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4.6 from 393 votes

Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi or Chicken Kadai is a spicy, homestyle chicken curry with fragrant spices and fresh ginger.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Calories: 347 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 yellow onion finely diced
  • ¼ cup ginger finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons garlic minced
  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry and cut into 4 pieces each
  • 1½ cups canned diced tomatoes **
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Garnish:
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup ginger julienned

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat oil. Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process. Tip: Make sure the bottom of the pot has no browning after sautéing the onions. If you see any browning, press Cancel on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden or silicone spatula to remove all of the brownings.
  2. Add the chicken, tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground turmeric, and salt. Stir well.
  3. Close the Instant Pot lid on with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then release all remaining pressure by turning the pressure release valve from sealing to venting.
  4. Open the Instant Pot and set it to Sauté mode. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes as the curry continues to thicken. Garnish with cilantro and ginger.
  5. Serve hot with naan or parathas and rice. For a low carb meal, serve mushroom masala over cauliflower rice. Add a side of cucumber salad for a delicious meal.

Notes

  • Notes:
  • Make sure the bottom of the pot has no browning after sautéing the onions. If you see any browning, press Cancel on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden or silicone spatula to remove all of the brownings.
  • Stovetop Recipe: 
  • Boxed or canned diced tomatoes can be substituted with 4 ripe plum or roma tomatoes. 
  • Substitute Kashmiri red chili powder with any mild chili powder
  • Make sure to dice the ginger very small so you do get big pieces of ginger in the curry
  • To reduce the spice in this curry, reduce the quantity of red chili powder, garam masala, and ginger by half
  • To make the curry more spicy and hot, add a sliced jalapeño along with the onions
  • You can either use fresh tomatoes or box/canned chopped tomatoes in this recipe
  • Make sure the bottom of the pot has no browning after sautéing the onions. If you see any browning, press Cancel on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden or silicone spatula to remove all of the brownings.
  • Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Then, add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes on medium-high heat until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process.
  • Add the chicken, tomatoes, all the spices and stir well.
  • Cover the pot with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked stirring frequently. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed if the curry starts to stick to the pot.
  • Garnish with cilantro and ginger.

Nutrition Information

Calories 347kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 11g (4%) Protein 34g (68%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 161mg (54%) Sodium 1189mg (50%) Potassium 739mg (21%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 805IU (16%) Vitamin C 12.5mg (14%) Calcium 68mg (7%) Iron 3.1mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 347

% Daily Value*

Calories 347kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Protein 34g 68%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 161mg 54%
Sodium 1189mg 50%
Potassium 739mg 16%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 805IU 16%
Vitamin C 12.5mg 14%
Calcium 68mg 7%
Iron 3.1mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.