This Dhaba style chicken curry is a flavorful and spicy chicken curry from a roadside restaurant. It is made with chicken cooked in onion-tomato masala flavored with basic Indian spices. Here’s how to make this easy chicken curry recipe in 30 minutes. You can make it in a pressure cooker or instant pot. Serve it with your favorite Naan bread or jeera rice.
“Dhaba” refers to roadside restaurants in North India and neighboring regions. They provide affordable home-style meals to travelers and truck drivers, serving local cuisine at reasonable prices.
About this Dhaba style chicken curry
I tasted this dhaba chicken curry first time on our family trip to Punjab at a simple roadside dhaba. It was served with Naan, lassi, and a simple salad made with onion slices, lemon wedge, and fresh green chilies. We also ordered dal makhani, dal fry, and paneer masala and they were equally delicious.
This North Indian Dhaba oozes rustic charm! Open kitchen, a wooden cot to sit on, a wooden plank placed across the cot for the table, and brick walls. You can see the chicken curry bubbling away and the Naan puffing up in the tandoor oven. It's seriously mouthwatering!
And get this; the dhaba curry doesn't just look amazing, it tastes incredibly delicious. It's got this perfect balance of bold spicy, tangy, and... Well, I can't even describe it. Just wow!
This dhaba-style chicken smells like heaven! You'd be starving in seconds! Similar chicken curry recipes that you might like are Pressure cooker chicken curry, Chicken bhuna masala, and Dahi Chicken.
Why you will love this recipe
Authentic dhaba-style chicken curries are traditionally prepared in large, thick-bottomed pots, where the gravy simmers for long hours, infusing the chicken with richness and depth of flavor.
- This recipe uses a pressure cooker to save you time without sacrificing taste.
- I've toned down the oil and spice level a bit, making it perfect for even those who don't love spicy curries. Also, I didn’t add any butter or ghee to the dish. But don't worry, there's still plenty of that slow-roasted "bhuna masala" magic happening to give it that authentic depth of flavor.
So if you're looking for a delicious and convenient taste of India, this recipe is just for you!
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Dhaba style chicken curry
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker or a pot
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 600 g chicken
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- salt to taste
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
To make chicken curry
- ¼ cup oil (any cooking oil with neutral flavor and high smoke point)
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 green cardamoms (crack open and then add)
- 4 cloves
- 1- inch cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 cup tomato puree 5 tomatoes blended to make puree
- ½ cup full fat yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 green chilies
Instructions
Preparations
- Finely chop the onions and cut green chilies into 1-inch pieces.
- Puree the tomatoes in a blender or mixer jar until smooth. Grate the ginger and garlic, or blend them to a fine paste.
- Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, salt and lemon juice for atleast 30 minutes.
Making the chicken curry
- Heat ¼ cup of oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
- Add the whole spices (dried red chilies, bay leaf, cumin, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns). Slightly crack open the green cardamoms before adding them to prevent them from popping. Sauté the spices for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add onions, sauté until onions are soft.
- Next, add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and cook until the sides of onions starts to become golden. Do not overcook the onions as it will taste bitter in the curry.
- Stir in the marinated chicken pieces and cook until they change color from pink to white.
- Season with turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. If the spices start to burn add a splash of water.
- Add the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the cooker to prevent the masala from sticking.
- Reduce the heat to low, add yogurt. Cook stirring continuously until it starts to boil.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add salt. Note: Salt was previously added while marinating the chicken so adjust the amount accordingly.
- Pour in ¼ cup of hot water, secure the lid, and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. If you are making this curry in a pot, cover it with a lid and cook the chicken until it is cooked or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This can take approximately 15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces.
- Remove from heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker.
- Add fresh coriander leaves, Kasuri methi, garam masala, and green chilies. Simmer for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot with Naan or rice.
Video
Notes
- For an authentic dhaba experience cook this curry in mustard oil, for an extra depth of flavor. Heat mustard oil in the pot or pan until the smoke starts to appear. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly (to cooking temperature), before using.
- For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of oil.
- Do not cut down the quantity of oil. The onion and spices need enough oil to roast properly and also to avoid burning in the pot.
