From the Kitchen: Afghan Chicken Lawand

A creamy, golden chicken dish from Afghanistan—and a few honest opinions from my kitchen!

Our international cooking adventures have taken us to another country! This time, we're visiting Afghanistan, where I decided to try a dish called Chicken Lawand.

And let me tell you, this one generated some interesting opinions around the dinner table! 😂

If you've been following my From the Kitchen adventures, you know I've discovered some wonderful recipes from around the world. Some have been absolutely spectacular. Others have been good, but not necessarily something I'd rush to make again.

That's part of the adventure!

What intrigued me about Afghan Chicken Lawand was its creamy, golden sauce, made with yogurt, turmeric, and aromatic spices. I love a good chicken dish, especially one with a rich sauce, so this sounded promising.

Traditional Afghan Lawand features chicken in a tangy, yogurt-based sauce. The turmeric gives it that beautiful golden color, while spices like coriander add warmth and depth.

For my version, I made a few adjustments to suit my kitchen.

First, I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I also cut each thigh into quarters so the chicken would be distributed throughout the sauce rather than having large pieces sitting in it.

And naturally, I added a full pound of mushrooms! 🍄

If you've followed these cooking adventures for very long, that probably doesn't surprise you.

I also added heavy whipping cream to the yogurt sauce for extra richness. This isn't a strictly traditional preparation, but it makes a lovely, creamy dish.

The entire recipe came together in my Dutch oven, and the finished sauce was a gorgeous golden yellow.

The aroma was wonderful.

But how did it taste?

Well, let's talk about that!

🇦🇫 Afghan-Inspired Chicken Lawand with Mushrooms

A creamy, mildly spiced chicken dish featuring turmeric, yogurt, and sautéed mushrooms.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35–40 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 50–55 minutes
Servings: Approximately 6
Equipment: Large Dutch oven

Ingredients

Chicken and Vegetables

• 2½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into quarters

• 16 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 2 tsp garlic paste (or 4 minced garlic cloves)

• 1 tsp ginger paste

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsp salted butter

Spices

• 1½ tsp ground turmeric

• 1½ tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp ground cardamom

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1½ tsp salt, divided, plus additional to taste

• ½ tsp black pepper

Creamy Sauce

• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

• ¾ cup chicken broth

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water (optional, for thickening)

Finishing

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

• 1–2 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare and brown the chicken.

Cut each chicken thigh into approximately four pieces.

Season with about ½ teaspoon of the salt and some of the black pepper.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the chicken in batches, if necessary, and brown for approximately 3–4 minutes per side.

The chicken doesn't need to be completely cooked at this point.

Remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside.

2. Sauté the mushrooms and onions.

Add the diced onion and sliced mushrooms to the same Dutch oven.

Cook for approximately 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.

Don't rush this step! Allowing the mushrooms to develop some color adds wonderful savory flavor.

3. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices.

Stir in the garlic paste and ginger paste.

Cook for approximately 1 minute.

Add the turmeric, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, remaining salt, and pepper.

Stir for another 30–60 seconds, allowing the spices to become fragrant.

4. Simmer the chicken.

Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to release the flavorful browned bits.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot.

Cover and simmer gently for approximately 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

5. Prepare the creamy yogurt sauce.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and heavy whipping cream until smooth.

Gradually whisk several spoonfuls of warm cooking liquid into the yogurt mixture.

This process, called tempering, helps prevent the yogurt from curdling when added to the hot chicken.

6. Finish the sauce.

Reduce the heat to low.

Slowly stir the yogurt mixture into the Dutch oven, gently coating the chicken and mushrooms.

Continue heating for approximately 5 minutes.

Important: Avoid boiling the sauce after adding the yogurt. Gentle heat helps maintain a smooth, creamy consistency.

7. Adjust the consistency.

If the sauce is thinner than you'd like, use the optional cornstarch slurry.

For best results, temporarily remove the chicken, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and stir in the slurry until thickened. Reduce the heat and return the chicken.

Taste and adjust the salt as needed.

Add a little lemon juice only if you want additional tanginess.

