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You are here: Home » Chicken

Published: Sep 18, 2020 · Modified: Sep 11, 2021 by Saima · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases · This blog generates income via ads.

Chicken Patiala

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  • 270
Jump to Recipe
chicken patiala in plate with naan and onion rings
chicken patiala in bowl
chicken patiala in instant pot
chicken patiala
chicken patiala in instant pot

Chicken patiala is a luscious, restaurant-style chicken curry that goes very well with Indian breads like garlic naan or tandoori roti. The gravy is mildly spiced but quite rich thanks to the addition of ground cashewnut and cream. Make it when you have company or when you are in the mood for something lavish!

Another chicken curry that you can proudly serve while entertaining is this chicken tikka masala and this boneless chicken handi. These are every bit as luscious and creamy as this recipe!

chicken patiala in bowl with naan bread in background

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Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • How to make chicken patiala
  • Top tips
  • More chicken curry recipes
  • Best sides to serve with chicken patiala
  • 📖 Recipe

Why this recipe works

Chicken Patiala is a signature Punjabi dish good enough for a feast. If you can't resist curried chicken with lots of creamy sauce, you've hit the jackpot here, my friend! I chanced upon this recipe on Get Curried and when I first made it, I was blown away by how lovely it was! Deep, rich flavors to die for. However, in its original form, it is a stove-top recipe with lots of involved steps. And since my mantra on this blog is to keep things simple as far as possible, I made two major modifications to it the next couple of times I cooked it.

  1. I used my instant pot and cut down on the time. Pressure cooking the already tender chicken (after a bit of sautéing in the masala) took all of four minutes.
  2. I also cut down significantly on the number of steps. No need to make two gravies as the original recipe suggests. You can get the same results using my easy, adapted recipe. Yay!
chicken patiala in plate with naan and onion rings

How to make chicken patiala

Note: exact amounts of ingredients are mentioned in the recipe card further down in the post.

Step 1 - Marinate the chicken

  • Marinate skinless, bone-in chicken pieces in yogurt, ginger and garlic pastes, powdered spices (chilli, turmeric and black pepper), and salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 2 - Cook the marinated chicken in your instant pot.

You will need the ingredients in the picture below for this step:

first set of ingredients for chicken patiala
  • Turn your instant pot to sauté.
  • Heat the oil and add the whole spices.
  • When the spices sizzle, add the ginger and garlic pastes. Sauté for a minute.
  • Follow with the chopped red onions. Fry the onions until they turn reddish-brown.
  • Tip in the tomatoes and powdered spices. Cook until the tomatoes are soft. You might need to add a quarter cup water to keep the masala wet.
  • Finally, add the marinated chicken and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.

Step 3 - Add the remaining goodies

You will need the ingredients in the picture below for this step:

second set of ingredients for chicken patiala
  • Open the instant pot after the timer beeps (quick pressure release) and add chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves, diced red onion, and diced green pepper. Sauté for a minute.
  • Follow with the cashewnut paste. Add a quarter cup water if needed and cook for 8-10 minutes.
  • Add garam masala powder, ginger juliennes, and fresh cream. Stir to mix in these ingredients.
  • Take out the chicken in a bowl and drizzle with extra fresh cream. Serve with some warm Indian bread .

Top tips

  1. Fresh fenugreek leaves are available in most supermarkets these days. They are kept right alongside the other herbs like cilantro and mint.
  2. If you cannot find fresh fenugreek, you can use the dried leaves too. These are usually found in Indian or Pakistani stores.
  3. The cashewnut paste can be prepared by soaking the cashews in some warm water to soften them (15 minutes) and then blending them along with the water in which they were soaked to a smooth paste.
  4. If you don't have all the whole spices, these can be subbed with one-fourth teaspoon powdered garam masala.
  5. If you don't have an instant pot, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop too. It would just take a bit more time and monitoring.

More chicken curry recipes

  • Achari Chicken - A bold and spicy chicken curry made in Indian pickling spices. 
  • Spinach Chicken - Tender pieces of boneless chicken breast and spinach leaves simmered in a creamy cashew sauce. 
  • White Chicken Karahi - A smooth, slightly spicy chicken curry with a delicate and creamy white sauce that you can mop up with warm naan.
  • Chicken Madras - A hot and vibrant chicken curry deeply flavored with spices.
  • Chicken Kali Mirch - Indian pepper chicken made with a few common ingredients but loaded with flavor.  

