Nepalese chicken curry

This Nepalese chicken curry is made with bone-in chicken thighs marinated in yoghurt, garlic, ginger and toasted spices, then baked in a rich tomato-based sauce until the chicken is tender.

It's aromatic rather than fiery, with warmth from cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel and cloves. The yoghurt gives the sauce a gentle tang and helps keep the chicken juicy.

This is my cosy, oven-finished version of Nepali-style chicken curry: practical for a home kitchen, full of flavour and lovely with rice, naan or a simple cucumber raita on the side.

For more curry recipes, try my creamy oven-baked chicken pasanda, quick chicken karahi or chicken dopiaza.

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Ingredient notes and substitutions

You'll find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Chicken thighs

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the best choice here. They stay juicy during the oven cooking and give the sauce more flavour.

You can use drumsticks instead. Chicken breast will work, but it cooks faster and can dry out more easily, so check it earlier and avoid overbaking.

Full-fat yoghurt

Use Greek yoghurt or another plain full-fat yoghurt. Low-fat yoghurt is more likely to split and will not give the sauce the same richness.

The yoghurt does two jobs here: it flavours the chicken in the marinade and adds a gentle tang to the sauce later.

Cardamom and fennel seeds

Use green cardamom pods for this recipe. Crack the pods open and use the seeds inside.

Toasting the cardamom seeds with the fennel seeds gives the marinade a warmer, more aromatic flavour. Keep the pan moving and stop once the seeds smell fragrant and start to pop.

Garlic and ginger

Ready-made garlic and ginger paste are handy and work well here. Fresh garlic and ginger are also fine. Use 3 minced garlic cloves and about 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger.

Chilli powder

This is a mild curry as written. Add a little more chilli powder if you want more heat, or serve chopped fresh chillies on the side so everyone can adjust their own bowl.

Tinned tomatoes

Tinned chopped tomatoes are easy and reliable. You can use 4-5 medium fresh tomatoes instead, but peel and chop them first.

Sugar

The small amount of sugar helps balance the tanginess from the tomatoes and yoghurt. You can leave it out if you prefer, but the sauce may taste a little sharper.

Step-by-step instructions

Prepare and marinate the chicken

1. Shell the cardamom pods and remove the seeds.

2. Add the cardamom seeds and fennel seeds to a small frying pan.

3. Toast the seeds over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan often, until a few seeds start to pop and they smell fragrant. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.

4. Tip the toasted seeds into a mortar and pestle.

5. Grind the toasted seeds down finely.

6. Add the yoghurt to a large bowl. Add the ground toasted spices, garlic paste and ginger paste, then mix well.

7. Add the chicken thighs to the yoghurt marinade.

8. Turn the chicken pieces until they are well coated on all sides.

9. Cover the bowl and transfer it to the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time.

Make and bake the curry

10. Preheat the oven to 180℃/356℉/gas mark 4.

11. Remove the chicken from the yoghurt marinade, scraping off as much of the yoghurt as possible. Keep the leftover yoghurt marinade for later.

12. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pan, casserole dish or hob-to-oven pan. I use a large cast iron pot for this.

13. Add the chicken to the hot pan. Fry over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes on one side, then turn and fry for a further 3 minutes on the other side. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this stage. You just want good colour on the outside.

14. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate.

15. In the same pan, add the chopped onions, cumin seeds and cloves. Cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft and golden.

16. Add the ground cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, chilli powder and ground coriander. Fry with the onions for 1 minute, stirring so the spices don't catch on the bottom of the pan.

17. Add the chicken stock and sugar. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. They add flavour to the sauce.

18. Let the stock simmer for 2-3 minutes.

19. Add the chopped tomatoes, leftover yoghurt marinade, bay leaves and salt to the pan.

20. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over low heat, then remove the pan from the heat. Don't boil it hard once the yoghurt has been added, as this can make the sauce split.

21. Place the browned chicken thighs on top of the sauce, along with any juices from the plate. Sprinkle a little salt over the chicken before baking.

22. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

23. The sauce should look rich and slightly reduced, not watery.

24. Sprinkle with chopped coriander, if using, and serve hot with rice or naan bread.

Troubleshooting

My yoghurt sauce split slightly

A little separation can happen with yoghurt-based sauces, especially if the heat is too high. Use full-fat yoghurt, bring the sauce back to a gentle simmer and avoid boiling it hard once the yoghurt marinade has been added.

My sauce is too thin

Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and simmer the sauce on the hob for a few minutes until it reduces. It should be thick enough to spoon over rice, but still saucy.

My chicken is browning too much in the oven

Loosely cover the pan with foil for the last 10-15 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through and tender, but the top should not look dry or scorched.

Storage, reheating and freezing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened in the fridge.

You can freeze the cooked curry for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat until piping hot. The yoghurt sauce may look slightly less smooth after freezing, but it will still taste good.

More cosy curry recipes

creamy oven-baked chicken pasanda

quick chicken karahi

chicken dopiaza

chicken handi curry

beef curry with coconut milk

creamy butter bean curry