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, 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 tsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ tsp 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 tbsp 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 tsp chopped ginger and 1 tsp 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 tsp 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 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp 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 tsp garam masala powder and 2 tbsp 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 tsp 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 tsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ tsp 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 tbsp 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 tsp chopped ginger and 1 tsp 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 tsp 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 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp 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 tsp garam masala powder and 2 tbsp 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.
