Restaurant style chicken lababdar. Love butter chicken? Here’s the richer, slightly spicier version of this much loved Indian classic with a Mughlai legacy. The luxurious tomato-cashew sauce, the balanced warmth of spices, and the tender bites of chicken creates a dish that’s both timeless and contemporary. A royal treat apt for special occasions or weekends!
Why I Love This Regal Classic
One of the most indulgent Indian classics, this dish is celebrated for its creamy texture, slow cooked flavor and balanced spices. It shares a lineage with classics like chicken mughlai and butter chicken, just richer and creamier. The term ‘lababdar’ literally translates to ‘strong desire’, and the dish is aptly named representing the layers of flavors designed to introduce you to the Mughlai culinary tradition well-known for its generous use of cream, spices and nuts.
Unlike some curries that lean heavily into heat or sweetness, this dish brings a balanced signature flavor profile combining the tanginess from tomatoes, creaminess and sweetness from cashews, aroma and warmth from spices, creamy finish from fresh cream, and subtle aroma from dried fenugreek leaves. Apart from that, it also pairs beautifully with a variety of Indian breads like naan, roti, or paratha and flavored rice dishes like jeera rice.
Key Ingredients In Chicken Lababdar
- Chicken - Chicken thighs are preferred. Bone-in chicken for the classic version.
- Tomatoes - For the tangy base sauce.
- Nuts - Cashew nuts.
- Cream - Gives the dish its signature creamy texture.
- Spices - Use both whole and powdered spices.
- Dried fenugreek leaves - For the restaurant style aroma.
How To Make Chicken Lababdar
Marinate and fry chicken - The simple marinade for chicken includes ginger, garlic, red chili powder and lemon juice. This will tenderize the chicken and infuse it with flavor prior to cooking. Simply pan fry the chicken before adding to the sauce for extra level of flavor. You can also grill the chicken.
Prep the base sauce - The sauce starts with sautéing whole spices including cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom pods and whole peppercorns. Next, sauté, whole garlic cloves and ginger. At this stage, you can add in roughly diced onions, tomatoes and green chilies. Also, add cashew nuts. Pour in water and let this cook until soft. Then blend into a silky puree.
Make the curry - Fry some cumin seeds, saute garlic and ginger, and cook onions and tomato paste. To this, add ground paste, and spices. Next up, fried chicken goes into the pan to absorb all the flavors of the base sauce and spices. Add water and let this simmer. For the finishing touch, add a sprinkle of garam masala, a pinch of dried fenugreek leaves and a swirl of cream.
Restaurant Style Chicken Lababdar
Ingredients
Marinate chicken:
- 800 g chicken thighs, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- Juice of half of lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Base sauce:
- 2 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cm cinnamon stick
- 2 cardamom pods
- 8 black peppercorns
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cm ginger, peeled
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 20 cashew nuts
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup water
- Salt to taste
Lababdar curry:
- 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- ¼ cup heavy (thickened) cream
- Salt to taste
To garnish:
- Chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
To serve:
- Naan, roti, paratha or rice
Instructions
Marinate chicken:
- Place chicken in a large bowl. Add garlic, ginger, red chili powder and lemon juice. Season with salt.
- Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, if time permits.
Make base sauce:
- In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and peppercorns. Saute, stirring, for about a few seconds or until fragrant.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add onions, tomatoes, green chilies, cashew nuts and nutmeg.
- Pour in water. Stir to combine. Season with salt.
- Cook, covered, for about 5-7 minutes or until the onions and tomatoes are soft.
- Remove from heat, and let the mixture cool completely.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor and grind to a smooth paste.
Make chicken lababdar:
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel and place it over medium-high heat. Add ghee or oil.
- When hot, add chicken. Saute chicken, stirring occasionally, for about 6-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan.
- Add cumin seeds and fry, stirring, for a few seconds.
- Add garlic and ginger. Saute, stirring, for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add onions and tomato paste. Saute, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft.
- Add ground paste. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
- Add ground coriander and red chili powder. Saute, stirring, for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add chicken back to the pan. Pour water into the pan. Stir to combine. Season with salt. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Add garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and cream. Stir to combine. Heat through.
- Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
- Serve with naan, roti, paratha or rice.
Video
Nutrition
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