Our Pakistani chicken karahi boasts a thick, tomato-based curry flavored with fresh ginger, garlic, and green chilies similar to those served in dhabas and home kitchens across Pakistan. Enjoy that same homestyle flavor with our easy recipe for authentic chicken karahi. We serve ours with naan, roti, chapati, or basmati rice. Once you’ve made karahi with chicken, try our mutton karahi gosht next!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
As recipes do over time, traditional karahi has taken a new form in recent years to include ingredients like onions and yogurt to flavor the masala. There’s nothing wrong with including these additions because they are absolutely delicious, but this recipe is the real deal! It is drawn from recipes made by my husband’s family in Karachi, focusing on using fresh, juicy tomatoes to make authentic Pakistani chicken karahi.
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.
-RJ
What is Chicken Karahi?
Chicken Karahi, also called Kadai chicken, originates from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan and is often made with bone-in chicken. However, you can also prepare it with goat, lamb, beef, or fish. Aside from protein, ripe, juicy tomatoes are the heart of authentic karahi recipes, lending their rich, tangy flavor to the salan (curry).
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Ghee: Fry the green chiles, chicken, and aromatics in ghee to develop a deep, nutty flavor.
- Cumin: Toast the whole cumin seeds to pronounce their flavor.
- Chiles: I like using whole green chiles so they don’t overwhelm the dish. If you prefer spicy chicken karahi, chop the chiles before frying them.
- Chicken: Prepare chicken karahi with a whole, broken-down chicken, or use skinless, bone-in chicken legs and thighs. If you like using boneless chicken, I recommend chicken thighs. They will take less time to cook than bone-in chicken, so adjust the cooking time accordingly; the safe temperature for chicken is 165°F (74°C).
- Ginger: Using fresh ginger (and lots of it) is a prominent feature in karahi recipes, and they are my favorite part! The ginger flavors the masala and serves as a tasty garnish once the dish is ready.
- Garlic: I suggest using four garlic cloves, but measure with your heart!
- Tomatoes: At its core, karahi is a tomato-based curry, and I use ripe, fresh tomatoes as the base for my flavorful karahi masala. Roma tomatoes work best because they have less moisture than other varieties. I use a food processor to puree the tomatoes beforehand because it shortens the cooking time and disguises the tomatoes for my husband. You can also finely dice the tomatoes and take the time to bhunify or reduce them in the pan for a thicker masala – this is a more traditional way to prepare the dish.
- Karahi Masala: Season the curry with salt, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder (or paprika if you don’t have it), ground cumin, coriander powder, and kalonji seeds. If you’re in a hurry, use a store-bought karahi masala.
- Cilantro: Finish the dish with fresh cilantro for a bright pop of color.
How to Make Chicken Karahi
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Then, stir in the cumin seeds and green chilies; cook until they start sputtering.
Step 2: Add the chicken and cook until the outside becomes light golden brown, for about 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the raw smell fades.
Step 4: Combine salt, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, and kalonji seeds in a small bowl.
Then, stir the spices into the pan with the pureed tomatoes. Cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes until the oil separates and the salan (curry) darkens.
Step 5: Lower the heat and stir in the cilantro; simmer for another 5 minutes.
Step 6: Garnish with fresh cilantro, ginger, and green chilies. Serve with naan or basmati rice, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- We rely on a South Asian cooking technique called bhuna for this recipe. The chicken fries with the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chiles, and spices until the masala reduces and the ghee escapes to the sides, resulting in a highly concentrated and caramelized dish.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan with the chicken because the moisture won’t have space to evaporate. If you add more than the recommended amount of chicken or use too small of a pan, you will end up with too much liquid, like I did the first few times I made this recipe. If this happens, remove the chicken and set it aside, so you can bhunify the masala and reduce it quicker.
Serving Suggestions
- Rice: Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice, Chicken Yakhni Pulao, Cauliflower Rice
- Bread: Naan, Chapati, Roti
- Salad: Chickpea Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Sauce: Easy Raita, Chutney
- Dessert: Indian Mango Lassi
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftovers in an airtight container; it will keep for 2-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag; karahi freezes for 2 months.
- Thaw – Defrost the chicken karahi in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Warm the leftovers on the stovetop and prepare your sides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called chicken karahi?
The authentic Pakistani meal gets after the wok-like pan it cooks in, but that’s not what the meal is known for. The highly sought-after dish is better known for its explosive flavor attributed to the fresh tomatoes used to make the salan (curry).
What is karahi made of?
Make karahi with your choice of protein, including chicken, goat, lamb, beef, and fish. However, the main ingredients that give karahi its signature flavor are fresh tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and green chilies.
Is karahi the same as curry?
In the United States, we are quick to call most South Asian dishes with a lot of sauce or gravy curry. However, karahi is in a category all on its own.
The primary difference between a curry and a karahi is the absence of cream, yogurt, and onion to create the salan. Instead, karahis rely heavily on tomatoes to carry the flavor.
Does chicken karahi include onion?
While modern recipes include onion or yogurt, we stick to the basics with our take on the Pakistani classic. However, I am a fan of making the meal your own. If you enjoy extra salan, include caramelized onions.
More Pakistani Recipes:
Chicken Karahi
- Heavy-Bottomed Pan , Wok, or Karahi
- Food Processor or Blender
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 ½ pounds chicken thighs and legs, trimmed, skinless, and bone-in
- 2 – inches fresh ginger, finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kalonji seeds
- 3-4 Roma tomatoes, pureed
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 4 – inches fresh ginger, julienne, for garnish
- 2 green chiles, thinly sliced
- Warm the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Then, stir in the cumin seeds and green chilies; cook until they start sputtering.
- Add the chicken and cook until the outside becomes light golden brown, for about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the raw smell fades.
- Combine salt, black pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, coriander powder, and kalonji seeds in a small bowl. Then, stir the spices into the pan with the pureed tomatoes. Cook on medium-high heat for 20 minutes until the oil separates and the salan (curry) darkens.
- Lower the heat and stir in the cilantro; simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, ginger, and green chiles. Serve with naan or basmati rice, and enjoy!
- We rely on a South Asian cooking technique called bhuna for this recipe. The chicken fries with the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chiles, and spices until the masala reduces and the ghee escapes to the sides, resulting in a highly concentrated and caramelized dish.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan with the chicken because the moisture won’t have space to evaporate. If you add more than the recommended amount of chicken or use too small of a pan, you will end up with too much liquid, like I did the first few times I made this recipe. If this happens, remove the chicken and set it aside, so you can bhunify the masala and reduce it quicker.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
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.