Creamy Labneh Chicken Curry

A particular chicken curry at a restaurant here in the UAE is my daughter’s absolute favorite. And when I say loves, I mean that it is the only thing she wants to eat whenever we go there—chicken curry with rice, and nothing else.

Eventually, we actually stopped taking her there quite as often because there was simply no convincing her to try anything else on the menu!

So naturally, I decided I had to try making my own version at home.

After a little experimenting, this chicken curry with labneh has become one of those recipes that gives me immense satisfaction to cook. I marinate the chicken thighs in creamy labneh, fried onions, ginger, garlic, and warm spices, then slowly cook them until beautifully tender.

It is creamy without being too heavy, gently spiced and full of those warm, familiar curry flavours that are especially good spooned generously over hot rice.

But the real test is my daughter.

She adores it. Her plate comes back completely clean, and then I hear the words every mum loves hearing: “Can I have some more?”

And really, that is all the approval this recipe needs.

Chicken Curry with Labneh

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus marinating
Cooking time: 35–40 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade

• 700–800 g boneless chicken thighs
• ¾ cup labneh
• ½ cup fried onions, lightly crushed
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1½ tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Salt, to taste

For the curry

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamom pods
• 2 cloves
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1–1½ cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup cooking or heavy cream
• Fresh coriander, for garnish, optional

Method

1. Add the chicken thighs to a large bowl along with the labneh, fried onions, ginger-garlic paste, curry powder, cumin, coriander, and salt.
2. Massage the marinade thoroughly into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, although a few hours will give you even better flavour.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf and allow the whole spices to sizzle until fragrant.
4. Add the marinated chicken thighs to the hot pan in a single layer. Now resist the temptation to stir.
5. Leave the chicken undisturbed for a few minutes so the underside can develop some colour. The labneh, spices, and fried onions will begin to caramelize around the chicken, creating a deeply savoury base for the curry.
6. Once nicely browned, turn the chicken thighs and allow the second side to colour briefly. Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up all those caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook over low-medium heat for around 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender.
8. Remove the lid and simmer for a few more minutes if you would like the gravy slightly thicker. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream. Let everything gently warm through for another 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Finish with fresh coriander if you like.

How I Serve It

For my daughter, there is really only one answer: steaming hot rice.

The creamy gravy sinks into the rice while the caramelized pieces of chicken stay incredibly juicy and tender. Add warm naan on the side if you want something to scoop up every last bit of sauce.

For me, though, the best part will always be watching that little plate come back completely clean.

Some recipes become favourites because they are beautiful or impressive. Others stay with us because someone we love keeps asking us to make them again.

This one is definitely the latter.