Best sides to serve with chicken patiala

Chicken tastes fantastic with some basic bread or plain rice, but if you want to move away from the same old and do things differently, try some new side dishes to go with it. Here are a few recipes that complement it perfectly:

  • Whole Wheat Naan - Soft, pillowy and healthy naan bread made with whole wheat flour or atta.
  • Cumin Rice - Basmati rice flavored with cumin and other whole spices.
  • Onion Raita - A quick and easy yogurt dip that is a must-have with curries. 
  • Bombay Potatoes - Crispy and spicy baby potatoes with soft insides.

These are just a few possibilities. Find a lot more recipes for what to serve with chicken curry in this post: 20+ Best Side Dishes for Chicken Curry. You'll never run out of ideas for interesting sides!

📖 Recipe

chicken patiala in bowl

Chicken Patiala

Saima Zaidi
Chicken patiala is a luscious, restaurant-style chicken curry that goes very well with Indian breads like garlic naan or tandoori roti. The gravy is mildly spiced but quite rich thanks to the addition of ground cashewnut and cream. Make it when you have company or when you are in the mood for something lavish!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Chicken
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 450.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 6-quart Instant Pot Duo
  • Pryex bowl

Ingredients
 
 

For marinating the chicken

  • 1.5 lbs chicken bone-in, cut into 14 pieces
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon ginger paste
  • ½ teaspoon garlic paste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • sea salt to taste

For cooking the chicken 

  • ⅓ cup cooking oil
  • 3 green cardamom
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 3 medium red onions finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 cup fenugreek leaves methi
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 green pepper or capsicum diced
  • ⅓ cup cashew paste
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ½ tablespoon ginger julienned
  • ¼ cup fresh cream
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Instructions
 

  • Marinate the chicken pieces in yogurt, ginger and garlic pastes, powdered spices (chilli, turmeric and black pepper), and sea salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • Turn your instant pot to sauté. Heat the oil and add the whole spices.
  • When the spices sizzle, add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
  • Follow with the chopped red onions. Fry the onions until they turn reddish-brown.
  • Tip in the tomatoes and the powdered spices (chilli, turmeric, and coriander). Cook until the tomatoes are soft. Add a few splashes of water to keep the masala from sticking.
  • Finally, add the marinated chicken and cancel sauté. Secure the lid and make sure the steam release vent is on 'sealing.' Press the pressure cooking button (high) and set the timer to four minutes. Release the pressure when the timer beeps by turning the steam release vent to 'venting.'
  • Open the pot and add the chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves, diced red onion, and diced green pepper. Fry for a minute.
  • Follow with the cashew paste. Add a quarter cup water if needed and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add garam masala powder, ginger juliennes, and fresh cream. Serve hot with Indian bread like naan. 

Notes

  1. Fresh fenugreek leaves are available in most supermarkets these days. They are kept right alongside the other herbs like cilantro and mint.
  2. If you cannot find fresh fenugreek, you can use the dried leaves too. These are usually found in Indian or Pakistani stores.
  3. The cashewnut paste can be prepared by soaking the cashews in some warm water to soften them (15 minutes) and then blending them along with the water in which they were soaked to a smooth paste.
  4. If you don't have all the whole spices, these can be subbed with one-fourth teaspoon powdered garam masala.
  5. If you don't have an instant pot, you can cook the chicken on the stovetop too. It would just take a bit more time and monitoring.

Nutrition

Calories: 450.8kcalCarbohydrates: 27.6gProtein: 22.2gFat: 29.3gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20.3gCholesterol: 58.6mgSodium: 253.9mgFiber: 4.4gSugar: 10.8g
Keyword chicken patiala, indian chicken curry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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432 shares
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Andy Taylor says

    May 22, 2022 at 1:52 am

    5 stars
    Cooked last night, fabulous curry, will be cooking again.

    Reply
    • Saima says

      May 22, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks Andy!

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Hi, I'm Saima! I live in Alberta, Canada with my husband and twin boys. Here, you'll find Indian recipes with fresh, natural ingredients and easy, no-fuss cooking techniques. Welcome to my blog!

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