree.
- One marinade does all the work. The blended marinade of cilantro, ginger, garlic, and green chilies doubles as both the flavor base and the tenderizer so you do not need a separate sauce.
- Weeknight-friendly. With 20 minutes of active prep and a simple simmer, this comes together without the fuss of a restaurant-style production that is meal-prep friendly.
- Even better the next day. The yogurt-cream sauce deepens overnight, making leftovers genuinely worth looking forward to.
📋Recipe Ingredients
For the Marinade
- Chicken pieces (I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- Plain full-fat yogurt
- Heavy whipping cream
- Medium onions
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Green chilies
- Fresh cilantro
- Lemon
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- Garam masala
- Black pepper
- Green Cardamom
- Ghee
- Salt, to taste
For Cooking
- Oil
- Bay leaves
- Additional sliced onion rings, caramelized
- Lemon slices
- Whole green chili peppers
- Raisins (optional but recommended)
- Water
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Don't forget to check out the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients along with the quantities.
📖Substitutions, Additions and Variations
- No heavy cream? Substitute with full-fat milk for a lighter sauce. The texture will be slightly thinner.
- Bone-in chicken: Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks (chicken legs) work well; increase the simmering time to 18 to 20 minutes and check for doneness (165 degrees on a meat thermometer).
- Adjust the heat: For a milder dish, remove the seeds from the green chilies before blending. For more heat, slit the garnish chilies open before blistering.
- Grill method: Grill the marinated chicken over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side. Sauté the onion, chili, and lemon garnish separately on the stovetop with the sauce of remaining marinade.
- Raisins: Although listed as an optional ingredient, I highly recommend them. I love the burst of sweetness that they add to this chicken dish. Use golden raisins.
👩🍳Steps to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the marinade. Add the yogurt, heavy cream, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Add the black pepper, kasuri methi, green cardamom, ghee, lemon juice, and salt, and blend to a smooth paste. No water is needed; scrape down the sides as needed for even blending.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken. Trim the fat off your boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Note: if using bone-in chicken, score the chicken pieces with deep cuts so the marinade penetrates to the bone. Add the marinade to the chicken in a deep mixing bowl, turn to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Step 3: Sear the chicken. After the chicken has marinated, take it out of the refrigerator. Heat oil in a wide heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Shake off the excess marinade from the chicken and place in the pan in a single layer. You might have to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Do not discard the leftover marinade. Sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden. Do not move the chicken while it sears. Remove the seared meat to a cookie sheet or a plate with edges to catch all the juices.
Step 4: Caramelize the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium and to the same pan add the sliced lemon and let them sear for a minute or two before adding the sliced onions and green chilies.
Step 5: Add the raisins (if using) and saute everything together for 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Add the marinade and simmer. Now add the reserved marinade and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the raw smell of the marinade disappears and you can see tiny droplets of oil along the edges of the masala. While the masala is cooking, cut the seared chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
Step 7: Add water and increase the heat, and wait for it to boil.
Step 8: Add the cut up seared chicken pieces to the masala and give everything a mix. Lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 9: Turn the heat off, uncover the pan, check for seasoning, and adjust the salt if needed. Finish your Afghani chicken with some garam masala.
Step 10: Serve. Serve the chicken with some naan or cumin rice. Enjoy!
💡Vaishali's Tips!
- Kasuri methi is essential. It is the defining flavor of Afghani-style chicken. You can find it at any Indian grocery store or online; it is inexpensive and keeps for months in an airtight container.
- Use chicken thighs. I have tried making this recipe with chicken breasts and chicken tenders, and hands down, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks also work, and stay juicy under high heat. Adjust cooking time as stated above if using bone-in chicken.
- Do not skip the sear. The golden crust adds flavor and texture that simmering alone cannot replicate.
- Prevent the sauce from curdling. Make sure the marinade is at room temperature before adding it to the hot pan, and lower the heat before pouring it in.
🫙Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavors deepen overnight, making leftovers especially good the next day.
Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently in a covered pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Avoid high heat to prevent the cream-yogurt sauce from breaking.
❓FAQ
What sets Afghani chicken apart from tandoori chicken is its pale white to off-white color, which is the natural result of a yogurt-and-cream marinade seasoned with mild aromatics rather than red chili powder or added color.
Afghani chicken is generally a mild dish. The heat comes only from black pepper and green chilies in the marinade, both of which you can easily adjust to your preference.
Up to 24 hours in the refrigerator is ideal. Beyond that, the lemon juice can start to break down the chicken's texture.
Yes. Replace the heavy cream with an equal amount of full-fat milk. The sauce will be slightly thinner but still delicious.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked it! Share it on Instagram with the hashtag #thekitchendocs or share on Facebook, too.
Love – Vaishali
Afghani Chicken Without Cashews
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup plain full fat yogurt
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped about 1 cup
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 green chili I used serrano
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed between palms
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- Salt to taste
For cooking
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 medium onion sliced
- ½ lemon thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins optional
- 1 green chili sliced
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Add the ½ cup plain full fat yogurt, ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 1 medium onion, roughly chopped, 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch piece fresh ginger, 1 green chili, and 1 large handful fresh cilantro to a blender or food processor. Add the 1 teaspoon black peppercorn, 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), 2 green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon ghee, ½ lemon (juiced), and Salt, and blend to a smooth paste. No water is needed; scrape down the sides as needed for even blending.
- Marinate the chicken. Trim the fat off your 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs. Note: if using bone-in chicken, score the chicken pieces with deep cuts so the marinade penetrates to the bone. Add the marinade to the chicken in a deep mixing bowl, turn to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnig
- Sear the chicken. After the chicken has marinated, take it out of the refrigerator. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Shake off the excess marinade from the chicken and place in the pan in a single layer. You might have to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Do not discard the leftover marinade. Sear the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden. Do not move the chicken while it sears. Remove the seared meat to a cookie sheet or an edge plate to catch all the juices.
- Caramelize the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium, and to the same pan, add the 2 bay leaves and ½ lemon (sliced),1 medium onion and let them sear for a minute or two before adding the 1 medium onion (sliced) and 1 green chili (slit).
- Add the 1 tablespoon golden raisins (if using) and saute everything together for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the marinade and simmer. Now add the reserved marinade and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the raw smell of the marinade is gone and you can see tiny droplets of oil along the edges of the masala. While the masala is cooking, cut the seared chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
- Add ¾ cup water, increase the heat to high, and wait for it to boil.
- Add the cut up seared chicken pieces to the masala and give everything a mix. Lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Finish. Turn off the heat, uncover the pan, check for seasoning, and adjust the salt if needed. Finish your Afghani chicken with ½ teaspoon garam masala and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves (for garnish).
- Serve. Serve the chicken with some naan or cumin rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Kasuri methi is essential. It is the defining flavor of Afghani-style chicken. You can find it at any Indian grocery store or online; it is inexpensive and keeps for months in an airtight container.
- Use chicken thighs. I have tried making this recipe with chicken breasts and chicken tenders, and hands down, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work best. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks also work, and stay juicy under high heat. Adjust cooking time as stated above if using bone-in chicken.
- Do not skip the sear. The golden crust adds flavor and texture that simmering alone cannot replicate.
- Prevent the sauce from curdling. Make sure the marinade is at room temperature before adding it to the hot pan, and lower the heat before pouring it in.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavors deepen overnight, making leftovers especially good the next day.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently in a covered pan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Avoid high heat to prevent the cream-yogurt sauce from breaking.
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