This Chicken Pathia is a one-pan curry made from scratch without a base sauce. Made with chicken simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce, it is ready in less than 30 minutes using simple pantry ingredients. A tried and tested recipe by many readers that's perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Serve it with roti, Naan, or rice. Here’s how to make this restaurant-style dish easily at home with stepwise photos and a video.
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Chicken Pathia is a classic British Indian curry known for its tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors like Chicken Masala. I’ve made this recipe countless times, and it’s always a hit. Over the years, so many readers have tried it and shared their amazing feedback. It’s one of the most loved and shared recipes on my Facebook page, which makes me so happy.
This Pathia curry is easy to make and tastes just like your favorite takeaway, delicious and full of flavor. The secret lies in the tomato-based sauce made from scratch that’s sweet, spicy, and tangy, which makes chicken pathia one of the most delicious and popular chicken curries served in UK curry houses and restaurants. Other chicken curry recipes that you may like are Chicken Balti, Chicken Jalfrezi, and Chicken Korma.
About This Recipe
This chicken pathia recipe is made from scratch without using a base sauce. While restaurants use base sauce and pre-cooked chicken to speed things up, this version still takes only about 30 minutes. It’s quick, simple, and gives you those same rich, restaurant-style flavors at home.
The chicken is first stir-fried and then simmered in a tangy tomato-based sauce. I love how the sourness from tomatoes and tamarind mixes with the heat of the chilies and a touch of sweetness from jaggery or sugar. It reminds me of the comforting curries I grew up eating that are full of flavors.
Unlike restaurant-style chicken curries like Butter Chicken or Chicken Tikka Masala, there is no addition of cashew or cream in this pathia curry recipe. This chicken curry is easy to make and tastes delicious. You can serve chicke pathia with Roti, Naan or Steamed Rice.
You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:
Ingredients Notes
This chicken pathia uses simple ingredients like onions, tomato passata (or puree), and homemade curry powder. I shared the curry powder recipe earlier. It only takes about 5 minutes to make it with basic spices. I usually make a small batch and keep it ready. For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
- Chicken: I have used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this chicken pathia recipe. You can also use boneless chicken thighs (they are more flavorful) or chicken with bones.
- Paprika: You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chili powder. Skip this if you do not prefer spicy dishes or add more to make it spicier.
- Curry Powder: I have used homemade curry powder to make this chicken curry recipe. You can substitute it with medium hot curry powder, or if you like spicy curries, go for hot curry powder.
- Tomato Passata: You can substitute it with fresh tomato purée. If using fresh purée, add a little ketchup to enhance the concentrated sweet-and-sour tomato flavor. Blend roughly chopped tomatoes in a blender, and puree is ready. You can also use tinned/canned tomatoes. Blend and add, but they might have salt, so add salt as per taste to the pathia curry recipe.
- Tamarind Paste (or Tamarind concentrate): It is sour and slightly sweet to taste. I have used tamarind paste. If you have tamarind block, soak a small portion of it in hot water for 15 minutes, then squeeze it to make a paste. Substitute it with lime (or lemon) and a little sugar or jaggery.
- Sugar: Traditionally, jaggery is used to make pathia sauce. However, you can substitute it with sugar. I have used brown sugar for this recipe.
- Lemon Juice: Tomatoes and tamarind make this Pathia curry tangy. I would suggest adding lemon juice at the end only if it is required. Taste pathia and add lemon juice as per taste.
- Green Chili: If you do not prefer spicy dishes or are making it for kids, skip adding it. Substitute it with bird's eye chilies.
- Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves): It gives a very nice aroma and flavor to the curry. Skip if not available.
- Coriander Leaves (or Cilantro): Used to garnish the pathia curry. Skip if you do not have it.
- Oil: You can use any neutral flavor oil with a high smoking point. You can also use ghee or butter for a rich flavor. I have used sunflower oil for this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Pathia Recipe With Step-By-Step Photos
1) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottom pan. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes light golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
2) Add the chicken, stir well, and cook continuously until the color of the chicken changes from pink to white. Now, add paprika, salt, kasuri methi, and medium-hot curry powder. Stir to combine.
