Simple and easy to make, this Dhaba style chicken curry is the most flavorful curry you can make. Bring back the memories of the road trip eateries right on your dining table with this easy recipe.
If you are someone who loves good chicken curry, then try some of my other favorites too – Chicken Masala, Achari Chicken Curry, Kadai Chicken, Tomato Chicken Curry, Coriander Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Chicken Curry, and Ginger Chicken Curry.

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About This Recipe
Dhaba style chicken curry is a simple chicken curry recipe that is served on almost all the roadside Dhabas you will find on North Indian highways. It is spicy, full of flavor, and comes together quickly using basic ingredients.
Dhabas are roadside eateries, very common on the highways all across north India. It is basically a place for the travelers to stop, have a meal and relax. The food served at the Dhaba is wholesome simple food made using very basic ingredients and you get to eat it sitting on a charpai (wooden cots with rope weave) with a wooden plank serving as a table.
This Dhaba style chicken curry will remind you of the one you ate in one of these Dhabas during your road trips. Juicy and succulent marinated chicken pieces are cooked in a simple and spicy tomato onion curry which is further flavored with whole spices, ginger, garlic, and yogurt.
Due to its simplicity, I love to make this chicken curry for my family get-togethers and house parties, and it is always a hit. To make the entire experience very authentic, serve this curry with dal tadka and tandoori roti, and vinegar onions are a must too.
This Dhaba Chicken Curry is,
- Delicious
- Spicy
- Easy to make
- Full of Flavour
- Perfect for everyday meals
Ingredients

For Marination – Bone-in skinless chicken pieces are marinated, so that they soak up the flavors really nicely. To marinate, you will need ginger garlic paste, lime juice, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder and garam masala powder.
The use of Kashmiri red chili powder gives a nice red color to the curry without making it too spicy. Also, do not skip the lime juice, as it makes the chicken nice and tender.

Oil – I prefer to make this Dhaba chicken curry in mustard oil, as it lends that authentic flavour.
In case, you do not prefer mustard oil, you can prepare the curry in any vegetable oil or even ghee.
Yogurt – It is added to settle down the spices in the curry and also to add some creaminess and rich texture. Use full-fat yogurt for the best result.
Spice Powders – This recipe requires some basic spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder. You can adjust the quantity of these spices depending upon your taste.
Whole Spices – This recipe also uses some whole spices such as cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, and dry red chilies.
Others – Other than the above ingredients, you will also need onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, Kasuri methi, and salt.
How to make Dhaba Style Chicken Curry?
Start by marinating the chicken. Add 2 lbs (1 kg) bone-in skinless chicken pieces, 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder to a large mixing bowl and mix everything well using a large spoon or your hands.

Keep it aside while we make the curry.

To make the curry, crush 2-3 whole cloves, 5-6 whole black peppercorns, and 1 inch piece of cinnamon lightly in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
Heat 6 tablespoon mustard oil in a large pan on high heat.

Once the oil is hot and fuming, add the crushed spices and 3-4 dry red chilies and let them crackle for 2-3 seconds.

Add 2 cups of grated onion and fry on medium-high heat until they turn slightly brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals for even browning.

Add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and keep frying until onions are nicely browned (5-7 minutes).

Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade to the pan and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.

Add 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add 1 cup yogurt whisked with 2 teaspoon all purpose flour and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Addition of all purpose flour to the yogurt prevents it from splitting while cooking.

Now add 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt to taste and mix well.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender (20-25 minutes).

Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 2 tablespoon crushed Kasuri methi and cook for another minute. Add some water if the curry is too thick and bring it to a boil.

Serve hot with tandoori roti.

