This afghani chicken recipe is the creamy, restaurant-style version of murgh afghani — the mild, pale-green Mughlai curry that tastes luxurious without a single spoonful of heavy spice. Tender pieces of yogurt-marinated chicken simmer in a velvety gravy of blended cashews, green chilies, coriander leaves, and mint, finished with cream and a pinch of crushed kasuri methi. One quick note before you start: this is the gravy-style afghani chicken (sometimes called white chicken curry afghani), not the dry BBQ-roast afghani chicken tikka you may have seen at grill counters — that charred, skewer-cooked version is a different dish entirely. If a rich, mild, spoonable curry is what you’re craving, you’re in the right place.
Why You’ll Love This Afghani Chicken
- Restaurant taste, home kitchen — the secret is a proper afghani chicken marinade plus a cashew-thickened gravy, exactly like the dhaba and fine-dining versions.
- Mild and creamy — green chilies give it gentle warmth, not fire. Kids and spice-cautious eaters love it.
- No red chili, no turmeric — the signature pale-green colour comes from fresh herbs, which is also what makes it stand out from every other chicken curry on the table.
- One pan, 45 minutes — plus a hands-off marinating window you can stretch from 30 minutes to overnight.
Afghani Chicken Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1½ lbs (700g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces (breasts work, but thighs stay juicier)
- ¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon white pepper (the classic afghani chicken masala pepper — milder and more aromatic than black)
- 1 green chili, minced (optional, for extra warmth)
For the Green-Cashew Gravy
- 25 cashews (about ⅓ cup), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, then drained
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 3–4 green chilies, stems removed (adjust to your heat preference)
- ½ cup packed fresh coriander leaves, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or neutral oil)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup water
For Finishing
- ½ cup heavy cream, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your palms
- Fresh coriander and mint leaves, for garnish
How to Make Afghani Chicken
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
In a large bowl, whisk together the ¾ cup yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, cumin, ground coriander, white pepper, and the optional minced green chili. Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is thickly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavour.
Step 2: Blend the Green-Cashew Paste
Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender with the chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, the ¼ cup yogurt, and ½ cup water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy — no flecks of cashew should remain. This paste is the entire base of the chicken afghani gravy, so take your time.
Step 3: Sear the Chicken
Heat the ghee in a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken pieces (leave a thin coating) and sear in a single layer for 4–5 minutes per side until lightly golden at the edges. The chicken doesn’t need to cook through yet — it will finish in the gravy. Remove and set aside.
Step 4: Cook the Gravy Base
In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the green-cashew paste, add the garam masala, white pepper, and salt, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly, thickens, and the fat begins to glisten at the edges. Pour in the 1 cup of water, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 5 more minutes.
Step 5: Combine and Simmer
Whisk in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Add the seared chicken along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temperature) and the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
Step 6: Finish and Serve
Take the pan off the heat. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it through the gravy along with a final swirl of cream. Garnish with fresh coriander and mint leaves, and serve hot with naan bread or jeera rice.
Tips for the Best Afghani Chicken
- Soak the cashews. Twenty minutes in hot water softens them so they blend into a truly silky gravy — this is what makes afghani chicken with cashew taste restaurant-style instead of grainy.
- Keep the heat gentle with cream. Add the cream over low heat and never let the gravy boil hard afterwards, or it can split.
- White pepper is the signature. Black pepper works in a pinch, but white pepper’s mellow, floral heat is what gives afghani chicken masala its distinctive character.
- Don’t overcook the greens. The paste only needs 8–10 minutes; prolonged boiling dulls the fresh green colour into olive.
- Thighs beat breasts. Thighs stay tender through the final simmer; breasts can turn dry and chalky.
What to Serve with Afghani Chicken
This creamy afghani chicken is at its best mopped up with warm naan — garlic naan if you’re feeling indulgent — or fluffy jeera rice. A side of sliced onions with lemon wedges and a simple cucumber raita keeps the richness balanced. It also pairs beautifully with a crisp green salad.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like most Mughlai curries, the flavour deepens overnight.
- Freezer: Freezes well for up to 3 months (cream-based gravies can separate slightly — a quick whisk while reheating fixes it). Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cream or water if the gravy thickened. Avoid hard boiling — high heat can split the cream.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
Afghani Chicken FAQs
Is afghani chicken spicy?
Not really. Green afghani chicken gets its gentle warmth from green chilies and white pepper rather than red chili powder, which is why it’s often described as a white chicken curry. Adjust the number of green chilies up or down to suit your taste.
What’s the difference between gravy-style afghani chicken and the dry BBQ version?
Both start from a similar cream-and-spice marinade, but the BBQ version is skewered and grilled or roasted until charred and served dry, while this afghani chicken curry recipe simmers the chicken in a creamy green-cashew gravy. This post covers the gravy version.
Can I make afghani chicken without cashews?
Cashews are what give the gravy its body, but blanched almonds or melon seeds (magaz) are the closest substitutes — use the same quantity, soaked and blended the same way.
Why is my gravy pale instead of green?
Two likely causes: the coriander and mint were old or skimpy, or the gravy was overcooked. Use a full packed ½ cup of fresh coriander plus the mint, blend them in raw, and keep the simmer gentle and brief.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes — cut the pieces slightly larger and shorten the final simmer to about 10 minutes so the breast stays juicy.
Afghani Chicken (Creamy Mughlai Murgh Afghani)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the ¾ cup yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, cumin, ground coriander, white pepper, and the optional minced green chili. Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is thickly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours for deeper flavour.
- Blend the Green-Cashew Paste: Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender with the chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves, the ¼ cup yogurt, and ½ cup water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy — no flecks of cashew should remain. This paste is the entire base of the chicken afghani gravy, so take your time.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat the ghee in a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Shake the excess marinade off the chicken pieces (leave a thin coating) and sear in a single layer for 4–5 minutes per side until lightly golden at the edges. The chicken doesn't need to cook through yet — it will finish in the gravy. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the Gravy Base: In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the green-cashew paste, add the garam masala, white pepper, and salt, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly, thickens, and the fat begins to glisten at the edges. Pour in the 1 cup of water, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook 5 more minutes.
- Combine and Simmer: Whisk in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Add the seared chicken along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C internal temperature) and the gravy is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
- Finish and Serve: Take the pan off the heat. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it through the gravy along with a final swirl of cream. Garnish with fresh coriander and mint leaves, and serve hot with naan bread or jeera rice.