3) Add the tomato passata, tamarind paste, and sugar. Stir to combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4) Taste the gravy and adjust the salt and lemon juice according to your preference. Add green chilies. If needed, add a little water to achieve your desired sauce consistency.
5) Remove from heat and garnish the chicken pathia with coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan or steamed rice.
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Pathia
- If you don't have tamarind, you can substitute it with lime or lemon and sugar.
- Add lemon juice only at the end. Tomatoes and tamarind make the Pathia sauce tangy, so taste it first and then add lemon juice as per your preference.
- Do not add more water to the pathia curry sauce. It's meant to be thick, and adding more water will dilute the flavors.
- Pathia curry is a medium-spiced dish. If you prefer it spicy, add more curry powder or opt for a hot curry powder. When using homemade curry powder, increase the quantity of red chili powder to achieve a spicier flavor.
- Tomato passata: You can substitute it with fresh tomato purée. If using fresh purée, add a little ketchup to enhance the concentrated sweet-and-sour tomato flavor.
- Variations: With this recipe, you can make lamb pathia, prawn pathia, or for a vegetarian twist, make paneer or chickpeas pathia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken pathia is a medium-spicy dish. You can adjust the spiciness according to your taste preferences. Start with a medium curry powder. If you want to make it spicy, add more chili powder or fresh green chilies. Similarly, if you prefer a milder version, you can reduce the amount of chili powder or use mild chili varieties.
You can make it with Prawns (Shrimp) or Lamb. To make it vegetarian, use Paneer, Tofu, Bell Pepper, or Mushroom.
If you are planning to store the leftovers, then store them within 2 hours of cooking. Let the pathia curry cool down to room temperature.
1) Transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. For longer storage, transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Stays good for a month. Label the containers with the date of storage.
2) If you've frozen the dish, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, transfer it to a saucepan, add a little water, stir, and reheat gently on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until it is piping hot or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Do not restore the food once it has been thawed and reheated. If the chicken has an off smell or unusual texture or shows signs of spoilage, discard it to ensure food safety.
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Recipe Card
Chicken Pathia Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pot or pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (or minced garlic and grated ginger)
- 500 g boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes or chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon paprika or Kashmiri red chili powder
- salt
- 1 teaspoon Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) skip if not available
- 2 tablespoon medium hot curry powder (if you want to make it at home see recipe notes)
- 400 ml tomato passata or fresh tomato paste (check recipe notes)
- ½ teaspoon tamarind paste substitue with lime and sugar
- 1 tablespoon sugar or jaggery
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (add as per taste)
- 1 green chili (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves or cilantro
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a heavy bottom pan.
- Add the onion and sauté until it becomes light golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, stir well, and cook continuously until the color of chicken color changes from pink to white.
- Now add the paprika, salt, kasuri methi, and medium-hot curry powder. Stir to combine.
- Add the tomato passata, tamarind paste, and sugar. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Taste the gravy and adjust the salt and lemon juice according to your preference. Add green chilies. If needed, add a little water to achieve your desired sauce consistency.
- Remove from the heat and garnish chicken pathia with coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan or steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- If you don't have tamarind, you can substitute it with lime or lemon and sugar.
- Add lemon juice only at the end. Tomatoes and tamarind make the Pathia sauce tangy, so taste it first and then add lemon juice as per your preference.
- Do not add more water to the pathia curry sauce. It's meant to be thick, and adding more water will dilute the flavors.
- Pathia curry is a medium-spiced dish. If you prefer it spicy, add more curry powder or opt for a hot curry powder. When using homemade curry powder, increase the quantity of red chili powder to achieve a spicier flavor.
- Tomato passata: You can substitute it with fresh tomato purée. If using fresh purée, add a little ketchup to enhance the concentrated sweet-and-sour tomato flavor.
- Variations: With this recipe, you can make lamb pathia, prawn pathia, or for a vegetarian twist, make paneer or chickpeas pathia.
Hi! I’m Preeti Nayak, and with over two decades of hands-on experience in Indian cooking, I’m excited to share my passion with you. As the author, photographer, and editor behind every well-tested, family-friendly recipe on this blog, my goal is to help you cook with confidence and bring the bold, authentic flavors of India to your table.
Hugh Hickson
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