Skip to content
Pakistani · Dinner

Chicken Karahi

Chicken cooked hard and fast in a wok-shaped karahi with tomatoes, green chilies and ginger. No onions, no cream, and ready in under an hour.

Prep10 min
Cook35 min
Total45 min
Serves4
Difficulty
CuisinePakistani

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment: Karahi or wok, tongs

Method

  1. Heat oil in a karahi or wok on high. Add chicken and fry until the surface turns white.

  2. Add ginger and garlic pastes and fry until fragrant.

  3. Add tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook on medium until the tomato skins loosen, then pick out the skins with tongs.

  4. Uncover, raise the heat and stir constantly, mashing the tomatoes, until the oil separates.

  5. Add chili flakes, coriander seeds, pepper, yogurt and green chilies. Cook 3 minutes more.

  6. Finish with garam masala, julienned ginger and fresh coriander.

Cooking tips

  • Cut chicken small so it cooks through in the time the tomatoes break down.
  • Keep the heat high while doing the bhuna; low heat makes it stewy rather than glossy.

Substitutions

  • Chicken → boneless thigh; cut step 3 to 7 minutes
  • Oil → half oil, half ghee for a richer finish

Serve with

Hot naan or tandoori roti, sliced onions and lemon wedges.

Storage

Fridge up to 3 days; freezer up to 2 months.

Reheating

Warm in a pan with a splash of water over medium heat.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

420kcal
38 gProtein
9 gCarbs
26 gFat

Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.

Related

You might also cook

Pakistani

Chicken Biryani

Layers of long-grain basmati and a tangy, spiced chicken masala, steamed together until every grain stays separate. Made with potatoes and dried plums, the way many Karachi homes make it.

1 h 30 minServes 6
Pakistani

Prawn Karahi

Juicy prawns tossed quickly in a tomato, ginger and green chilli masala until the oil glistens. A fast, punchy karahi that suits a weeknight dinner with hot naan.

42 minServes 4
More from this cuisine

Pakistani kitchen

All Pakistani
Pakistani

Chicken Macaroni

Tender chicken and macaroni tossed in a spicy tomato masala with capsicum, black pepper and lemon. A quick, filling family dinner with a Pakistani flavour.

45 minServes 4