Recipe- Dhaba Style Kadai Chicken At Home

Kadai chicken also know as karahi chicken or kadai murg is a popular north Indian chicken recipe in which marinated chicken pieces are smothered in thick spicy onion tomato masala.

Kadai in English translates to Indian wok. To make this kadai chicken freshly ground spice mix (masala) is made known as kadai masala. So when a dish is prepared in kadai using this kadai masala it takes the name after the dish like kadai panner, kadai vegetables, kadai chicken, and so on.

Ingredients

3 Cloves
2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
2 Dry Red Chillies
1-inch Cinnamon Stick
5-6 Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Fennel Seeds

For Onion Tomato Masala

2 Onion cut lengthwise
1 Tomato roughly cut

For Curry

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
3 Cardamom Pods
2 Green Chilies cut lengthwise (Optional)
1 Capsicum cut into cubes ( You may use any colour capsicum of your choice)
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tbsp Cream or Homemade Malai
500 gms Chicken cut into pieces
Juice of 1 Lemon
Water to cook
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp Oil for cooking
1 tsp Kasuri Methi Powder (Dry Fenugreek Leaves)
2 tsp Kadai Masala

Method

- Dry roast the whole spices mentioned above for the Kadai Masala till they release their aroma, ie approx 3 minutes on a medium flame.

- Once roasted transfer the spices onto a plate and let them cool to room temperature.

- In a blender add the above-cooled spices and grind to a powder.

- Kadai Masala is ready.

- Marinate chicken for 30 minutes or 4-5 hours with a tablespoon of ginger garlic paste and juice of 1 lemon. If marinating for more than 30 minutes, keep the marinated chicken in the refrigerator.

To make onion-tomato masala

- In a pan heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add onions and saute till translucent, add chopped tomato and saute till both onion and tomatoes are cooked. Switch off the flame and let this mixture cool to room temperature.

- Once this onion tomato mixture comes to room temperature, blend it to a fine paste. Add a teaspoon of water if required while blending.

For Curry

- In a kadhai heat oil, add cardamom pods and saute for a minute till it releases its aroma. Then add green chilies along with 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw smell of ginger and garlic fades away.

- Add the onion tomato paste and mix well. Saute this paste till oil separates from the mixture. Add red chilli powder, and 2 teaspoons of kadai masala which we prepared and mix well.

- Now add marinated chicken and saute till the chicken pieces are nicely coated with the onion tomato masala. Add salt and 1/4th cup water, and cook till the chicken is 3/4th done. Stir occasionally in between.

- After chicken is 3/4th cooked, add capsicum that is cut into cubes.

- Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes till chicken is tender. Stir occasionally.

- Lastly when the chicken is cooked add cream, and Kasuri methi and cook for another minute or two.

- Kadai Chicken is ready.

- Serve hot with tandoori paratha or tandoori nana or any flatbread of your choice.