Pakistani Chicken Karahi Bake

About This Recipe

Chicken karahi is normally cooked start to finish in the wok-like karahi pan it's named for, with bone-in chicken seared hard and simmered in a tomato-heavy masala until the oil separates and floats to the top. This bake keeps that same flavor base -- ginger, garlic, whole cumin, and a generous amount of fresh tomato cooked down to a thick paste -- but finishes the chicken in the oven, which suits home cooks without a dedicated karahi pan or the patience to stand over a wok. The defining move in real karahi cooking is reducing the tomatoes almost completely before the chicken goes back in, so the sauce clings to the meat instead of turning soupy. Julienned ginger and slit green chiles are added toward the end so they stay sharp and aromatic rather than melting into the sauce, which is what gives karahi its distinct bite compared to a milder curry. Finished with a scatter of cilantro and extra julienned ginger, this bake keeps karahi's hallmark thick, glossy, tomato-forward sauce and tender chicken, adapted for a casserole dish so it can go straight from oven to table.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1.2 kgbone-in chicken pieces(skin removed)
• 4 tbspoil
• 6ripe tomatoes(chopped)
• 1 tbspginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbspcumin seeds
• 1 tbspcoriander seeds(crushed)
• 1.5 tspred chile powder
• 4green chiles(slit)
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 3 tbspfresh ginger(julienned, divided)
• 0.25 cupcilantro(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the chicken

   Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over high heat. Sear chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the tomato base

   In the same skillet, add cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds and ginger-garlic paste, stirring 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until they break down into a thick paste, 12 to 15 minutes.

   Don't rush the tomato reduction -- karahi's signature texture comes from tomatoes cooked until nearly dry, not a watery sauce.

3. 3

   Season the base

   Stir in red chile powder and salt, then return the chicken to the skillet along with half the julienned ginger and the green chiles, coating everything in the tomato paste.

4. 4

   Bake

   Transfer the skillet to a 400°F (200°C) oven, uncovered, and bake 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened and clings to the pieces.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Sprinkle garam masala, remaining julienned ginger and cilantro over the top. Serve straight from the skillet with naan or roti.

Variations

• •

  Boneless version: use boneless thigh chunks and reduce bake time to 18 to 20 minutes.

• •

  Extra rich: stir in 2 tablespoons of cream or yogurt at the very end for a milder, rounder sauce.

• •

  Lamb karahi bake: substitute cubed lamb shoulder and extend the bake to 45 minutes, covering the pan for the first half.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions