Pakistani chicken karahi is packed with bold, comforting flavor—tender chicken cooks in a rich, tomato-based salan infused with aromatic spices, just like those found in dhabas or home kitchens across Pakistan. With this easy, authentic karahi recipe, you can bring that same homestyle goodness straight to your table.
“This karahi was terrific. Felt just like home. We’ve made it a few times since, and it is a favorite for everyone, including the kids and a picky grandfather.”
-R.J.
Like many recipes, traditional karahi has evolved over the years, with ingredients like onions and yogurt finding their way into the masala. While those additions taste delicious, this recipe stays true to its roots. Inspired by my husband’s family recipes from Karachi, the dish highlights fresh, juicy tomatoes to create a truly authentic Pakistani chicken karahi.
What is Chicken Karahi?
Chicken karahi, or chicken kadai, hails from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan and is traditionally made with bone-in chicken. That said, the dish works beautifully with goat, lamb, beef, or fish. Ripe, juicy tomatoes are at the heart of any authentic karahi recipe, giving the salan its rich, tangy flavor.
What is Karahi Made Of?
- Ghee: Cook the aromatics and chicken in ghee.
- Cumin: Toast the whole cumin seeds to pronounce their flavor.
- Chili Peppers: I prefer whole green chili peppers, slit lengthwise, for a gentle heat that doesn’t overpower. If you enjoy a spicer karahi, you can finely dice the green chilies beforehand.
- Chicken: Chicken karahi works best with bone-in chicken—chicken thighs, drumsticks, or a whole chicken broken into smaller pieces, called a karahi cut. Chicken thighs are the best option for boneless chicken because they are juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts.
- Ginger: Using fresh ginger (and lots of it) is a prominent feature in karahi recipes. Fresh ginger flavors the shorba and serves as a tasty garnish once the dish is ready.
- Garlic: Use four fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Tomatoes: Since chicken karahi is a tomato-based curry, I use ripe, fresh tomatoes as the base for the salan. To save time (and disguise the tomatoes for my husband), I puree them in a food processor beforehand.
What are the best tomatoes for karahi?
Tomatoes are the main ingredient in karahi, so make sure to use ripe, fresh tomatoes. I typically use vine-ripe tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes work best because they are flavorful but have less moisture than other varieties, perfect for a bhuna-style curry like this one.
- Spices: Season with kosher salt, coarse black pepper, ground cumin, coriander powder, kalonji seeds, and Kashmiri chili powder (paprika) or red chili powder (cayenne pepper) if you want a little more heat. Use store-bought karahi masala if you’re in a hurry.
- Cilantro: Top with with chopped cilantro for a fresh-tasting finish.
Additions and Substitutions
- Add creaminess. If you prefer more salan, add a spoonful of yogurt to give the dish a creamy consistency.
Tools You’ll Need
The flavorful chicken karahi is cooked in, you guessed it, a karahi—a heavy-bottomed pot that’s perfect for high-temperature cooking. If you don’t have one on hand, a wok works well; it’s slightly lighter but still evenly conducts heat. A Dutch oven or stainless steel sauté pan will also do the trick.
How to Make Chicken Karahi
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm ghee in a preheated heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the cumin seeds and green chilies. Fry until they sputter.
Step 2: Add the chicken and fry until the outside turns golden brown, for 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
Step 4: Add kosher salt, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, and kalonji seeds to the pan.
Step 5: Stir in the tomato puree and cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes until the ghee separates and the salan darkens.
Step 6: Reduce the heat and add the cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes.
How do you know when the chicken is done?
The chicken is done cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
Expert Tips
- Bhuna the salan. Karahi calls for a South Asian cooking technique called bhuna (an Urdu word for fried)—the ingredients fry in ghee at high temperatures until the ghee escapes to the edges. The salan will reduce and form a paste for a deeply concentrated and caramelized flavor. More bhuna recipes: bhuna gosht, aloo keema, or karahi gosht.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan with chicken. Adding too much chicken or using too small a pan will trap moisture, leaving you with excess liquid (a lesson I learned the hard way during recipe development). If this happens, don’t worry—remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Bhuna (reduce) the salan until it thickens, then return the chicken to the pan.