8. Garnish and serve.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro.

Serve warm with your choice of vegetables or other accompaniments.

🌿 A Little Spinach Made a Difference!

When I first tasted the finished Chicken Lawand, I immediately noticed something.

It was tangy.

Not unpleasantly so, but the Greek yogurt definitely made its presence known!

Now, I know there are people who absolutely love Greek yogurt. I'm just not one of them.

I enjoy creamy sauces, but I generally prefer the richness of heavy cream or sour cream over the distinctive tartness of Greek yogurt.

And while I appreciated the spices and the tender chicken, the tanginess was a little more pronounced than I would have preferred.

So, I decided to add something green to my plate.

I grabbed a handful of fresh spinach, dropped it into boiling water, and cooked it until tender.

Nothing fancy. No butter, no oil, no elaborate seasoning.

Just spinach!

And you know what?

I think it actually improved the meal!

The earthy flavor of the spinach helped balance the tanginess of the sauce. It gave me something different to enjoy alongside the chicken and mushrooms.

It also made a beautiful presentation, with the dark green spinach sitting beside that golden chicken on my red dinner plate.

Sometimes the simplest additions make a difference.

🍝 What About Serving It Over Noodles?

As I was eating, another thought occurred to me.

I know it isn't traditional, but I think this dish would be really good served over a bed of noodles!

The creamy sauce reminded me a little of the kind of sauce you'd enjoy with a chicken-and-mushroom stroganoff.

I could easily imagine that golden sauce coating a plate of egg noodles.

The noodles would also help balance the tanginess by providing another flavor and texture.

Of course, that wouldn't fit my current low-carb eating plan, but for someone who isn't watching carbohydrates, I think it would be worth trying.

And apparently, I wasn't the only one thinking this dish needed something underneath it!

❤️ The Family Taste Test

My mother and stepdad both had an opportunity to try the Chicken Lawand.

And their reviews were encouraging!

Mom liked it!

Now, she didn't like it quite as much as the Hungarian Chicken Paprikash we made during an earlier international cooking adventure. That one was a real winner in her book!

But she thought the Lawand was good.

She also had a serving suggestion of her own.

Mashed potatoes!

She thought the creamy chicken and mushroom sauce would be delicious served over a helping of mashed potatoes.

And I can certainly see her point.

That sauce would be wonderful spooned over a fluffy mound of potatoes, especially for someone who enjoys the tanginess of yogurt.

My stepdad gave it a thumbs up, too!

So even though this wasn't necessarily my personal favorite, it certainly received some approval from the family.

And that's one of the things I enjoy about cooking.

We don't all have to love the same foods!

❤️ The Verdict from My Kitchen

So, where does Afghan Chicken Lawand land on my growing list of international cooking adventures?

I'd call this one a good dish that simply wasn't quite right for my personal taste.

The chicken was tender, the mushrooms were a wonderful addition, and the combination of spices gave the sauce a lovely warmth.

The recipe wasn't spicy-hot, and the golden color was beautiful.

But that Greek yogurt tanginess?

Well, it just isn't my favorite.

I suspect someone who genuinely enjoys Greek yogurt would appreciate this dish much more than I did.

I also think serving it over noodles or mashed potatoes, as Mom suggested, would make it an even more satisfying meal.

Would I make it again?

Probably not for myself.

But am I glad I tried it?

Absolutely!

I got to explore another country's cooking traditions, experiment with a different combination of ingredients, and share something new with my family.

And while I may not be adding Chicken Lawand to my regular dinner rotation, Mom and my stepdad both enjoyed it.

That's a pretty good outcome, if you ask me!

One thing I've learned from these international cooking adventures is that not every dish has to become a family favorite to be worth preparing.

Sometimes the experience itself is the reward.

And sometimes you discover a dish that someone else will absolutely love, even if it isn't quite your cup of tea.

So, Afghanistan, thank you for another interesting culinary adventure! 🇦🇫

I'm glad we visited your kitchen traditions, and I'm looking forward to seeing where our next recipe takes us.

From the Kitchen. From the Farm. From the Heart. ❤️