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Chicken Salan (Pakistani Chicken Curry)

Pakistani chicken salan or murgh ka salan is comfort food on a plate—tender chicken simmers in a spiced shorba perfect for scooping up with roti or sourdough discard naan. Whether for special occasions or a weeknight dinner with family– this flavorful Pakistani chicken curry never disappoints!

Chicken salan in a wok.

What is Chicken Salan?

Chicken ka salan is a richly spiced Pakistani chicken curry. While “curry” is a broad term used in the West for dishes with a spiced sauce or gravy, “salan” is the Urdu word for a thinner, soup-like curry.

What sets this dish apart from other chicken curries is its consistency—the shorba (or gravy) has a light, soupy texture rather than a thick sauce. Unlike restaurant-style dishes like butter chicken masala or chicken tikka masala, chicken salan is a homestyle meal that’s simple to make and ready in just one hour. The chicken pieces simmer in a fragrant shorba made from onions, tomatoes, aromatics, and warm spices.

It’s the perfect dish for family dinners and gatherings, and the best part? You can easily adjust the spice level and ingredients to suit your preferences. My mother-in-law made this for her boys when they were growing up, and now she makes it for my kids, too. She kindly shared her delicious recipe with me, and I’m excited to pass it along to you. If you’re new to Pakistani food, this is a great place to start!

Key Ingredients

  • Ghee: Brown the onions and sear the chicken in ghee or oil.
  • Onions: Caramelizing the onions adds a nutty flavor to the salan.
  • Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes lend a natural sweetness to balance the spices. Puree Roma or vine-ripe tomatoes in a blender or food processor to reduce cooking time. You can also chop the tomatoes and cook them down over low heat, or use a ½ can of diced tomatoes if you’re short on time.
  • Garlic: Use four fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
  • Ginger: Freshly minced ginger warms the dish.
  • Spices: Spice up the homemade chicken salan recipe with kosher salt, coriander powder, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri chili powder (paprika) or red chili powder (cayenne pepper) if you prefer a spicer curry.
  • Chicken: Bone-in, whole chicken cut into pieces (ask the butcher for a curry cut or karahi cut) will give you the most flavor, but bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks also work.

Can I use boneless chicken?

I often use boneless chicken thighs, especially when making salan for my kids. If you’re using boneless thighs or chicken breast, you may want to reduce the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

  • Green Chili Peppers: Add 2-4 whole green chilies—jalapeño, serrano, or Thai peppers—or chop them up for more heat.
  • Cilantro: Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves for a bright finish.

Additions and Substitutions

  • Mix things up. Turn it into a one-pan meal by adding potatoes, peas, lentils, chickpeas, beans, or even hard-boiled eggs to the chicken.

Tools You’ll Need

You will need a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution—try a karahi, wok, Dutch oven,  or stainless steel sauté pan for the best results.

How to Make Chicken Salan

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Warm ghee in a preheated wok or sauté pan over low to medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they brown and caramelize for 20-25 minutes.

Onions caramelizing in a pan.

Step 2: Remove the onions from the pan and let them drain on paper towels for a few minutes. Then, blend them into a smooth paste using a food processor or small blender. Return the pureed onions to the pan, then puree the tomatoes and add them as well.

Shorpa cooking in a pan.

Step 3: Add garlic and ginger to the pan (with more ghee as needed). Sauté for one minute and stir in the spices. Cook for 5-10 minutes, letting the ingredients combine.

Shorba cooking in a pan.

Step 4: Add the chicken and green chilies (plus more ghee or water, as needed) and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the ghee separates to the sides of the pan. Stir in ½ teaspoon of garam masala and ½ teaspoon of fenugreek leaves (optional) before serving.

Chicken cooking in shorba.

Step 5: Stir in ½ teaspoon of garam masala and ½ teaspoon of fenugreek leaves (optional) before serving.

Chicken salan in a wok.

Can I Make This Recipe in the Instant Pot?

Of course, follow the recipe as is, but use the sauté mode for the Instant Pot to caramelize the onions and prepare the shorba. Add the chicken pieces to the inner pot and secure the lid. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure and cook for 10-12 minutes with a quick release.

What is a quick release on the Instant Pot?

Quick release refers to releasing the steam from the Instant Pot rapidly by turning the steam valve to the venting position. This method is used for foods you want to stop cooking right away, like vegetables or seafood.

Chicken salan on a plate.

How to Make the Best Shorba

What is shorba?

Shorba means soup in Urdu and often refers to the rich, flavorful gravy or sauce that forms the base of a curry.

