Indian Chicken in Onion-Cashew Sauce Recipe
This dish is a North Indian–style curry with pieces of chicken simmered in a thick sauce made from onions, tomatoes, and ground cashew nuts. In this version the sauce is exceptionally smooth and gently sweet from long-cooked onions, and the nuts thicken it without cream, so the dish is lighter yet still very creamy.
This curry is inspired by North Indian restaurant-style dishes where onions, tomatoes, and nuts are blended into a silky sauce., Using cashews instead of cream is common in many Indian gravies, especially Mughlai-style recipes, giving richness without heaviness., Serving the dish with basmati rice or naan reflects typical North Indian meal combinations, balancing the rich sauce with neutral starches.
The dish delivers a restaurant-style, ultra-smooth curry using simple supermarket ingredients., It is naturally creamy and satisfying without added cream, making it lighter yet still indulgent., The balance of sweet onions, tangy tomatoes, warm spices, and nutty cashews creates a rounded, comforting flavor profile.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Long, patient frying of the onions and tomatoes builds deep sweetness and umami, which makes the sauce taste complex without many ingredients.
- Blending the base with soaked cashews creates a naturally creamy texture, so you do not need cream or coconut milk for richness.
- Marinating the chicken briefly in yogurt and some of the sauce seasons the meat and keeps it tender while it simmers.
- Adding garam masala at the end preserves its aroma, giving the finished curry a fresh, layered spice fragrance.
Chef's tips
If you have time, soak the cashews a bit longer; they blend more easily and give an even silkier sauce., For extra depth, lightly toast the cashews in a dry pan before soaking them., If your pan is crowded, simmer the curry a few minutes longer with the lid off to reach the right sauce thickness., Taste the sauce before adding salt at the end—both the yogurt and garam masala can subtly affect the seasoning.
How to serve
Serve with fluffy basmati rice and a simple cucumber-yogurt salad to cool the palate., Pair with naan, roti, or other soft flatbreads to scoop up the thick sauce., Add a wedge of lime or lemon on the side so everyone can brighten their portion to taste.
Na co uważać
- Do not rush frying the onions; if they stay pale, the sauce will be flat in flavor, but if they burn, it will taste bitter.
- Blend the sauce thoroughly; any large cashew pieces can give a grainy texture instead of a smooth, restaurant-style finish.
- Keep the heat at medium when simmering the chicken so the yogurt does not split and the sauce stays silky.
- Adjust the amount of hot paprika to your heat tolerance—adding too much at once is hard to fix later.
Zamienniki
- Use turkey instead of chicken, increasing the cooking time slightly until tender.
- If you cannot find cashews, blanched almonds can work, but soak them longer and peel if needed for a smoother sauce.
- Replace ghee with neutral vegetable oil or regular butter if ghee is unavailable.
- If you do not have garam masala, use a mild curry powder and a pinch of ground cardamom as a rough substitute.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs or breasts, boneless, cut into large cubes - 700 g
- onion medium, thinly sliced into half-moons - 3 piece
- tomatoes ripe, finely chopped or grated - 3 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 4 cloves
- ginger peeled, grated - 3 cm
- cashew nuts soaked in warm water for 15 minutes - 60 g
- thick plain yogurt at room temperature - 120 g
- vegetable oil - 3 tablespoons
- ghee can be replaced with regular butter - 1 tablespoon
- ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
- ground coriander - 1.5 teaspoons
- turmeric - 0.5 teaspoons
- garam masala spice blend, available in supermarkets - 1 teaspoon
- hot paprika, ground or less, to taste - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- water to adjust the thickness of the sauce - 200 ml
- fresh cilantro chopped, for serving (optional) - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Pour warm water over the cashew nuts and set aside for at least 15 minutes until they soften; in the meantime cut the chicken, slice the onions, chop the tomatoes, finely chop the garlic, and grate the ginger.
- In a large frying pan or wide pot, heat the oil with the ghee over medium heat, add the onions, and fry for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until they are very soft and golden but not burnt.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1–2 minutes until very fragrant, then add the cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Stir for another 30–40 seconds until the spices foam lightly.
- Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Fry for 8–10 minutes over medium heat until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens and starts to pull away from the bottom of the pan, leaving the fat around the edges.
- Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the contents to a blender, add the drained cashew nuts, and blend to a smooth, creamy sauce; if the blender struggles, add 2–3 tablespoons of water.
- Put the chicken into a bowl, add the yogurt, 2 tablespoons of the blended sauce, and a pinch of salt. Mix well until every piece is coated and set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- In the same pan, pour back the blended sauce, add about 150–200 ml water, bring to a boil, then add the marinated chicken. Cook over medium heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the meat is completely white inside and the sauce is thick and creamy.
- Finally, season with salt, add the garam masala and hot paprika, and cook for another 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and starts to gently bubble. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh cilantro, with basmati rice or naan bread.
Storage
Store in an airtight container. When reheating in a pan, add 2–3 tablespoons of water, as the sauce thickens. Freeze in portions, thaw slowly in the fridge, and reheat until boiling.
This curry is designed to feel like a treat but still be light enough for a weekday dinner., It is also a good introduction to Indian flavors for people who are not used to very spicy food—just reduce the hot paprika and keep the rest of the spices as written.
