Kadai chicken (murgh karahi)

Kadai Chicken is popular spicy chicken curry or gravy recipe made using a spice powder known as kadai masala powder. And it is cooked in a typical utensil called kadai. Below you can read the restaurant style kadai chicken recipe with step by steps photo and video.

Typically this chicken gravy is cooked in an utensil called kadai or karahi. So It is called   as chicken karahi or kadai chicken. Another popular term for this is kadai murgh.  The main basic ingredients for kadai chicken is the masala powder known as kadai masala. This masala can be made at home or you can buy it commercially as kadai masala powder from any store or shop.

But it is good to prepare a homemade kadai masala powder for the best kadai chicken recipe.  The ingredients are easily available at your kitchen pantry like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns and dry whole red chilly. 

Steps to make the recipe

Prepare kadai masala

Kadai masala is a spicy and aromatic flavoured masala used to make dishes like kadai chicken and kadai paneer.

Whole spices like coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and dry red chilly are roasted on slow flame heat for 1 - 2 minutes or till aroma released from the spices.  Remove and make a coarse powder using a mixer grinder or blender.  

Coriander seeds and dry red chilly is the main ingredients for kadai masala. The flavour of coriander seeds is the most prominent in any kadai dishes.  Don't make a fine powder for kadai masala.

Tomato puree/ paste for the recipe

Roughly chopped the tomatoes and boil with enough water in a pod. Add one bay leaf, 2 green cardamom and a small cinamom stick. To make the puree smooth add 5 -6 cashewnuts and boil till the tomatoes become soft and messy.

Drain and discard the whole spices and grind into a fine paste. This is how you can make a restaurant style tomato gravy for kadai chicken. 

Cooking kadai chicken

You can either use bone in chicken or boneless chicken to make kadai chicken. Both makes the dish delicious. I am using boneless chicken breast as my young boy prefer boneless chicken.

Cut the chicken breast into bite size cubes. You can marinate them with salt, Ginger Garlic Paste and chilli powder for 15 - 20 minutes.

Heat 2 teaspoon cooking oil in a kadai or a pan on medium heat flame. Add one dry red chilly and ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes. Then add chopped onions and fry untill they become ligh golden brown.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and the above prepared kadai masala powder. Stir and cook for few seconds and then add the chicken pieces.

Give them a nice mix with the masala and cook for 2 - 3 minutes without adding any water.

Then pour the prepared tomato paste. Mix and cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add julienne shaped onion, capsicum and tomato into the gravy.  You can use cubes of onion and capsicum instead of julienne. But at restaurant we prefer to use the julienne shaped capsicum, onion and tomato. Cook for further 2 minutes.

Pour half cup water into the chicken gravy and cook until the chicken cooked completely. Then mix fresh cream and cook for one more minute. Sprinkle some fresh chopped coriander leaves and remove to serve.

If you love the recipe of kadai chicken then I am sure you would love the following recipes as well.

• Murgh makhani recipe
  
• Murgh tikka masala recipe
  

Kadai chicken recipe

Kadai chicken is a popular chicken curry recipe made with a freshly ground spice powder known as kadai masala powder. This is an easy kadai chicken recipe made from scratch. 

Prep time 15 min, cook time 15 min, serve 2

Author Mobasir hassan

Ingredients

• 200 gm chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon corriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 7 to 8 black peppercorns
• 2 to 3 whole red chilly
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/3 teaspoon garam masala
• 2 medium size onion (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 2 medium size tomato pureed
• 1 teaspoon fresh cream
• 1/2 cup julienne shape onion, tomato and capsicum
• 1/3 teaspoon salt or as per taste
• Few coriander leaves (chopped)
• 2 teaspoon cooking oil
• 1 green chili slits ( optional)
• 5 - 6 cashewnuts
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green cardamom
• 1/2 inch cinamom stick