White Karahi Chicken
Rich and creamy with just the right amount of spice, this white Karahi chicken is an easy chicken curry that comes together in a snap.
Typically cooked in a wok, this quick recipe packs in all the flavors, and barely takes any time to cook. While the curry is a traditional Pakistani curry, you’ll actually find it in a lot of Indian restaurants too. Pair it with some bullet Naan for some extra heat and wash it down with some classic mango Lassi.
There’s something about digging into a bowl of curry and some steaming hot Jeera rice. It just makes your day so much better. And while I have tried my hands at quite a few popular curry recipes recently, the rich and aromatic flavors of this white Karahi recipe has truly won my heart.
My Bhuna Gosht, chickpea Tikka Masala and Achari Gosht have been total crowd pleasers, but I really wanted to try more chicken curry recipes, and here I am!
Quick Look: White Karahi Chicken
- 🔪 Prep time: 5 minutes.
- ⏲️ Cook time: 20 minutes.
- 👪 Servings: 4.
- 📋 Main ingredients: Chicken, onion, yogurt, heavy cream, cashew paste, ginger garlic paste, green chilies, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, dried fenugreek, lime, and coriander.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Sauté onion and whole spices 🡢 blend into a coarse paste 🡢 cook with chicken, yogurt and cream 🡢 add cashew paste and cook until the oil separates and chicken is done 🡢 garnish with coriander and lime.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy.
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Serve with basmati rice or warm naan and a glass of cooling Masala buttermilk on the side.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- It is actually a great recipe to make for the entire family. The yogurt and cream can tone down the heat- just like in my chicken Malai Tikka.
- You can easily team up this creamy chicken curry with some bread or rice, and serve it as a weekend or even weeknight dinner.
- With under 30 minutes of cooking time, this can be a quick recipe that you can make for lunch too!
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken: Start off with some bone-in chicken. Keep the cuts medium-sized.
Cashew paste: Cashew paste will bring some richness to the curry and lend it that creamy white color you’re looking for.
Heavy cream: Heavy cream is another must, and forms the base of the creamy white sauce. Use coconut cream if you want to keep this dairy-free.
Yogurt: Yogurt brings some beautiful tanginess to the curry, and helps the chicken pieces get tender too.
Aromatics: Onion and some ginger garlic paste- the classics.
Spices & seasonings: I used a mix of whole spices including black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, dried fenugreek and some fresh green chili. You can also add some coriander seeds if you want to.
Lime juice: A squeeze of lime juice can jazz up the flavor of the curry and take it to the next level.
Oil: Use any oil of your preference. Canola oil works well too!
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have the whole spices that I used for this recipe, you could just add garam masala powder instead. Half a teaspoon should be just fine.
- If you don’t have black peppercorns or just want to keep the curry nice and white in color, you can add white pepper instead.
- You can use mutton or lamb instead of chicken to make a variation of this curry. Another great idea is to opt for boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast instead of bone-in chicken.
- For deeper flavor, blend some crispy Air Fryer shallots and use them instead of raw onion.
How to Make White Karahi Chicken
Step 1: In a pot over medium high heat, add the chopped onions and whole spices and cook for a few minutes.
Step 2: Take off heat, allow it to cool down and blend it until you get a coarse mixture. Transfer it back to the pot.
Step 3: Now add in the chicken along with the yogurt and heavy cream, cover with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes on low heat.
Step 4: Now add in the cashew paste, give it a good mix and cook until the oil separates and the chicken is done.
Garnish with chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot.
💭Top Tip
Ginger and garlic are an absolute staple for this recipe. I would recommend sticking to using them fresh instead of choosing the dried or powdered versions.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Don't skip sautéing the onion mixture before adding the chicken. This helps develop the flavor of the curry.
- Keep the onion mixture slightly coarse when blending rather than turning it into a completely smooth paste.
- Adjust the number of green chilies according to how spicy you like your curry.
- Keep stirring after adding the cashew paste so it doesn't settle at the bottom of the pot and burn.
- If using yogurt, stir it well before adding it to the curry so it incorporates smoothly. I always do this when I make my Gujarati white Kadhi too.
- Keep the heat low after adding the yogurt and cream to help prevent the sauce from splitting.
- Cook the chicken until completely tender and make sure the oil has separated from the gravy before finishing the curry.
- Add the lime juice at the end rather than cooking it into the sauce for a fresher flavor. I always do this when I make Aloo Methi stir fry.
How to Serve White Karahi Chicken
White chicken Karahi is best served hot with warm Naan or Basmati rice. I love topping it with julienned ginger, freshly ground black pepper, and plenty of chopped coriander for a little freshness and crunch.
You can also serve it as part of a larger Indian meal with a cooling Dahi Boondi or some crunchy Laccha Pyaaz, a refreshing rose Lassi and some Gulkand to finish it all up.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
You sure can! Use any chicken cut of your choice. In fact, you can also use boneless chicken if you want to! Chicken breast and thighs are both great choices!
The easiest way to make this spicy chicken curry thicker is to add in another spoonful of cashew paste, give it a mix and allow it to simmer for 2-3 more minutes.
To thin down the creamy white chicken karahi, you can add a splash of water or chicken stock and allow it to simmer for a few extra minutes.
If you have any leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container or a small container, and cover it up with a lid. The curry can stay fresh when refrigerated for up to 3 days. You can then reheat the curry in the microwave or in a small pot over low heat.
More Easy Indian Weeknight Meals
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this white Karahi chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
White Chicken Karahi
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken
- 7-8 black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek
- 3-4 cloves
- 2 cinnamon
- 2-3 cardamom
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup cashew paste
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a pot over medium high heat, add the chopped onions and whole spices and cook for a few minutes.
- Take off heat, allow it to cool down and blend it until you get a coarse mixture. Transfer it back to the pot.
- Now add in the chicken along with the yogurt and heavy cream, cover with a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes on low heat.
- Now add in the cashew paste, give it a good mix and cook until the oil separates and the chicken is done.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot.
