Yogurt Chicken Curry Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2024)

Yogurt ChickenCurry - The chicken curry from Northern India which is must try for every Indian food lover. This flavorful curry has no sugars, no nuts, no creams but a simple and flavorful Indian mother sauce base made with yogurt, onion, garlic and spices.

This is a kinda curry which Indians love to enjoy with homemade whole wheat bread, crispy charred naan, or fresh steamed rice... any day of the week.

Time and again, when people ask me for a good chicken curry recipe.... I feel necessary to reach out and tell everyone what is a good chicken curry or how to make a chicken curry?

Now, every restaurant has a different definition of chicken curry and that's what locals in that area are known too. Actually, even in India, every region has local variation of chicken curry. Yogurt based curry is, by-far, the most popular and authentic chicken curry of Northern India... where in South, coconut milk or tamarind is used as mainsubstitute for yogurt.

Yogurt Chicken Curry Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (1)

In different regions... few change in spices originate a new kind of Chicken Curry. Like:

1) Addition of tamarind and potatoes and it becomes - Vindaloo
2) cream and it becomes Korma
3) greens instead of turmeric and it becomes saag chicken curry.
4) Lots of chilies and it is Kashmiri Chicken Curry
5) or lots of warm spices and you have the Khara Chicken Curry.

This list is so endless that it will be unfair if I just list one ingredient and say a name of curry.

This post I'm dedicating to making a perfect, homemade Indian-style... I mean, North Indian-style chicken curry which is made with thick Greek-style yogurt, warm spices, chicken, onion, and garlic. The curries you taste in buffets in US are nothing like this home-style curry. There is no sugar, no creams in this to mask the flavor of spices. It is not hot spicy curry but you will be able to taste every bit of love that has gone into it.

Yogurt Chicken Curry Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2)

To make chicken curry, I start by grating the base mother sauce ingredients. Mother curry sauce or masala is grated mixture of onion, garlic, ginger and green chili. It is not a paste but coarse grated mix which is sauted in oil or clarified butter until oil shows on sides and onion, garlic are lite golden brown. These mild caramelized bits of onion give subtle sweetness to the curry. In this brown mixture, grated tomatoes are cooked until they fully disintegrate. This cooked mixture of onion and tomatoes - a.k.a mother curry sauce can be prepared up-to one week in advance.

Now, it is time to add the spices. A quick saute of spices awaken flavor, taking curry to whole new level.

After sauting the spices, the star ingredient - yogurt is added. Mostly, yogurt is hung or allowed to drain while masala cooks. This removes water content from yogurt leaving behind thick and creamy, whey like yogurt. I usually use Greek yogurt because it is closest and ready-to-use match of hung-curd (yogurt). I add yogurt in small batches and mix well after every addition to avoid curdling.

Once, yogurt is fully mixed... Only step left is to add chicken, water and then cook until chicken is fully cooked and gravy is thick. I complete this step in variety to vessels. In instant pot pressure cooker, slow cooker, dutch oven or simple heavy bottom deep sauce pan too. The time taken is usually same as time taken to cook the chicken in any of these.

Not that hard, right?

Make masala, mix-in add yogurt, add chicken!

Viola! Curry is ready!

Note: Coconut milk is a non-tangy non-dairy substitute for yogurt. If you want to keep curry dairy free.. You can also use almond yogurt instead.

Yogurt Chicken Curry Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (3)

For my family, it is a meal we grew-up with. So, no one say "no" or no one even speak while enjoying a bowl of chicken yogurt curry with their favorite side of naan/bread/rice. The only voice you will hear is to ask for some more gravy!! :)

I'm wrapping-up today's post very quickly because I need to get up to cook dinner... I might cook the same chicken curry again... feeling nostalgic after sharing this post with you...

Honestly, all ingredients for this recipe will be in your pantry. I bet! If you can't find spices, use mix of garam masala and curry powder instead. Enjoy a cozy winter night with a hearty chicken curry, made Indian home-style!

Enjoy and don't forget to share with me your favorite childhood recipe that you still fell nostalgic about.

Have a wonderful day! -Savita

Yogurt Chicken Curry Recipe | ChefDeHome.com (2024)

FAQs

What does adding yogurt to curry do? ›

It's common practice in India to add yogurt to Indian cooking. People add it to curry to balance the spices and lighten the dish. It can also make thick curry, a thin. Hence, it can really elevate the flavors of the dish.

