The Canaries clung onto their top of the table perch thanks to a decisive finish from Mathias Svensson in first-half stoppage time.
But they should have had a hatful of goals in a game they dominated throughout, except for one breathtaking half-time moment in which Robert Green made a point-blank save from Gerry Taggart's downward header.
The visitors kicked off but it was the home side that did most of the attacking throughout this game.
Referee Mike Riley angered the home fans when he booked their hero Darren Huckerby for a foul on John Halls in the 17th minute - the first of ten bookings.
A minute later, Ed de Goey made a one-handed save to deny Huckerby then former Canary Ade Akinbiyi was booked for a late challenge on Malky Mackay and Peter Hoekstra followed for fouling Paul McVeigh.
Wayne Thomas became the third Stoke player to see yellow for arguing with the referee.
Huckerby fired inches wide with a snapshot and then threaded a throughball to Svensson but he failed to make contact.
Leon McKenzie netted on the half-hour but he had already been flagged offside.
Halls was booked for pulling back Huckerby as he raced into the Stoke half.
On the stroke of half-time, Norwich took the lead when Huckerby crossed from the left, Damien Francis helped it on and Svensson's left-foot shot from six yards out at the far post hit the roof of the net, giving the Canaries a rare half-time lead.
Five minutes into the second half, Gary Holt was tripped by former Canary Darel Russell but Huckerby wasted the chance to increase the lead when his right-foot penalty was saved by de Goey diving to his left.
Francis then missed a gilt-edged chance when he fired over after being set up by McKenzie.
Green then made his top-class save to keep out Taggart's close-range header from substitute Kris Common's free-kick and completed the clearance himself.
Substitute Kevin Cooper had two shots saved by de Goey and the other City sub, Iwan Roberts, was agonisingly close to Cooper's cross as Norwich tried to make the points safe.
In the end, one goal was enough for the Canaries to hang on to the top spot.