White chicken karahi is a smooth, slightly spicy chicken curry bursting with flavor. It has a delicate and creamy white sauce that you can mop up with warm naan. With simple ingredients and an easy, no-fuss method, this is one recipe you need to have!
Chicken kali mirch is another easy recipe that you can make in a snap. And if you want to try another version of karahi, check out my boneless chicken karahi with lots of tomatoes.
Chicken karahi literally translates as chicken made in a 'karahi' or a heavy bottomed Indian wok. And as everyone who has used a wok knows, the food sizzling away in a wok at relatively high temps makes it taste extra good. This white chicken karahi? It's pure magic in a pan, or rather wok!
This is how you make it: the chicken, along with some whole spices is browned in hot oil, then simmered in a lovely thick sauce made of aromatics like ginger, garlic red onions, and Serrano chillies. A generous dose of freshly cracked black pepper and garam masala give it an unbeatable kick, and finally, the sharpness of the gravy is tempered down with yogurt and cream. The result? Tender and flavorful chicken wrapped in a thick creamy white sauce that is simply divine!
Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card further down.
Instructions
Preparation
In a blender, add thickly chopped onion, ginger, garlic and one Serrano chilli along with a quarter cup water. Blend to get a smooth paste.
Cooking
1. Heat the cooking oil in a wok or karahi and when it is quite hot, add the whole spices followed immediately by the chicken. Fry the chicken on medium to high heat until it is slightly browned on all sides (5 minutes).
2. Add the onion-ginger-garlic-green chilli paste you prepared earlier followed by the black pepper, garam masala, and salt. Cook the chicken on medium heat until the oil separates and the sauce becomes shiny. Stir frequently to prevent it from sticking to the wok (10 minutes).
This is known as the 'bhuna' technique in Indian cooking. If you want to learn more about it, do have a look at these 5 Indian cooking techniques.
3. Now, add the yogurt and cream. Mix well and turn down the heat. Cover the wok and simmer the curry for 15-20 minutes.
4. Finally, garnish the curry with some julienned ginger and slit green chillies. This is totally optional though. White karahi chicken is ready to be served with some warm naan bread.
Recipe notes and tips
- Use a small whole skinless, bone-in chicken cut into 14-16 pieces. You can use boneless chicken in a pinch, but it is the bones that give it depth of flavor.
- Don't cut back on the amount of oil as it is the oil which makes the karahi chicken taste so good. It absorbs the flavors of the spices and forms a layer on top of the chicken when cooked long enough. As a rule, I use pure olive oil which is healthier than other oils.
More chicken curry recipes you might like
Want still more? Check out the entire collection of chicken recipes on the blog!
📖 Recipe
White Chicken Karahi
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 wok or karahi
Ingredients
- ½ cup cooking oil
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 4 cloves
- 2.2 lbs chicken skinless, bone-in
- 1 medium red onion chopped roughly
- 1" piece ginger chopped roughly
- 5 garlic cloves big, chopped
- 2 Serrano chillies
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ cup yogurt unsweetened, unflavored
- ½ cup cream
- 1 tablespoon ginger juliennes optional
Instructions
- In a blender, add the onion, ginger, garlic and one Serrano chilli along with a quarter cup water. Blend to get a smooth paste.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or karahi and when it is quite hot, add all the whole spices followed immediately by the chicken. Fry the chicken on medium to high heat until it is slightly browned on all sides (5 minutes).
- Add the onion-ginger-garlic-green chilli paste you prepared earlier followed by the black pepper, garam masala, and salt. Cook the chicken on medium heat until the oil separates and the sauce becomes shiny. Stir frequently to prevent it from sticking to the wok (10 minutes).
- Now, add the yogurt and cream. Mix well and turn down the heat. Cover the wok and simmer the curry for 15-20 minutes.
- Finally, garnish the curry with some julienned ginger and the remaining Serrano chilli. Serve the chicken with some warm naan bread.
Notes
- Use a small whole skinless, bone-in chicken cut into 14-16 pieces. You can use boneless chicken in a pinch, but it is the bones that give it depth of flavor.
- Don't cut back on the amount of oil as it is the oil which makes the karahi chicken taste so good. It absorbs the flavors of the spices and forms a layer on top of the chicken when cooked long enough. As a rule, I use pure olive oil which is healthier than other oils.
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