Chicken Bhuna

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Bhuna is a rich North Indian curry made with succulent chicken pieces cooked in flavorful bhuna masala made of onions and tomatoes. This chicken curry has a thick gravy which clings to the chicken pieces, making it perfect to serve with naan.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Marination Time30

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Keyword: bhuna curry, chicken bhuna

Diet: Gluten-free, Low Carb

Method: Stovetop

Servings:

Author: Meeta Arora

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound Chicken bone-in, skinless, use some leg pieces

For spice mix (masala)

1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
1/2 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
4 Cloves (Laung)
1/2 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)
4 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
1/2 teaspoon Shahi jeera

For Marination

1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 Lime juiced

For Curry

2 tablespoon Oil
2 tablespoon Ghee
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
2 Dried Red Chili Peppers
1 1/2 cup Onions chopped finely
1/2 tablespoon Ginger grated
1/2 tablespoon Garlic minced
1 cup Tomato pureed
1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder optional, adjust to taste
1/4 cup Yogurt whisked, I used whole milk yogurt

For garnish

Cilantro leaves chopped
Ginger julienned

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Bhuna Masala

Heat a pan on low heat. Add the whole spices for the bhuna masala and dry roast for 3-5 minutes until you get the aroma. Let the spices cool, then transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.

Marinate Chicken

Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients under the marination section and half of the bhuna masala powder. Mix and set aside for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Sear Chicken

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottom pan and add the marinated chicken pieces. Sear the chicken on high heat for 3-4 minutes to seal the juices. Take out in a bowl and set aside.

Make the Gravy

In the same pan, heat the ghee. Add the cumin seeds and dry red chilies. Saute for 30 seconds until cumin changes color.
Add the chopped onions. Sauté for 7-8 minutes on medium heat till the onions are golden brown.
Add the ginger and garlic, and saute for a minute until the raw smell is gone. Add the tomato purée and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onion-tomato masala is cooked and the oil starts to separate.
Add the chicken, red chili powder, and the remaining bhuna masala powder. Mix well and saute on medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add the whisked yogurt. Mix well while stirring continuously. Cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the yogurt is incorporated.
Cover & cook the chicken on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times as needed.
Chicken bhuna is ready to be served. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and julienned ginger.

Video

Notes

Chicken: I recommend to use bone-in thighs/drumsticks or a cut up whole chicken. In a pinch, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Spice it up (or down): Adjust the chili powder according to your spice preference.

Bhunai: The most flavor in this recipe is from browning the onions and cooking the masala until the oil separates.

Yogurt: Use full-fat yogurt for the best flavor and creaminess.

Tomatoes: I prefer to puree fresh tomatoes in a blender. But you can use canned tomato puree as well.

Dairy-free: You can skip adding yogurt, and replace it with coconut milk.

Nutrition