Curated recipes from 193 countries  •  New seasonal Mediterranean issue out now
DINNER IDEAS Global Recipe Journal
Regions All Regions Mediterranean & Italy East & South Asia Latin America & Caribbean Middle Eastern Nordic & European African Heritage North America Oceania & Pacific Browse Atlas

Overview

Pakistani Chicken Karahi

Chicken Karahi, Karahi Gosht Chicken, Lahori Chicken Karahi

This Pakistani chicken karahi recipe is the Lahore street-stall classic: bone-in chicken seared hard in a karahi wok with ghee, then cooked down in a sauce made of tomatoes alone — no onion, no yoghurt, no stock — until the tomatoes melt into a thick, rust-red masala that clings to the meat. It finishes with a shower of raw julienned ginger, green chillies and fresh coriander, and it is served still sizzling in the wok. One serving is about 360 g.

Karahi takes its name from the wok it is cooked in — the deep, round-bottomed karahi of the Punjab — and it is the dish Lahore's street stalls are built around. The rules are strict and short: bone-in chicken, tomatoes only, high heat, and raw ginger at the end. No onion, no yoghurt, no stock. The dish grew out of the truck stops and bazaars along the Grand Trunk Road, where cooks needed something fast, hot and filling, and it is still served the same way today: sizzling in the wok it was cooked in, with naan on the side.

Pairs well with: Hot naan & ginger-chilli garnish

Provenance

Pakistan flag Pakistan

Lahore Heritage

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

55m

20m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

635 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 360 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (High-Heat Wok)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Weeknight dinners, street-food nights, family gatherings, Eid lunches Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Chicken Spicy Savory Halal
Pakistani chicken karahi — bone-in chicken in a thick red tomato sauce in a karahi wok, garnished with green chillies and coriander

Lahore Heritage

Photo: Kskhh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

A true karahi is judged by its sauce: it must be thick, rust-red and clinging to the chicken, with the oil separated at the edges and raw ginger fresh on top.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 55m
P

Prep Stage: Chop, Grate & Julienne

20 Mins

Cut the chicken into pieces and pat dry. Chop the tomatoes roughly, grate half the ginger and cut the other half into fine matchsticks, crush the garlic, chop 2 green chillies and slit 2 more, chop the coriander and squeeze the lemon. Measure out all the ground spices so they are within reach — karahi cooking moves fast once the wok is hot.

Maestro Tip: Everything must be ready before the wok heats up: once the chicken hits the hot ghee there is no time to chop anything.

  1. 1

    Sear the Chicken

    10 Mins High heat, ~220°C (425°F)

    Heat the ghee and oil in a karahi or deep wok until they shimmer. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer and sear for 4–5 minutes a side until deep golden and the skin is crisp at the edges. Work in two batches if the wok is crowded. The chicken must reach at least 74°C (165°F) inside by the end of cooking.

    Do not move the chicken for the first 3 minutes — it needs to set and brown before it can be turned.

    Done when: Chicken is deep golden with crisp skin; the wok smells of browned meat, not raw chicken.

  2. 2

    Build the Tomato Sauce

    15 Mins Medium-high heat, ~200°C (400°F)

    Lower the heat slightly, add the grated ginger and crushed garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder, black pepper and half the salt, and cook, stirring and mashing the tomatoes with the spoon, for 10–12 minutes until the tomatoes have completely melted and the oil separates at the edges.

    Mash the tomatoes against the side of the wok as they soften — the sauce should be thick enough to coat the chicken, not runny.

    Done when: The tomatoes have melted into a thick, rust-red masala and the oil glistens at the edges.

  3. 3

    Simmer in Its Own Sauce

    10 Mins Medium heat, ~180°C (350°F)

    Cover the wok with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. If the sauce looks dry, add a splash of water; if it looks wet, cook uncovered for a few minutes more.

    The lid traps the steam so the chicken finishes cooking in the tomato sauce itself.

    Done when: Chicken is tender and cooked through; the sauce clings thickly to every piece.

