Chicken Karahi
Pakistani street-food classic: bone-in chicken simmered with tomatoes, ginger, green chili, and just enough spice to taste the meat. Cooked in a kadhai (wok-like pan) over high heat so the sauce reduces fast and the chicken takes on smoky edges. Eaten by the spoonful straight from the pan with hot naan.
Prep Time
22 min
Cook Time
29 min
Servings
6
Calories
430 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Chicken750 g
- Tomato3 medium
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Ginger1 ½ tsp
- Green Chili1 ½
- Coriander Leaves1 ½
- Cumin Powder1 ½
- Salt1 ½ tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Chicken750 g
- Tomato3 medium
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Ginger1.5 tsp
- Green Chili1.5
- Coriander Leaves1.5
- Cumin Powder1.5
- Salt1.5 tsp
- Oil3 tbsp
Instructions
- 1
Heat oil in a kadhai or wide heavy pan on high. Add chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on is best) and sear 5 minutes, turning, until lightly browned.
- 2
Add julienned ginger and crushed garlic. Cook 1 minute. The high heat is critical — karahi is about velocity, not slow simmering.
- 3
Add chopped tomatoes (not blended — you want chunks). Stir, cover, cook 10 minutes until tomatoes break down and release liquid.
- 4
Add red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and salt. Stir, then uncover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until the water evaporates and oil rises to the surface — this is your tel-chhutna moment, the signature of authentic karahi.
- 5
Add slit green chilies and crushed black pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let everything mingle for 5 more minutes.
- 6
Finish with julienned ginger, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lemon. Serve straight from the pan with naan or roti — never on rice. Karahi is bread food.
Watch how to make Chicken Karahi
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Bone-in chicken is non-negotiable for authentic karahi. The bones release collagen into the sauce, giving it body. Boneless tastes flat and watery.
- 2.Don't use ginger paste — julienned fresh ginger gives both flavor and texture. The strands you bite into are part of the experience.
- 3.Cook on high heat the whole time — karahi means 'wok' and wok cooking is fast. Low slow cooking turns it into curry, which is a different dish.
- 4.Lahori vs. Peshawari karahi: Lahori adds yogurt; Peshawari uses only tomatoes (purer, lets the meat speak). Both are correct — pick by taste.
🔬 Why It Works
Karahi's high-heat method achieves what slow cooking can't: the Maillard reaction on the chicken's surface (deep umami browning) while the tomatoes break down fast enough to coat the meat before it overcooks. The tel-chhutna stage — oil separating from the sauce — is the moment the spices have toasted in the fat instead of just dissolving in water, which is when flavors become fully integrated. Julienned ginger added at the end stays sharp, providing a textural and aromatic contrast to the cooked masala.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between karahi and curry?▾
Can I use a regular pan instead of a kadhai?▾
Why is my karahi too watery?▾
Can I make karahi without tomatoes?▾
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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