Kadai Chicken Recipe (Chicken Karahi)

What Is Kadai Chicken?

Kadai chicken (chicken karahi) is a North Indian chicken curry named after the kadai, the deep, wok-like pan it is traditionally cooked in.

Bone-in chicken is simmered in an onion-tomato gravy with kadai masala, a blend of dry-roasted coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, black peppercorns, and dried Kashmiri red chilies, then finished with cream and crisp cubes of onion and green bell pepper.

It differs from Pakistani chicken karahi, which is traditionally made with tomatoes, ginger, and green chilies, with no onions or bell peppers.

You can get ready-made kadhai masala powder in the market these days, but I always prefer to make my own at home. Homemade masala is made using high-quality ingredients. It tastes much better than the store-bought masala. The homemade spice mix is free of added chemicals, colors, or flavors. It’s also much more economical to make at home.

I also have a kadai paneer recipe. Do give it a try.

How To Make Kadai Chicken

Marinate The Chicken

Step 1: Rinse 1 kg of bone-in, skinless chicken (cut into 1-½-inch pieces) or 500 g of boneless chicken thighs (cut into 1-½-inch pieces) under running water. Drain well. Mix the chicken with the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

• 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

Step 2: Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes over the counter.

Make The Kadai Masala

Step 3: Dry-roast the following ingredients over medium-low heat until lightly browned and fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent scorching.

• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2-3 dried Kashmiri red chilies (stalks removed)

Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and let the spices cool down for 5 minutes. Grinding them while hot can make the powder gummy rather than dry and coarse. Add the roasted spices to a grinder and grind to make a slightly coarse powder. This is the kadai masala, the ingredient that separates this curry from a generic chicken curry.

Make The Curry

Step 5: Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick pan or kadai over medium-high heat.

Step 6: Once the oil is hot, add the following spices and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

• 2 whole black cardamoms
• 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 whole bay leaves

Step 7: Add 1 cup chopped red onions and cook until light brown (6-8 minutes), stirring frequently.

Step 8: Add the marinated chicken and kadai masala powder, then cook over high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring so the masala coats the chicken and toasts slightly rather than just steaming.

Step 9: Add the following ingredients and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently.

• 1-inch piece of ginger (julienned)
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup of grated tomatoes
• 4-5 green chilies (slit in half)

Step 10: Whisk ¼ cup plain yogurt with 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, then stir it into the pan. Whisking the flour into the yogurt first is what keeps it from splitting when it hits the hot gravy. Skip the flour, and you’ll end up with curdled specks instead of a smooth gravy. Now add ½ cup of water and ½ teaspoon salt and mix well.

Step 11: Cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring a few times. This slow, covered simmer makes bone-in chicken fall-off-the-bone tender without drying out and cooks the curry perfectly.

Step 12: Now add the following ingredients and cook for another 2-3 minutes, just enough to soften the edges of the vegetables while they keep some bite.

• 1 cup of cubed green bell pepper (1-inch cubes)
• 1 cup of cubed red onions (1-inch cubes, petals separated)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Step 13: Add ¼ cup unsweetened heavy cream and 1 tablespoon crushed Kasuri methi, then mix well. Check for salt and add more if needed.

Step 14: Garnish with 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

This flavorful curry pairs well with any Indian bread, such as butter naan, tandoori roti, phulka, plain tawa paratha, lachha paratha, missi roti, or rumali roti.

It tastes great with steamed white rice, jeera rice, or a mildly flavored peas pulao.

Storage Suggestions

Kadai chicken tastes even better the next day, once the spices have had time to settle into the gravy, so it’s a great make-ahead curry.

Leftovers keep well for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reheat gently in a pan over medium-low heat or in a microwave. A splash of hot water helps loosen the gravy if it’s thickened up in the fridge.

For longer storage, freeze it in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

You can also freeze the kadai masala for up to 6 months. So make a bigger batch and freeze it for later use.