Chicken Karahi

Chicken karahi is a South Asian chicken curry made with chicken cooked in a karahi (a wok-like pan), usually with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and aromatic spices.

Chicken karahi is a South Asian chicken curry made with chicken cooked in a karahi (a wok-like pan), usually with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and aromatic spices. It is especially associated with Pakistani cuisine and is also popular in northern India. The dish is typically cooked over high heat until the sauce thickens and the oil separates.

Origins and naming

The dish takes its name from the karahi, a deep, circular, wok-like cooking pot. Sources commonly place its culinary origin in the North-West Frontier Province, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Pakistan.

Ingredients and preparation

Chicken karahi is usually prepared with chicken, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chillies, and spices. Traditional-style recipes emphasize high-heat cooking and reduction until the gravy becomes thick and concentrated.

Regional popularity

Chicken karahi is widely popular in Pakistan and has become a standard restaurant dish in northern India as well. Some sources describe it as one of the best-known curries in both countries.

Serving and variations

The dish is usually served hot with roti, naan, bread, or rice. Variations may include onions, yogurt, cream, or different spice balances, but the core karahi style remains tomato- and ginger-forward.