Chicken and yogurt stew is a quick, creamy pan dish with garlic, saffron and a gently tangy sauce. The key is to cook the chicken first, then warm the yogurt sauce carefully; a hard boil can split it and make otherwise tender chicken breast feel dry.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons cream
- 5 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Brewed saffron, to taste
- Salt and white or black pepper, to taste
- A small amount of grated fresh ginger, optional
- Chopped parsley, to finish
- 2 boiled potatoes, cut into pieces, optional
Mix the yogurt sauce
Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise and cream together until smooth. Full-fat yogurt is less likely to split than a very lean one. Let the mixture lose its refrigerator chill while you cook the chicken.
The mayonnaise adds body and helps the sauce stay emulsified, but temperature control matters more. Do not pour ice-cold yogurt into a fiercely boiling pan, and do not bring the finished sauce to a rolling boil.
Cook the chicken
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over low to medium heat. Add the garlic and optional ginger, stirring just until fragrant.
- Add the chicken strips, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until the surfaces are opaque and beginning to colour. White pepper keeps the sauce visually pale, but black pepper is equally suitable.
- Lower the heat. Stir a spoonful of the hot pan juices into the yogurt mixture, then repeat once or twice. This gradual warming helps protect the sauce.
- Pour the tempered yogurt sauce into the pan and stir gently around the chicken. Add brewed saffron a little at a time until the colour and aroma suit you.
- Cover loosely and cook over low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep the sauce below a hard boil.
The chicken is ready when the thickest strip reaches 74°C (165°F). Remove the pan from the heat as soon as it is cooked and the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
Saffron yogurt chicken without a split sauce
For smooth saffron yogurt chicken, use room-temperature dairy, temper it with hot liquid and keep the final heat gentle. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of warm water. If it looks thin, simmer uncovered over low heat rather than turning up the flame.
This same approach works whether you call the dish yogurt saffron chicken or saffron chicken stew: saffron goes into a warm, stable sauce late enough to remain fragrant.
Serving options
Finish with chopped parsley and serve with rice, flatbread or steamed vegetables. For a one-pan meal, fold in two boiled potatoes when you add the yogurt sauce. The potatoes absorb some of the tangy, creamy flavour and naturally make the sauce feel thicker.
Taste before adding more salt because mayonnaise already contains seasoning. Leftovers should be cooled promptly, refrigerated and reheated gently; strong heat is as likely to split the yogurt sauce the second time as it is during the initial cooking.