Making Pakistani shorba—a curry with a soup-like consistency—requires building layers of flavor with onions, tomatoes, aromatics, and spices while maintaining a thin but creamy texture. The goal is a smooth base, not a dry or bhuna curry like chicken karahi or bhuna gosht. Here are some tips for the best results:

  • Find the right ratio. Getting the balance of onions to tomatoes is key. Too much onion or tomato, and you’ll end up with a thick, goopy consistency. When preparing salan, I recommend using one onion for every two tomatoes.
  • Use fresh spices. Grinding whole spices will always give you the best-tasting shorba. But not everyone has time to toast and grind whole spices, and that’s okay. Just check the expiration date and use fresh powdered spices for the best results. I like to meet in the middle by bulk prepping my ground spices every 2-3 months, so I always have freshly ground spices on hand.
  • Brown the onions. Start with golden brown onions—they’re the foundation for a flavorful shorba, so don’t rush it. Perfectly caramelized onions require patience and low temperature since onions take time to break down, typically 20 to 25 minutes, as they release their natural sugars.
  • Puree onions and tomatoes. Once caramelized, I like to puree the onions and tomatoes separately before adding them to the pan with the other ingredients. This creates a smoother base and speeds up the cooking process.
  • Simmer the shorba. The texture largely depends on how well you cook the onions and tomatoes—pureeing the caramelized onions and tomatoes is just the beginning. You’ll need to simmer them slowly until the ingredients combine and the ghee separates to the edges of the pan. The shorba should have a jammy consistency before adding the chicken. Adding it too early can prevent the shorba from becoming smooth and creamy.
  • Control the consistency. If the shorba is thicker than you’d like, add a splash of water or stir in a little yogurt to thin it out. Want a thicker chicken salan? Use a cooking technique called bhuna (which means fry in Urdu), where you continue cooking the masala until it reduces into a thicker, more concentrated base before adding the chicken.
    • Bhuna-Style: Cook the masala down until it clings to the chicken in a rich glaze, similar to chicken karahi.
    • Salan: Follow the recipe below for a balanced, smooth, gravy-like consistency.
    • Shorba: If you prefer a thinner chicken ka salan, gradually add 1-2 cups of water until the curry reaches your desired thickness.

If you love Pakistani chicken salan, explore more authentic Pakistani dishes!  

Chicken salan in a wok.

Serving Suggestions

Chicken salan is a cozy, home-cooked meal that pairs well with fresh naan, roti, or fragrant basmati rice. Cool things down with a side of cucumber raita, or add heat with your favorite chutney.

Freshly chopped kachumber salad or avocado cucumber tomato salad adds a bright contrast to the rich curry. Or complete the meal with your favorite sabzi like bindi, gobi, or roasted potatoes.  

If you’re making the Pakistani curry for a special occasion, why not complete the spread with favorites like chicken yakhni pulao or chicken tikka biryani?

What To Do With Leftovers

  • Refrigerate: This is one of those meals you want to make a big batch of because the leftovers are just as good– perfect for weekly meal prep! Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chicken salan freezes for 4-6 months.
  • Thaw: Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Reheat: Warm the leftover chicken curry on the stovetop and prepare your favorite sides.

More Chicken Recipes:

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Chicken salan in a wok.

Chicken Salan

Tressa Jamil
Authentic Pakistani chicken salan is a simple and delicious weeknight curry you can serve with basmati rice or naan for a quick and flavorful meal.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 230 kcal
Ingredients
  
Instructions
 
  • Warm ghee in a preheated wok or sauté pan over low to medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they brown and caramelize for 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove the onions from the pan and let them drain on paper towels for a few minutes. Then, blend them into a smooth paste using a food processor or small blender. Return the pureed onions to the pan, then puree the tomatoes and add them as well.
  • Add garlic and ginger to the pan (with more ghee as needed). Sauté for one minute and stir in the spices. Cook for 5-10 minutes, letting the ingredients combine.
    2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon garam masala,, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Add the chicken and green chilies (plus more ghee or water, as needed) and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the ghee separates to the sides of the pan.
  • Stir in ½ teaspoon of garam masala and ½ teaspoon of fenugreek leaves (optional) before serving.
Notes
Expert Tips:
  • Find the right ratio. Getting the balance of onions to tomatoes is key. Too much onion or tomato, and you’ll end up with a thick, goopy consistency. When preparing salan, I recommend using one onion for every two tomatoes.
  • Use fresh spices. Grinding whole spices will always give you the best-tasting shorba. But not everyone has time to toast and grind whole spices, and that’s okay. Just check the expiration date and use fresh powdered spices for the best results. I like to meet in the middle by bulk prepping my ground spices every 2-3 months, so I always have freshly ground spices on hand.
  • Brown the onions. Start with golden brown onions—they’re the foundation for a flavorful shorba, so don’t rush it. Perfectly caramelized onions require patience and low temperature since onions take time to break down, typically 20 to 25 minutes, as they release their natural sugars.
  • Puree onions and tomatoes. Once caramelized, I like to puree the onions and tomatoes separately before adding them to the pan with the other ingredients. This creates a smoother base and speeds up the cooking process.
  • Simmer the shorba. The texture largely depends on how well you cook the onions and tomatoes—pureeing the caramelized onions and tomatoes is just the beginning. You’ll need to simmer them slowly until the ingredients combine and the ghee separates to the edges of the pan. The shorba should have a jammy consistency before adding the chicken. Adding it too early can prevent the shorba from becoming smooth and creamy.
  • Control the consistency. If the shorba is thicker than you’d like, add a splash of water or stir in a little yogurt to thin it out. Want a thicker chicken salan? Use a cooking technique called bhuna (which means fry in Urdu), where you continue cooking the masala until it reduces into a thicker, more concentrated base before adding the chicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 230 kcal | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Protein: 19 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g | Cholesterol: 112 mg | Sodium: 875 mg | Potassium: 433 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 664 IU | Vitamin C: 15 mg | Calcium: 38 mg | Iron: 1 mg
Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating