5 from 24 votes
Chicken Karahi
Chicken Karahi is a traditional South Asian dish of chicken cooked in a wok-like pan with onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and a blend of aromatic spices. The dish is cooked until the chicken is tender and the spice mixture thickens into a rich, thick masala. Optional bird’s eye chilies can be added for extra heat, and the final cooking step incorporates oil to give the sauce a glossy finish.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
6
Calories:
446 kcal
Course:
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine:
Pakistani
Ingredients
- 28.22 ounces chicken one baby chicken, cut in small pieces.
- 2 onion chopped, medium
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ inch ginger minced.
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon Coriander ground
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7.05 ounces tomato fresh or tinned
- ⅓ cup cooking oil
- 3 bird’s eye chilli optional, whole, green
Instructions
- Get your karahi/ Kadai/ kadhai/ frying pan ready. Put the chicken, onion, ginger, garlic, all the spices, salt, and tomatoes in the pan. Give them a good stir until all the chicken pieces are covered with spices. Then cook at medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Take care and keep stirring the meat so it won’t get burned at the bottom of the pan.
- When the chicken is cooked but still firm, turn the heat down and slow-cook it with a lid on. It takes about 30-40 minutes for the chicken to become tender and the masala (spice mix) to get thickened.
- Once most of the liquid evaporates, add the whole chilies (if using) and pour in the oil. Stir well and cook further for about 5 minutes or until the sauce is shiny with a bit of oil separated at the edges.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Chicken Karahi is traditionally a drier curry served with flatbreads like roti, naan, or pitta to soak up the sauce.
- You can adjust the sauce consistency by cooking longer to evaporate more liquid or leaving it saucier if preferred.
- For less spicy flavor, replace chili powder with paprika, making the dish friendlier for young children.
- Frequent stirring during initial cooking prevents burning and helps evenly coat the chicken with spices.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1g
Calories
446kcal
(22%)
Carbohydrates
8g
(3%)
Protein
33g
(66%)
Fat
31g
(48%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
23g
(135%)
Cholesterol
125mg
(42%)
Sodium
495mg
(21%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 446
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 446kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 23g | 135% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 495mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.