Chicken Karahi

Name: Chicken Karahi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Punjab)
Ingredients: Bone-in chicken: 800g, large pieces; Tomatoes: 400g, roughly chopped; Ginger, julienned: 35g; Green chillies: 6, slit; Garlic: 5 cloves; Desi ghee: 4 tbsp; Black pepper: 1.5 tsp, coarsely ground; Cumin seeds: 1 tsp; Garam masala: 1 tsp; Coriander powder: 1 tsp; Fresh cream: 3 tbsp; Fresh coriander: 15g; Salt: to taste; Do not add water — tomatoes provide all the moisture needed.; The high-heat reduction concentrates flavours that slow cooking cannot achieve.; Julienned ginger added at the end is characteristic — do not blend or paste the ginger.; The dish should be semi-dry with oil pooling on the surface — this is correct.

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Easy

Chicken pieces cooked rapidly in a cast iron karahi with tomatoes, ginger, and green chillies — faster than lamb karahi and equally bold. The dish that defines Punjabi dhaba cooking.

⏱️10 minPrep

🔥30 minCook

🕒40 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Chicken Karahi

Heat ghee in karahi to smoking.
Add chicken; sear on high until golden on all sides.
Add garlic; cook 1 min.
Add tomatoes and half the ginger; cook on high, crushing tomatoes.
Cook until completely reduced and oil surfaces, 8–10 min.
Add coriander powder, black pepper.
Cover; cook on medium 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Uncover; cook on high 3 minutes until sauce thickens.
Add green chillies, remaining ginger, garam masala, cream, coriander.
Toss on high heat 1 minute.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 420 kcal | 42g | 8g | 24g | 2g | Chicken Karahi is the most ordered dish at Punjab's roadside dhabas — it can be ready in 20 minutes from live chicken to plate. The dhaba cook's skill is judged by their karahi: too slow and the chicken dries out; too fast and it is raw inside. The sizzling karahi brought to the table is a theatrical and practical presentation that keeps the dish piping hot. ---

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