Out of the many Indian Chicken Recipes, this Punjabi Dhaba Style Chicken Curry Recipe is one of our favourites. Juicy morsels of chicken simmered in a smoky onion tomato gravy are perfect to pair with some Tandoori Roti, Laccha Paratha or Jeera Rice. Here is how to make it.
Dhabas are popular roadside food joints that are prominent along the highways in Northern India where it’s a common sight to see people flocked to enjoy some wholesome and flavourful Indian khana.
As you move from different dhabas across North India, you’ll notice that every region has its own unique flavour, but one dish that has been a hot favourite is the Chicken curry served at these dhabas.
What makes dhaba style food stand out is the use of simple ingredients to create something phenomenal.
And also the coal method of cooking makes it even better and gives it a different smoky flavour.
Just like any other Dhaba specialities like Dal Makhani, Palak Paneer, Naan etc, this Dhaba Chicken Curry is also a killer dish and should be definitely made at the comfort of home and with just simple everyday ingredients.
I used to love relishing on this curry whenever we used to travel from the road in the North and making it home, always takes me back to those beautiful memories with the family.
I still stop at the dhabas to relish this dish, whenever I get a chance.
But until next time, let’s make it at home and enjoy it at the comfort of our home.
What is Dhaba Style Chicken Curry?
A simple Chicken Curry, which is served in almost all the roadside non-veg highway dhabas of North India.
This chicken curry has the simplest of ingredients such as whole spices, ginger, garlic, onions, tomatoes and curd.
You can even make it for your everyday meals, to give a break to your regular veg everyday meals.
I also love to make this Chicken Curry for my family get-togethers and house parties, and it is always a hit.
Process
To make this curry in true Dhaba Style, we are using mustard oil for that slight pungency.
Once the oil is heated, spices like cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, black cardamom and dry red chillies are added and they are allowed to crackle for a few seconds.
Crushing the whole spices before adding them in the oil brings out their flavour much better.
Next chopped onions are added and allowed to brown, followed by the addition of chopped ginger and garlic.
The marinated chicken along with its marinade is added and allowed to cook with the spices for a few minutes.
Next tomato is added and cooked, followed by the addition of curd.
Curd is to be whisked with some maida or besan that lends a lovely thick and creamy texture to the chicken curry and also prevents it from separating.
Now the spices like coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder are added and the chicken is allowed to cook till tender.
Finally, garam masala and kasuri methi are added. This chicken curry can be mopped up with hot tandoori rotis or Jeera Rice.
To make it even more flavourful, you can give it a second tempering of cumin seeds, dry red chilli and garlic in ghee.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve any kind of Indian bread like Naan, Lachha paratha, Missi roti or Tandoori roti with this chicken curry.
I like to serve some rice or jeera rice along too. It goes very well with the spicy curry.
You might also like these chicken curries, which are apt to make for your weekend meals:
Step by Step Recipe
Mix chicken with the ingredients for marination and let it marinate for 2-3 hours.
For the curry, heat oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add crushed cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, black cardamom and dry red chillies and let them crackle for a few seconds.
Add onion and fry until slightly browned.
Add ginger and garlic and fry until onion is nicely browned.
Now add chicken along with the marinade and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes.
Add tomato and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add curd and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to taste and cover and cook until chicken is done.
Add garam masala powder and kasuri methi and cook for another minute. Serve hot with tandoori roti.

Dhaba Style Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For marination
- 1 kg Chicken (Curry Cut)
- 1 tsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tsp Garlic Paste
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
For the curry
- 4 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 2-3 Cloves (Crushed)
- 5-6 Black peppercorns (Crushed)
- 1 inch Cinnamon (Crushed)
- 3-4 Dry Red Chillies
- 2 cups Onion (Grated)
- 1 tsp Ginger (Chopped)
- 1 tsp Garlic (Chopped)
- 1 cup Tomato (Grated)
- 1 cup Curd (Whisked with 2 tsp Maida)
- 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
- 1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Kasuri Methi
- ½ tsp Garam masala Powder
Instructions
- Mix chicken with the ingredients for marination and let it marinate for 2-3 hours.
- For the curry, heat oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add crushed cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon, black cardamom and dry red chillies and let them crackle for a few seconds.
- Add onion and fry until slightly browned.
- Add ginger and garlic and fry until onion is nicely browned.
- Now add chicken along with the marinade and cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Add tomato and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add curd and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Now add coriander powder, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to taste and cover and cook until chicken is done.
- Add garam masala powder and kasuti methi and cook for another minute.
- Serve hot with tandoori roti.
- For the smoky flavour that is a characteristic of Dhaba food, heat a piece of coal over direct flame until red hot.
- Keep a metal bowl over the curry.
- Keep the hot piece of coal in this bowl and pour some oil on top.
- Immediately close the lid of the pan and let the smoke get infused in the curry for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and remove the bowl with the coal.
- Your smoky Dhaba style chicken curry is ready to serve.
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.
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.
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 🙂
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.
Usha
Ur recipes r quite good… can I add fresh cream at the end of this recipe..
Neha Mathur
Thanks. Yes sure, you can.
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.
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.