- Yogurt curdles sometimes in the curry. To prevent that, add yogurt at low heat and cook stirring continuously until it comes to a boil.
- Do not use the yogurt taken straight out of the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before you add it to the curry.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
- If you don't have all these whole spices, no worries! Just add one or two that you do have.
Ingredients for Dhaba Chicken Recipe
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
- Chicken - I used bone-in, curry-cut chicken for this recipe. Bone-in chicken releases the most flavors into the curry! But, if you prefer boneless and skinless chicken, that works too.
- Whole Spices for tempering - I used dried red chilies, bay leaf, cumin, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns. If you don't have all these whole spices, no worries! Just add one or two that you do have.
- Ginger-garlic paste - You can use store-bought or make your own at home. To make it at home, simply grind or crush 20 garlic cloves and 2-inch ginger and use them.
- Onions - I have used red onions. Substitute it with yellow onions. Do not use white onions for this recipe.
- Tomato Puree - I used fresh ripe tomatoes pureed in a blender/mixer jar. You can substitute it with tomato passata or tomato paste.
- Yogurt or Curd - Use full-fat yogurt or homemade curd at room temperature for this recipe.
- Spice Powders - Salt, turmeric, coriander powder, and garam masala powder.
- Kashmiri red chili powder. Kashmiri red chili powder gives bright red color to the recipe and is less spicy. You can substitute it with paprika (add as per taste).
- Fresh Lemon juice - When used in marinade makes the chicken tender and juicy. Substitute it with lime juice or vinegar.
- Oil - For Punjabi dhaba-style chicken curry, mustard oil is used. It has a strong flavor. Substitute it with any cooking oil that has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
- Coriander leaves - Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) add a fresh element to the curry.
- Green Chilies - Added at the end just for garnish. Skip if you do not like spicy chicken curry.
- Kasuri Methi - Dhaba-style chicken curry recipe is incomplete without it. Kasuri methi enhances the flavor of dhaba curries. Roast and crush it slightly with your fingers and then add it to the curry.
How to make Dhaba Style Chicken Curry
Preparations
- Finely chop the onions and cut the green chilies into 1-inch pieces.
- Puree the tomatoes in a blender or mixer jar until smooth. Grate the ginger and garlic, or blend them to a fine paste.
- Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger-garlic paste, salt, and lemon juice for at least 30 minutes.
Making the chicken curry
- Heat ¼ cup of oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat.
- Add the whole spices for tempering (dried red chilies, bay leaf, cumin, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, and black peppercorns). Slightly crack open the green cardamoms before adding them to prevent them from popping. Sauté the spices for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add onions, and sauté until onions are soft.
- Next, add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and cook until the sides of the onions start to become golden. Do not overcook the onions as they will taste bitter in the curry.
- Stir in the marinated chicken pieces and cook until they change color from pink to white.
- Season with turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well and cook for a minute. If the spices start to burn add a splash of water.
- Add the tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches a boil. Gently scrape the bottom of the cooker to prevent the masala from sticking.
- Reduce the heat to low, add yogurt. Cook stirring continuously until it starts to boil.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add salt. Note: Salt was previously added while marinating the chicken so adjust the amount accordingly.
- Pour in ¼ cup of hot water, secure the lid, and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles. If you are making this curry in a pot, cover it with a lid and cook the chicken until it is cooked or reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). This can take approximately 15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken pieces.
- Remove from heat. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker.
- Add fresh coriander leaves, Kasuri methi, garam masala, and green chilies. Simmer for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot with Naan or rice.
Tips to make perfect dhaba style chicken
- For an authentic dhaba experience cook this curry in mustard oil, for an extra depth of flavor. Heat mustard oil in the pot or pan until the smoke starts to appear. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly (to cooking temperature), before using.
- For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of oil.
- Do not cut down the quantity of oil. The onion and spices need enough oil to roast properly and also to avoid burning in the pot.
- Yogurt curdles sometimes in the curry. To prevent that, add yogurt at low heat and cook stirring continuously until it comes to a boil.
- Do not use the yogurt taken straight out of the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before you add it to the curry.
- Adjust the amount of chili powder according to your preferred spice level.
YASUA
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Preeti
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