Serving Suggestions
When you go to a Dhaba, you typically order this chicken curry along with dal tadka and tandoori roti. Vinegar onion or onion lachha comes along complimentary.
You can also serve any kind of Indian bread like Phulka, Naan, Lachha Paratha, or Missi Roti with this curry. I like to serve some boiled rice or jeera rice along too.
Storing Suggestions
This curry will last in the fridge for 2-3 days when stored in an air-tight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave, until it is nice and warm. If you feel the curry has become a little thick, then add in a little water and adjust the consistency while heating.
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Recipe Card

Dhaba Style Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For marination
- 2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken pieces
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
For the curry
- 6 tablespoons mustard oil
- 2-3 whole cloves
- 5-6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon
- 3-4 whole dry red chilies (stalk removed)
- 2 cups grated onion
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 cup grated tomato
- 1 cup yogurt (whisked with 2 teaspoon all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons Kasuri methi
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
- Start by marinating the chicken. Add 2 lbs (1 kg) bone-in skinless chicken pieces, 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste, 2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder to a large mixing bowl and mix everything well using a large spoon or your hands.
- Keep it aside while we make the curry.
- To make the curry, crush 2-3 whole cloves, 5-6 whole black peppercorns, and 1-inch piece of cinnamon lightly in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
- Heat 6 tablespoon mustard oil in a large pan on high heat.
- Once the oil is hot and fuming, add the crushed spices and 3-4 dry red chilies and let them crackle for 2-3 seconds.
- Add 2 cups of grated onion and fry on medium-high heat until they turn slightly brown (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring at regular intervals for even browning.
- Add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and keep frying until onions are nicely browned (5-7 minutes).
- Now add the marinated chicken along with the marinade to the pan and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
- Add 1 cup grated fresh tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup yogurt whisked with 2 teaspoon all-purpose flour and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The addition of all-purpose flour to the yogurt prevents it from splitting while cooking.
- Now add 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt to taste and mix well.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender (20-25 minutes).
- Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder and 2 tablespoon crushed Kasuri methi and cook for another minute. Add some water if the curry is too thick and bring it to a boil.
- Serve hot with tandoori roti.
Kika
easy explanation and great idea for cooking at home and enjoying a real Indian curry. thanks.
Anita Chandra
Excellent! I made it the other day and my husband and I were blown away with the amazing flavours. So very different to anything I’ve ever made before! Thank you for it.
Look forward to trying all your other recipes as well.
Cheers!
Anita Chandra
( New Zealand)
Elane brookes
we absolutely love this curry. so easy to make. lovely flavour
Praneeta
Hey super chef… Just made this… And now I can’t stop eating 🤣🤣
LOVDEEP SINGH
Hi. I was curious what is the curds. Is that like punjabi dahi. Or yogurt. Or is it heavy cream?
Neha Mathur
It’s Punjabi Dahi.
phil crookes
hi, am cooking this right now! Wanted to flag that black cardamom is mentioned in the process but not the ingredients. Phil.
philip crookes
This was absolutely delicious. Deep and warm flavours with just the right amount of spicing – and pretty healthy too!
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Jyotsna
Made this Dhaba style chicken curry for the first time. It was fantastic.
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Neha Mathur
Thanks for mentioning. Updating it right away.
Usha
Ur recipes r quite good… can I add fresh cream at the end of this recipe..
Neha Mathur
Thanks. Yes sure, you can.
Nidhi verma
Really good taste and fast cook.
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Rohini
Hi. Going to make this tomorrow. Was wondering whether we need to whisk besan or maida with the curd. The ingredients says maida but the process says gram flour. Thanks.
Neha Mathur
Hi Rohini, you can use any one of these.
Rashu
Hi Neha,
Lockdown has got all of us to our basics.. earlier my way of finding recipe was to google however I now look for whiskaffair. Best part is it is simple to make with everyday ingredients and the output is gorgeous
This Punjabi chicken was fab!!!!
Thanks
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Neha Gattani
Hi Neha,
I am making this curry tonight for my family. I am a vegetarian who has never cooked chicken before. I am using drumstick. Do you know roughly how long should I be cooking it for? How do I know if the chicken is cooked? Thanks in advance!
Neha Mathur
It will take approx 35-45 minutes of medium low heat cooking for the chicken to get cooked properly.
All That I'm Eating
This looks so delicious and so full of flavour! Love recipes like this that are so full of spices.
Neha Mathur
Thnx. Yes, Spices makes a whole lot of changes in a dish.