  4. 4

    Finish with Ginger & Chillies

    5 Mins High heat, ~200°C (400°F)

    Take the lid off, turn the heat up and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thick and glossy. Sprinkle over the garam masala and the remaining salt, then turn off the heat and shower the karahi with the raw ginger matchsticks, the slit green chillies, the chopped coriander and the lemon juice.

    The ginger goes in raw, off the heat — its fresh bite is the signature of a karahi, and cooking it would dull it.

    Done when: The wok is glossy and sizzling, crowned with raw ginger, green chillies and coriander.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Take the wok straight to the table while it is still sizzling, the ginger and chillies fresh on top. Serve hot with naan for scooping — the karahi is the serving dish, so let everyone eat from the wok.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

635

kcal / serving

Protein

50g

Complete AA

Carbs

14g

Complex

Fats

43g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 360 g)
Energy635 kcal
Protein50 g
Carbohydrates14 g
Fat43 g
Fibre3.8 g
Sugar4.2 g
Sodium990 mg
Per 100g
Energy176 kcal
Protein14 g
Carbohydrates3.8 g
Fat11.8 g
Fibre1.1 g
Sugar1.2 g
Sodium275 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Iron and zinc (chicken), vitamin B12 (chicken), vitamin B6 (chicken), vitamin C (green chillies, tomatoes), vitamin A (tomatoes). Nutrition values are estimated.

High in Protein, Fast to Cook

Bone-in chicken gives a large amount of protein and iron in every serving, and the whole dish is on the table in under an hour.

Tomatoes Do All the Work

The sauce is tomatoes alone — no onion, no yoghurt, no stock — so the flavour is clean, bright and honest.

High Heat, Real Wok Flavour

Searing the chicken hard in the karahi builds the browned, slightly smoky flavour that a slow pot never gives.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Hot Naan

Naan is the classic partner for karahi: its soft, chewy crumb scoops up the thick tomato sauce far better than a spoon, and a hot naan straight off the griddle is part of the ritual.

Mint Raita

Cool mint raita tames the chilli heat and gives a creamy counterpoint to the sharp tomato sauce.

Vegetables

Raw Ginger, Lemon & Green Chilli Garnish

The fresh garnish is not decoration — the ginger's heat, the lemon's acid and the chilli's bite cut through the rich, fatty sauce and keep each mouthful bright.

Drinks

Sweet Lassi

A cold sweet lassi cools the palate after the spice and washes down the rich ghee, which is why Lahore's karahi shops serve it by the glass.

Complete menu

Serve the karahi sizzling in its wok with hot naan, mint raita and a glass of sweet lassi — the Lahore street-stall plate, with the fresh ginger and chilli garnish on top.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Adding Onion or Yoghurt

Onion and yoghurt turn a karahi into a different dish — a curry. A real karahi sauce is tomatoes alone, and adding onion makes the sauce sweet and heavy instead of sharp and bright. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.

Crowding the Wok

Too much chicken at once drops the wok temperature, so the meat steams instead of searing and never gets its golden crust; cook in batches and keep the wok hot. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA fast, punchy wok dish — best eaten hot from the karahi, with naan and the fresh garnish.
  • ChildrenChildren love the saucy chicken; serve a small portion with less chilli and plenty of naan, and pick out the raw ginger.
  • ElderlyThe chicken is cooked until tender and easy to chew; serve a smaller portion, as it is rich.
  • Pregnant womenChicken cooked to at least 74°C (165°F) and served hot is fine; keep portions moderate and ask your clinician about rich, spicy meals if unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, protein-rich meal that suits breastfeeding; the chicken, sauce and naan together make a complete meal.
  • AthletesHigh in protein, so it refuels well after training — eat it with naan for the carbohydrate to go with it.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense with chicken, ghee and skin, so it suits people who need extra calories.
  • Weight lossEnergy-dense from the ghee and skin, so keep to one serving, remove the skin and eat more of the salad.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesLow in carbohydrate on its own, but the naan served with it adds a lot — keep the bread portion modest; ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureContains sodium from added salt; use less salt if you need to limit sodium, and ask your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein from the chicken; people with kidney disease should watch portion size and ask their clinician.
  • GoutChicken is moderate in purines; a large portion may not suit people prone to gout — ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesThe dish is rich and spiced, and the raw ginger and chillies can irritate a sensitive stomach; eat a small portion and skip the raw chilli garnish if your stomach is sensitive.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in saturated fat from ghee and chicken skin, so people with cardiovascular disease should eat a smaller portion with plenty of salad; ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverRich and high in fat, so keep portions modest and balance the plate with salad; ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains dairy (ghee). If you have any food allergy, check every ingredient and ask your clinician.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable as a low-fat, low-sodium or low-purine therapeutic diet without changes (less ghee, skin removed, less salt); discuss adaptations with your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in airtight containers in the fridge.
In the fridge
Cooked karahi 3 days.
In the freezer
Up to 2 months.
How to reheat
Reheat gently on the stove until steaming hot throughout, to 74°C (165°F); add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Freezing recommended
Yes, up to 2 months; freeze the chicken and sauce without the fresh garnish and add it when serving.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy sauce, or mould.