If you enjoy chicken karahi, try more Pakistani recipes!
Serving Suggestions
This restaurant-style chicken curry is so good you’ll want to savor every last bite. Curries with a lot of salan—like butter chicken masala, chicken salan, and chicken kaleji—are perfect with piping hot basmati rice or jeera rice to soak up all that extra gravy.
But since Pakistani chicken karahi is a dry or bhuna curry, it pairs best with naan, chapati, or roti to scoop it up. I love serving mine with a fresh salad on the side. Try it with kachumber salad or avocado cucumber tomato salad to brighten the meal.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chicken karahi freezes for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the leftover karahi on the stovetop and prepare your sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called chicken karahi?
This dish gets its name from the vessel it traditionally cooks in—a karahi (also called kadai or karai). A karahi is a heavy-bottomed, circular cooking pot with slightly sloping sides. It is similar to a wok but heavier, often made from cast iron or aluminum. It’s a staple in Pakistan and Indian cuisine and is ideal for high-heat cooking.
Is karahi the same as curry?
Curry is a broad term used primarily in the West to describe dishes with a rich, spiced sauce or gravy. However, karahi and curry aren’t exactly the same.
While karahi is a type of curry, it has a more concentrated, intense flavor that sets it apart from other curry recipes. One of the major differences is how the sauce, or salan, is made. Karahi skips the usual cream, yogurt, and onions, relying primarily on fresh tomatoes for flavor. Another notable difference is that karahi has a drier consistency than most curries, reducing the sauce to a thick, flavorful coating or glaze around the meat.
So, while karahi is a type of curry, not all curries are karahi. It’s in a category of its own.
Does chicken karahi include onion?
While modern versions include onions, I stick to the basics with this Pakistani classic and leave them out. That said, I’m all for making the dish your own—if you prefer a bit more salan, feel free to add onions.
More Salan Recipes:
Chicken Karahi
- Karahi or Wok
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2-3 green chili peppers, slit lengthwise
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken
- 2 -inch knob of ginger, finely grated
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or red chili powder for more heat
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kalonji seeds
- 4 medium Roma tomatoes, pureed
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 4 -inch knob of ginger, julienne, for garnish
- 2 green chili peppers, julienne for garnish
- Warm ghee in a preheated heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the cumin seeds and green chilies. Fry until they sputter.
- Add the chicken and fry until the outside turns golden brown, for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell fades.
- Add kosher salt, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, and kalonji seeds to the pan.
- Stir in the tomato puree and cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes until the ghee separates and the salan darkens.
- Reduce the heat and add the cilantro. Simmer for 5 minutes.Tip: The chicken is done cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
- Bhuna the salan. Karahi calls for a South Asian cooking technique called bhuna (an Urdu word for fried)—the ingredients fry in ghee at high temperatures until the ghee escapes to the edges. The salan will reduce and form a paste for a deeply concentrated and caramelized flavor.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Avoid overcrowding the pan with chicken. Adding too much chicken or using too small a pan will trap moisture, leaving you with excess liquid (a lesson I learned the hard way during recipe development). If this happens, don’t worry—remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Bhuna (reduce) the salan until it thickens, then return the chicken to the pan.
Ayesha Ali
Thursday 16th of February 2023
I tried this chicken karahi recipe and it was a hit with my family! The flavors were bold and authentic, just like what we've tasted in Pakistan. We paired it with some warm roti and it made for the perfect cozy meal.
Ali
Monday 13th of February 2023
I made this chicken karahi recipe last night and it was incredible! The thick, tomato-based curry and bold flavors from fresh ginger, garlic, and green chilies were spot on. It truly tasted like something I would get at a Pakistani restaurant. Thank you for sharing this authentic recipe!
RJ
Sunday 16th of October 2022
This karahi was terrific. Felt just like home. We've made it a few times since and it is a favorite for everyone including the kids and a picky grandfather. Very flavorful and rich.