Chicken Karahi – Instant Pot & Stove Top Recipe

Chicken Karahi or Chicken Kadai is a spicy, homestyle chicken curry with fragrant spices and fresh ginger. My recipe explains how to make this flavor-packed and authentic tasting chicken curry in just a few simple steps using Instant Pot or a skillet.

Karahi

So What is a Karahi?

Karahi also known as Kadai/Kadhai is a thick, circular, metal cooking pot, similar to a wok. It is used in Indian cooking for curries, sautéing vegetables and especially deep frying.

What is Chicken Karahi?

Chicken Karahi is a popular North Indian and Pakistani curry, and you can find it in most restaurant menus. Often, the road-side dhaba’s will have this spicy, homestyle curry on the menu which is often enjoyed with hot naan or roti right from the tandoor.

Instant Pot

So,why make Chicken Karahi in the Instant Pot?

This past summer, I taught young college students how to cook traditional Indian dishes in the Instant Pot. When I got a request for Chicken Karahi, I decided to try my stove top recipe in the Instant Pot. The result was:

• a practical and easy curry, that my students could make and enjoy in under 30-minutes
• hands-free recipe compared to the original traditional stovetop recipe
• perfectly cooked chicken every time
• And best of all, authentic and hearty tasting curry

spices

Here are the spices I love adding to this recipe:

1. Garam Masala – This quintessential Indian spice blend adds warmth and depth to the curry. And if you haven’t tried my homemade EASY garam masala recipe, you must. It needs 5 whole spices that I bet you already have in your spice drawer, takes 10 mins and elevates the flavors in Indian cooking to the next level
2. Red Chili Powder – The milder Kashmiri red chili powder adds smoky flavors and a brilliant red hue to the curry without making the dish too spicy
3. Ground Cumin and Ground Coriander – Often added tother these ground spices add earthy flavors and body to the curry
4. Ground Turmeric – Bright healing spice that adds a peppery-woody taste and a deep golden color to the curry

Tips

1. Kashmiri red chili powder can be substituted with any mild chili powder or paprika
2. Make sure to dice the ginger very small so you do get big pieces of ginger in the curry.
3. To reduce the spice in this curry, reduce the quantity of red chili powder, garam masala, and ginger by half.
4. To make the curry more spicy and hot, add a sliced jalapeño along with the onions.

I would also highly recommend using Pomi chopped tomatoes in this recipe. Not only do they taste just like fresh tomatoes, but they are super convenient and add a vibrant red hue to the curry.

Especially when fresh tomatoes are not in season, I like to stock up on these tomatoes that come in BPA-free cartons. Once you open the carton, you can store them for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Steps

Step by step instructions to make this insanely delicious Chicken Karahi in the Instant Pot pressure cooker:

Step 1: Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat oil. Next, add onions, ginger, and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process (photos 1 – 2).

Step 2: Add the chicken, tomatoes, spices and stir well. Afterward, close the Instant Pot lid on with the pressure valve to sealing (photos 3 – 6).

Step 3: Select Pressure Cook / Manual (Hi) for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Then release all remaining pressure. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and cook for 5 minutes as the curry continues to thicken. Garnish with cilantro and ginger.

Serving

Here are few options to serve chicken karahi – Naan or Parathas, Jeera Rice, Basmati Rice, or Brown Rice. 

Stove Top

Do not have the Instant Pot? Here are steps to make Chicken Karahi on stove-top:

1. Heat oil in a medium wok or a skillet. Then, add onions, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes on medium-high heat until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process.
2. Add the chicken, tomatoes, all the spices and stir well.
3. Cover the pot with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked stirring frequently. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed if the curry starts to stick to the pot.
4. Garnish with cilantro and ginger.

I often serve a cooling yogurt drink called “Mattha” in India with this spicy chicken curry. Lots of people asked for the recipe and here it is:

• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 3 cups cold water
• 1-inch ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 green chili or 1/2 jalapeño
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions: Blend all the ingredients in a blender and enjoy chilled.

Love chicken curries? Here are my other go-to Instant Pot recipes:

• Healthy “Butter” Chicken 
• Weeknight Staple Chicken Korma Curry
• Mom’s Authentic Chicken Curry
• Quick and Easy Kheema Curry 
• Royal Mughlai Chicken Korma
• Classic Restaurant-Style Chicken Tikka Masala

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Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi or Chicken Kadai is a spicy, homestyle chicken curry with fragrant spices and fresh ginger.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4

Calories: 347kcal

Author: Archana Mundhe

Equipment

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
• Wok

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 tablespoons oil
• ▢ 1 yellow onion finely diced
• ▢ ¼ cup ginger finely diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons garlic minced
• ▢ 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry and cut into 4 pieces each
• ▢ 1½ cups canned diced tomatoes **
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

Garnish:

• ▢ ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ▢ ¼ cup ginger julienned

Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat oil. Add onions, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process. Tip: Make sure the bottom of the pot has no browning after sautéing the onions. If you see any browning, press Cancel on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden or silicone spatula to remove all of the brownings.
• Add the chicken, tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground turmeric, and salt. Stir well.
• Close the Instant Pot lid on with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 5 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then release all remaining pressure by turning the pressure release valve from sealing to venting.
• Open the Instant Pot and set it to Sauté mode. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes as the curry continues to thicken. Garnish with cilantro and ginger.
• Serve hot with naan or parathas and rice. For a low carb meal, serve mushroom masala over cauliflower rice. Add a side of cucumber salad for a delicious meal.

Video

Notes

Notes:

1. Boxed or canned diced tomatoes can be substituted with 4 ripe plum or roma tomatoes. 
2. Substitute Kashmiri red chili powder with any mild chili powder
3. Make sure to dice the ginger very small so you do get big pieces of ginger in the curry
4. To reduce the spice in this curry, reduce the quantity of red chili powder, garam masala, and ginger by half
5. To make the curry more spicy and hot, add a sliced jalapeño along with the onions
6. You can either use fresh tomatoes or box/canned chopped tomatoes in this recipe
7. Make sure the bottom of the pot has no browning after sautéing the onions. If you see any browning, press Cancel on the Instant Pot and add 2 tablespoons of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden or silicone spatula to remove all of the brownings.

Stovetop Recipe: 

1. Heat oil in a large wok or skillet. Then, add onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes on medium-high heat until the onions turn translucent. Use a glass lid to speed up the process.
2. Add the chicken, tomatoes, all the spices and stir well.
3. Cover the pot with a lid and lower the heat to medium. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked stirring frequently. Add a few tablespoons of water as needed if the curry starts to stick to the pot.
4. Garnish with cilantro and ginger.

Nutrition

Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1189mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 805IU | Vitamin C: 12.5mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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