This authentic chicken karahi is bold, spicy, and bursting with rich tomato flavor. Made with bone-in chicken, garlic, ginger, and some spices, this dhaba-style karahi needs no onion or cream and comes together in under an hour - making it perfect for an easy, flavorful weeknight dinner.
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What is Chicken Karahi?
Chicken karahi is a Pakistani chicken curry made quickly over high heat in a wok or karahi. Originating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, it gets its name from the wok-like pan in which it is cooked.
There are many versions of chicken karahi, much like there are many versions of chicken haleem, and those cooked in Peshawar tend to be milder, with just tomatoes, green chiles, ginger, garlic, and salt and pepper for seasoning. But as you go South, closer to Lahore and Karachi, you’ll find warmer spices like cumin and coriander.
My karahi chicken recipe is inspired by the street-style food of my birthplace, Karachi, Pakistan. It is similar to the karahi you’d find at a dhaba or roadside restaurant.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
⏲️Ready In: 45 minutes.
👪Serves: 6.
🍽 Calories and Protein: 392 kcal, 25 g.
📋 Main Ingredients: Chicken, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, green chilies, cilantro.
📖 Dietary Notes: High-protein.
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: This recipe is simple and doesn’t require onion or cream to make the gravy.
Summarize & Save This Content With AI
” I always order chicken karahi whenever I go to an Indian restaurant. But they're usually oily and unhealthy. This was healthy with all the flavors and so easy to make! ” Sabiha Afreen
Jump to:
- What is Chicken Karahi?
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- What Does Chicken Karahi Taste Like?
- Can You Make Chicken Karahi Without Onions?
- Chicken Karahi Ingredient Notes
- Variations
- How to Make Chicken Karahi
- 3 Tips for Stress-Free Dinner
- Pro Tips
- Chicken Karahi FAQs
- What to serve with Chicken Karahi
- More Quick Pakistani Chicken Dinners
- Authentic Chicken Karahi Recipe (Dhaba – Style, No Onion)
What Does Chicken Karahi Taste Like?
Chicken karahi is a spicy, tangy, thick chicken curry that is rich in tomatoes and warming spices like ginger, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Fresh green chilies add extra heat and brightness. Unlike tandoori chicken curry, karahi chicken is drier and has a thick, tomato-based gravy.
Can You Make Chicken Karahi Without Onions?
Absolutely! In fact, traditionally, chicken karahi does not include onion. However, I have made it both with and without onion and haven’t noticed much difference in taste. The gravy may be a bit saucier, but dhaba-style chicken karahi does not include onion.
Chicken Karahi Ingredient Notes
Whole chicken: Traditionally, chicken karahi is made with skinless, bone-in whole chicken cut into 12-16 pieces. You can use the chicken’s back, neck, and wings to make a quick chicken yakhni for use later.
You can also use boneless chicken thighs, as I’ve done in my Chicken 65 recipe. I often use bone-in thighs and drumsticks as well, since those are the parts my family and I enjoy.
Garlic and ginger: I use fresh, minced ginger and garlic. This is key to getting the best results, as fresher ingredients make the karahi tastier.
Spices: Red chili powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and black pepper. Roasted and home-ground is best.
Tomatoes: I use Roma tomatoes as they are widely available where I live, but any juicy, medium-sized tomato will do.
I use tomato paste to deepen the tomatoes’ color. If you don’t have any on hand, just skip it.
Green chili: Serrano, jalapeño, or Thai chilies all work, depending on your heat preference.
Garnish: Cilantro, slit green chili, julienned ginger, and lemon juice.
Variations
- Want to make it saucier? Add a small, chopped onion after heating the oil, and fry until golden brown, then continue with the rest of the steps as instructed.
How to Make Chicken Karahi
Step 1: Sear the chicken. Heat a medium pan or wok on high heat and add the oil. Sear the chicken in the oil. Once the chicken has changed color, add the minced ginger and garlic, then “bhunno” (stir-fry) for about a minute.
