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5.0 from 66 votes

Chicken Shorba - The Classic Pakistani Chicken Curry

Chicken Shorba is just another type of chicken curry in Pakistani cuisine. Unlike chicken karahi that is slightly dry with little gravy in it, chicken shorba is a curry with soup-like gravy.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6 portions
Calories: 112 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Pakistani

Ingredients

  • 1 baby chicken approximately 1.3 - 1.7 lbs.
  • 1 medium brown onion chopped.
  • ½ inch ginger minced.
  • 4 garlic cloves minced.
  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds.
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin.
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander.
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  • 1-2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder see the note.
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
  • 1 teaspoon salt or according to taste.
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped (see the note).
  • ⅓ cup cooking oil see the note.
  • 3 cups water (see the note.

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prep your chicken pieces and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a cooking pan at medium heat, and add in the chopped onion and whole cumin seeds. Fry until the onion turns slightly golden.
  3. Put the minced ginger and garlic in the onion, and stir fry for a minute.
  4. Then add in the rest of the spices, i.e. cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ground black pepper, and salt. Stir fry further until the spices release aroma. Take care not to let the spices burn. 
  5. Next, put the chopped tomatoes in the spices. Cook until the tomatoes become soft. Mash them with the back of a wooden spoon until they mix with the spices and turn to a thick sauce. You can add ½ cup of water little by little if the spice mix gets too dry. And cook it with the pan lid on to quicken the process. 
  6. Once your spice masala turns nicely smooth, add the chicken pieces in, and toss around. So the poultry is covered with the sauce. 
  7. Leave it to cook at low heat with a lid on until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Then add the rest of the water and continue cooking until the chicken is tender. Take care and keep stirring every now and again to avoid burning at the bottom of the pan.
  8. When the oil separates at the edges, your chicken shorba is ready. Serve it with chopped coriander leaves if you like and enjoy it with either rice or naan bread. 

Notes

  • Kashmiri red chili powder gives a more vibrant red color with a mild and sweet note in its heat. If it is not available to you, you can put equal amounts of ordinary red chili powder and paprika powder. This can give a similar color and flavor to Kashmiri red chili powder.
  • I often use tinned chopped tomatoes because they are more readily available in my pantry. 
  • If you like, you can whizz the tomatoes with a blender or food chopper until it is smooth before you cook them in the spice. This way, your masala will be smooth quickly.  

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 112kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Cholesterol 13mg (4%) Sodium 468mg (20%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6portions

Amount Per Serving

Calories 112

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 112kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Cholesterol 13mg 4%
Sodium 468mg 20%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%

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