More recipes to explore

Beef nihari — tender beef shank in a thick glossy reddish-brown gravy, garnished with ginger, lemon and coriander Pakistan flag Pakistan 5h 30m
Dinner •Lahore Heritage

Nihari

This nihari recipe is Pakistan's great slow-cooked beef stew: beef shank on the bone, simmered for hours in ghee and spices until the meat falls apart and the marrow melts into a thick, glossy gravy. A spoonful of toasted wheat flour gives the sauce its silk, and the classic garnish — ginger matchsticks, green chillies, coriander and lemon — lifts the whole bowl. It is traditionally a breakfast dish in Lahore and Karachi, and it is just as good for dinner. One serving is about 380 g.

Slow Food, Worth the Wait

Beef shank simmered for hours with ginger, fennel and warm spices until it falls off the bone, the gravy thickened with a wheat-flour slurry and finished with ginger, lemon and green chillies — Pakistan's slow-cooked nihari.

Pairs Well With
Hot naan & ginger-lemon garnish
High Protein
Chapli kebab — wide flat spiced beef patties, dark and crisp at the edges, with tomato and green chilli Pakistan flag Pakistan 45m
Dinner •Peshawar Heritage

Chapli Kebab

This chapli kebab recipe is Peshawar's famous street food: ground beef mixed with crushed coriander seed, dried pomegranate, tomato, onion and green chilli, pressed into wide, flat patties — the shape of a chapli sandal, which is where the name comes from — and shallow-fried in a hot pan until the edges turn crisp and dark. The outside crackles, the inside stays juicy, and every bite carries the sour pop of pomegranate and the warmth of whole spices. One serving is about 280 g.

Peshawar's Street-Food Icon

Coarsely ground beef mixed with crushed coriander seed, pomegranate, tomato and green chilli, pressed flat as a sandal and shallow-fried until crisp at the edges — Peshawar's chapli kebab.

Pairs Well With
Naan, raita & kachumber salad
High Protein
Bœuf bourguignon — French beef braised in red wine France flag France 4h
Dinner •Burgundy Terroir

Bœuf Bourguignon

Beef braised gently in red wine until the connective tissue melts into a velvet, gelatin-rich sauce — the classic Burgundy Sunday dinner.

Cellular Repair

Beef braised in red wine until spoon-tender, with mushrooms and pearl onions.

Pairs Well With
Parsnip Purée & Steamed French Haricots Verts
High Protein
Vietnamese braised pork belly with golden eggs in caramel sauce Vietnam flag Vietnam 1h 45m
Dinner •One Pot

Vietnamese Braised Pork and Eggs

Pork belly slowly braised in coconut water and caramel until meltingly tender, with golden eggs that soak up the sweet-savoury sauce — the Vietnamese family dish that tastes better the next day.

Comfort & Sustained Energy

Slow-braised pork belly and eggs in coconut water and caramel.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice & pickled mustard greens
High Protein

The Dinner Gazette

Never wonder what’s for dinner again

One email a week with easy dinner ideas from around the world — ingredients, steps and nutrition, tested in our kitchen first.

Delivered every Thursday morning. Unsubscribe anytime.