What kind of yogurt is best for curry? ›

Yogurt should be thick Greek yogurt which is not very sour. If you are not sure about yogurt use or afraid it will curdle.. Use half yogurt and half cream and mix it in last step after the curry is ready.

Do you put yogurt or coconut milk in curry? ›

If it's North Indian dish, it's mostly cream in curry and hung yogurt for marination. If it's southern Indian dish, it's either yoghurt. Most of Indian cuisines don't use coconut milk. We use either fresh grated coconut or dried coconut.

Do you put Greek yogurt or cream in curry? ›

While cream and Greek yogurt are both dairy products, they have different textures and flavors, so substituting one for the other can affect the taste and consistency of the dish. In Tikka Masala, Greek yogurt is often used to provide a tangy and creamy base for the sauce, while cream adds richness and sweetness.

How to add yogurt to curry without curdling? ›

A smart trick to avoid yogurt from curdling is to add a smart portion of gravy to the yogurt and whisk it in. This act is called 'Tempering'. Further, you can add the tempered curd to the hot gravy/curry. It enables a slow rise in temperature, thus preventing curdling.

Will Greek yogurt cool a curry? ›

A dollop of yogurt or soured cream works wonders on Indian-style curries and your chilli base if you have really gone overboard with heat.

Can I use yogurt instead of heavy cream in curry? ›

So, instead of cream, I use yogurt and butter (cream's close cousin) to get that rich and velvety tomato gravy for my Chicken Tikka Masala. If you are one of those people who love cream in their Chicken Tikka, then swap out the yogurt and add it. It's all good.

How do you get the sour taste out of yogurt in curry? ›

If a dish is too sour, add a little bit of sugar! Sweetness balances out sour flavors, so if something makes your mouth pucker, a dash of sugar may help soften the blow of the sour food.

Why does yogurt split in curry? ›

It happens when it is added to a dish which is too hot. Adding yogert on high flame leads to curdling . To avoid it whisk it properly before putting it in a dish. While cooking with yogurt simmer before you add it in the dish ,stir , then let it boil on a medium to high flame while stirring occasionally.

Do I really need coconut milk for curry? ›

If you prefer to go the coconut-free route (or if you don't have coconut shreds, cream, oil, water, or butter on hand), you can use plain old milk — whichever kind you prefer. Whatever you're making won't have the same flavor as it would with coconut, which may make things like curries taste a little flat.

Does coconut milk sweeten curry? ›

If you're a fan of Thai curries or Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala, canned coconut milk likely has a permanent spot on your grocery list. A few splashes add a creamy richness and nutty, slightly sweet flavor to everything from soups to desserts.

Will coconut milk cool a curry? ›

Whether you're making a Thai curry or any other coconut-based curry, the addition of coconut milk or cream can make a significant difference in reducing the spice level. It provides a cooling effect to the palate, making the curry more enjoyable for those who prefer milder flavors.

How to mix yogurt into curry? ›

You want to end up with tiny particles evenly dispersed in the dish. So when you add it a spoon at a time, you can mix it really well before it has had time to curdle. An alternative method is to do it the other way round. You remove a spoonfull of the curry and dump it into the yogurt, then stir immediately.

What is the best yogurt for curry? ›

If your supermarket has a brand of dahi or Greek yogurt then use that in curries. Tangy creamy yogurt is the best in Indian cuisine.

Is curry better with coconut milk or cream? ›

Coconut cream is used in both desserts and curries, especially in Thai cuisine, where it serves as a base for cooking curry paste until the oil separates, enhancing the dish with a richer, more fragrant flavor and coconut milk is added in later for more body to the curries,” Suansilphong says.

Why do Indians cook with yogurt? ›

While Western cooks mostly use yogurt in its raw form for desserts or in drinks, Indian chefs use it to tenderize meat, as a souring agent and as a base for lightly textured curries. In India, yogurt also turns up in desserts and is used to prepare homemade buttermilk.

How do you thicken curry with yogurt? ›

A thick yogurt, like Greek yogurt, works best. Simply add a small amount of yogurt, like a spoonful, at a time. Stir your yogurt into the curry and keep adding a little more at a time until it reaches your desired thickness. This is great for Indian-style curries as a cream substitute.

What brings out the Flavour of curry? ›

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

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