Chicken Karahi (Pakistani Tomato, Ginger & Green‑Chili Karahi)

Name: Chicken Karahi (Pakistani Tomato, Ginger & Green‑Chili Karahi)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pakistani
Ingredients: 900 g bone-in chicken pieces; 1.5 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp red chili powder; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 medium onion; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 4 medium tomatoes; 3 piece green chilies; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek); 0.5 cup fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp ghee

A classic Pakistani one‑pan chicken cooked in a hot karahi (wok) with ripe tomatoes, ginger and green chilies. Fast, bright and perfect with steamed rice or plain naan.

50 min

start to finish

15 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Roughly, per serving

420 kcal42g protein10g carbs22g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Put the chicken in a bowl and toss with 1 tsp salt, turmeric and red chili powder; set aside to marinate.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or karahi over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the cumin seeds and sliced onion and sauté, stirring, until the onion is soft and starting to brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook, stirring, until the raw smell fades (about 1–2 minutes).
Add the chopped tomatoes, the ground coriander and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down and the oil begins to separate from the masala.
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan, turn to coat them in the tomato-onion mixture, and let the chicken brown on the outside over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender (meat falls from the bone or an instant-read thermometer reads 75°C / 165°F).
Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens to a glossy coat on the chicken (3–4 minutes); add the sliced green chilies, crushed coriander seeds, garam masala and kasuri methi now and stir to combine.
Turn off the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro and lemon juice (and ghee, if using), and let the karahi rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Worth knowing

Use bone-in chicken for better flavor; cut larger pieces in half so they cook evenly.
A heavy-bottomed pan prevents burning — a cast-iron skillet or stainless steel wok works well.
If tomatoes aren’t very ripe, add a pinch of sugar (1/4 tsp) when simmering to balance acidity.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Gluten-freeDairy-freeQuickOne pan

More Pakistani cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Pakistani cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.