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients. Add the salt and other spices, stirring until the chicken is fully coated. Then add the halved tomatoes, tomato paste, and chopped green chili. Stir to coat, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and let the chicken cook and the tomatoes wilt for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3: Remove the tomato skins. After 20 minutes, uncover the pan, increase the heat to medium-high, remove the tomato skins, and mash the pulp with the back of a spoon as you go.
Step 4: Reduce the masala. Keep stirring and mashing the tomato pulp as the moisture released from the tomatoes dries, until you have a thick, jammy tomato masala and the oil has separated.
Step 5: Garnish. Sprinkle chopped cilantro, julienned green chili, ginger, and optionally some garam masala and lemon juice before serving.
3 Tips for Stress-Free Dinner
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Pro Tips
- The pan you cook in influences the outcome. I prefer to cook karahi chicken in a cast-iron pan because it retains heat like a traditional karahi, but I've also made it in a stainless steel wok, and it takes slightly longer to reduce the masala.
- Use fresh ground spices and minced garlic instead of pre-ground spices or store-bought garlic paste for the best results.
Chicken Karahi FAQs
Chicken karahi contains red chili powder and fresh green chilies, so it can be spicy, but you can easily adjust the spice level to your preference. You can remove the seeds from the green chilies or substitute serrano or Thai chilies for a milder jalapeño pepper.
To store the chicken karahi, let it come to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze, place it in an airtight container and store it for up to 2 months.
Reheat on the stovetop for the best flavor.
Chicken karahi is drier and tomato-forward. Authentic recipes don’t include onions. Chicken curry, on the other hand, is typically cooked with onions, and the gravy is runnier.
While karahi cooks quickly over high heat, curry is typically simmered over low heat and takes longer.
What to serve with Chicken Karahi
Karahi is typically served with naan or roti. My family often enjoys karahi with rice and Pakistani-style tadka daal. You can also make a quick kachumbar to round off the meal.
More Quick Pakistani Chicken Dinners
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Authentic Chicken Karahi Recipe (Dhaba – Style, No Onion)
Equipment
- 1 enameled cast iron pan
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil I use avocado oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced. Or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 inch knob ginger grated. Or 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 whole chicken or legs and thighs about 2 lbs.
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 5 medium tomatoes I use Roma
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 green chili Serrano, Thai or jalapeno. Chopped into three big chunks.
Garnish
- 1 green chili Slit into four lengthwise.
- cilantro chopped
- ginger julienned
- lemon / lime juice
Instructions
- Heat a wok or heavy-bottomed pan on high and add the oil. Once hot, add the chicken pieces and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sear the chicken until browned on all sides and then add the ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the spices and toss well to coat the chicken evenly.
- Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and then slice them in half lengthwise. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and the green chili, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and let the chicken cook through, about 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, uncover the pan and increase the heat to high. With tongs, carefully remove and discard the skin from the tomatoes. With the back of a spoon, crush the softened tomatoes to release their pulp. Cook or bhunno the chicken till the oil separates from the masala and you are left with a gravy with thick, jammy consistency.Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro, julienned ginger, and green chili. Optionally, finish off with a drizzle of lemon juice and a sprinkle of garam masala.
Video
Notes
- Remember to cut the tops off the tomatoes, since they’re tougher than the rest of the tomato and won’t break up as easily.
- I prefer to cook chicken karahi in an enameled cast-iron pan because it retains heat like a traditional karahi, but I've also made it in a stainless steel wok, and it takes a little longer to reduce the masala. It is up to you which you prefer. The chicken also sears more quickly in a cast-iron pan.
Sabiha Afreen says
I always order chicken karahi whenever I go to an Indian restaurant. But they’re usually oily and unhealthy. This was healthy with all the flavors and so easy to make!
Zeeshan says
I’m so happy to hear that Sabiha! Thank you so much for leaving a review!
Neelum says
Def going to try this as I thoroughly enjoy your cooking ?? Thank you for sharing!!