Follow this recipe tutorial and learn How To Make Authentic Pakistani-Style Chicken Karahi in under one hour. Prepared stovetop, this tomato-based chicken curry is made with homemade Karahi masala, bone-in chicken quarters and warming spices. It uses no yogurt. It’s deeply flavorful and perfect served with chapati or naan.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is Chicken Karahi?
- Video
- Ingredients
- How to make Chicken Karahi?
- With bone or without bone?
- With or without yogurt
- Tips
- Chicken Karahi Recipe
WHAT IS CHICKEN KARAHI?
How To Make Authentic Pakistani-Style Chicken Karahi is a popular question. Well, Chicken Karahi is an extremely popular Pakistani chicken recipe. This is one of the most popular Pakistani dinner recipes. This recipe consists chicken in a wok-style pan called 'Karahi'. This recipe is rich in flavors and it's a tomato-based gravy with combination of an aromatic homemade Karahi masala. Chicken Karahi is a staple of pakistani cuisine and enjoyed both in restaurant and at home like: Chicken Biryani, Beef Nihari, Butter Chicken, and Mutton Korma.
VIDEO
INGREDIENTS
- Chicken- I personally think chicken quarters work well with this recipe.
- Tomatoes- Three tomatoes will do wonders for this recipe.
- Tomato paste- Just one tablespoon in this recipe will go along way.
- Onion- Make sure onion is chopped.
- Homemade Karahi Masala- Just few whole spices and powder spices makes a great Karahi Masala.
Katie E.
My husband loves this recipe! I have made it at least 3 times and we’re having it for dinner again tonight. It comes out great every time. [...] Looks fantastic, and can’t wait to eat it again.
HOW TO COOK CHICKEN KARAHI ?
WITH BONE OR WITHOUT BONE?
Commonly, Chicken Karahi is made using whole chicken but I prefer using leg quarter. Boneless chicken thighs are a great alternative. I personally find that chicken bone-in quarters work well for this recipe as they are juicy and packed with flavor.
WITH OR WITHOUT YOGURT?
If you're looking to try a yogurt-free version of this recipe, it's good to have alternatives that suit different dietary requirements and preferences. However, it's worth noting that yogurt can be useful in balancing out the heat in spicy dishes, so you may need to adjust the level of spiciness if you leave it out. A small amount of yogurt, even as little as one tablespoon, can be a good compromise for those who prefer a milder taste.
TIPS
- Dry roasting spices is to enhance their flavor and aroma. Grinding the spices when they are still hot can cause the oils to release too quickly and result in a bitter taste.
- Adding too many fresh tomatoes can make the recipe too watery and dilute the flavors, so using just four fresh tomatoes and relying on the tomato paste to bring in more tomato flavor is a good strategy.
- Adding a chicken bouillon cube is a great way to boost the savory flavor of your karahi.
Let's Make Chicken Karahi!!!
How To Make Authentic Pakistani-Style Chicken Karahi
Ingredients
Karahi
- 1 lbs chicken with bone
- 3 tsp homemade karahi masala
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 2 serrano peppers slit
- 3 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tbsp tomatoes paste
- ½ bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 chicken stock cube Maggie chicken flavored bouillon
Whole Spices
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick
Powdered Spices
- ½ tsp salt
- a pinch garam masala powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
Garnish
- cilantro finely chopped (for garnish)
- fresh lemon juice (for garnish)
- ginger (julienne) for garnish
Instructions
Karahi
- In a wok, on medium heat, add oil, and add in the slit seranno pepper, black cardamom, green cardamon pods, and cinnamon stick. Keep stirring as it sizzles for one minute.
- Next add the onion, sauté it until they get translucent (make sure they don't turn brown).
- Add ginger garlic paste and mix it for 30 seconds.
- Next add chicken and 3 tsp Homemade Karahi Masala, coriander powder, and Garam Masala powder and mix well for 2-4 minutes.
- Once the chicken is no longer pink (That's like 25% cooked).
- Add finely chopped tomatoes, and mix well.
- Cook it on medium heat for 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally until tomatoes are all infused. well with the chicken and the oil separates.
- Add 1 tbsp tomato paste, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup water, cilantro and chicken cube. Mix everything well.
- Now turn the stove on medium-low heat.
- Let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Cook it open it on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Mix it well.
- Garnish with ginger and cilantro.
- Squeeze fresh lemon on top.
- Serve it hot with naan.
Mahvish Shah says
I am a foodie person had many karahis in my life but this is a must try very easy steps doesn't take long and a authentic desi karahi very delicious chicken is tender enough the gravy and sauce is right amount not too dry
Sarah Mirza says
so glad to hear that. <3
Katie E says
This looks great! I’m going to try making it tonight, but one quick question: I understand the chicken is with the bone, but is it skinned? Or do you leave the skin on? I am inclined to skin the chicken before cooking…
Sarah Mirza says
without skin. I can’t wait would love your feedback after you try it. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions.
Katie E says
My husband loves this recipe! I have made it at least 3 times and we’re having it for dinner again tonight. It comes out great every time. The first couple of times I made it, it was a little dry, but I think that’s because I don’t have a karahi or wok, so the oil was all spread out in a larger pan and didn’t cook the whole spice masala the same way it should have. Tonight, I used a smaller saucier to start with the oil, Serrano pepper, and whole spices, and then transferred it to the larger pot for the rest of the recipe. I think it made all the difference! Looks fantastic, and can’t wait to eat it!
Sarah Mirza says
Omg! Sooo glad that you love this recipe! Thank you so much for this awesome review! 😍😍😍
Sephora Hassan says
Always thought couldn't ever make the perfect karahi at home, THIS recipe changed it all
Sarah Mirza says
aww thank you so much 🙂
asif jamal says
My wife made karahi with this recipe and I loved it 😍. She used to make very good karahi.last week she made karahi with this recipe and that was the best karahi she ever made.. really delicious.. I think no one can make better karahi than this..
Sarah Mirza says
Thank you so much :*
Cass city says
The best I’ve ever had, words cannot describe how good this is, my mom made this last week but I still want it in my mouth. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water hehe☺️ We’ve been trying to find a good recipe for months and almost lost hope until my mother came across this page! All your recipes are helpful and easy to understand; it always ends up as spectacular dinner!! This one is my personal favorite❤️👌 If anyone is reading this, you guys HAVE to check out all their recipes because they are literal life savers.
Sarah Mirza says
OMG!!! OMG!!! Thank you so much that means the world! We are speechless! <3
Wazhma Awan says
Hi,
Can you confirm whether it’s 5 TABLEspoon or 5 TEAspoon ginger garlic paste for 500g (1 lb) chicken ?
Because 5 Tablespoon seems a lot ?
Looking forward to a prompt response 😊
Sarah Mirza says
3 tbsp that was a typo, I just fixed it.