Authentic Indian Kadai Chicken (Boneless Thighs)

This spicy & smoky punjabi style kadai chicken has incredible flavor from homemade freshly ground kadai masala powder. Juicy boneless chicken thigh pieces are cooked in an aromatic & tangy tomato & onion masala along with a refreshing crunch of colorful bell peppers. This one-pot recipe is perfect for days when you're craving the bold flavors of indian restaurant dishes but want to stay in!

You've likely spotted kadai chicken on Indian restaurant menus-now you can recreate those delicious flavors in your own kitchen! This kadai chicken recipe stands out among the popular North Indian chicken curries for its unique taste, texture and aroma. Unlike smooth, rich & creamy curries such as butter chicken or chicken korma, it doesn't use heavy cream and the sauce has a lot of texture.

Kadai chicken gets its robust flavors from the traditional cooking in a kadai (Indian wok), which helps develop bold & smoky flavors akin to dhaba-style cooking that you will find in roadside eateries across north india. My recipe is different from pakistani karahi chicken. Though they share some similar ingredients, the cooking methods give each dish its unique taste.

There are a few steps to this kadai chicken recipe. You will marinate the chicken for an hour or two. Then prepare the kadai masala and then go on to making the kadai chicken curry. I would set aside about 30-35 minutes for the cooking process (longer if you are using bone in chicken).

What is a Kadai

Kadai Chicken gets its name from the "kadai," a circular, thick, deep wok-like pot commonly used in South Asian kitchens. Indian wok is incredibly versatile, perfect for stir-frying, slow cooking, deep frying, or any other cooking task you can think of.

The kadai's thickness helps retain heat to ensure even cooking, while its wide, concave shape allows liquids to evaporate fast, so the chicken sears as we stir fry it to keep the kadai masala from getting watery.

If you're wondering what to use in place of a kadai, I recommend a braiser due to its wide, shallow shape. However, a Dutch oven will also do the job perfectly! Since kadai chicken is rich in tomatoes, I suggest using an enameled, hard-anodized, or stainless steel cooking pot to avoid any metallic taste that can sometimes develop in tomato-based sauces.

Kadai Chicken

What sets apart kadai chicken from your regular chicken curry is the star ingredient - aka the kadai masala. If you know me, we love making our own spice blends, so we'll grind our own kadai masala to make sure that it's fresh and we get the best flavor. My homemade version combines four main whole spices: cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, and dried kashmiri chilies.

The whole spices are dry-roasted and we add them in two stages-during cooking to deepen the kadai sauce's flavor, as well as a finishing spice. The recipe I am noting down will make extra kadai masala powder which you can keep at hand to make other kadai recipes such as kadai shrimp or kadai paneer.

Onion petals and bell peppers, though optional, bring a crunchy contrast to the intense flavors of the thick gravy. Soft, caramelized onions add a sweet bite to balance the heat, and while green peppers are traditional, I prefer colorful ones-especially red-for their sweetness and visual appeal.

Ingredients

• Chicken - I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs in my curries. The dark meat is full of flavor and can stand up to the stir frying that's involved while making this dish. Cut chicken thighs in 2 inch pieces. Chicken breast will dry out so I don't recommend. If you want to use bone in chicken- you can! Either use skinless chicken drumsticks and thighs or if you have a butcher near you get "curry cut" chicken.
• Onions - I use red onions for thier sweetish flavor but yellow onions will work fine.
• Tomatoes - Use canned tomato sauce or tomato puréed for a concentrated tangy tomato flavor. I tested the recipe with fresh tomatoes and felt that the tomato flavor was bit lacking and also they took forever to cook out.
• Bell Peppers - Use any kind you like. But can skip them too if you do not enjoy.
• Yogurt - Needed for marination. Yogurt tenderizes the chicken during marination as well as helps keep it moist when we are going to cook the chicken on high heat. I use whole greek yogurt in my cooking. If you have indian style plain dahi at home, that works beautifully but make sure that dahi isn't too tart.
• Mustard oil - The sharp pungency of mustard oil brings out the authentic Punjabi flavors of kadai chicken. Substitute with any neutral cooking oil you use at home.
• Spices - Other than kadai masala powder, we need ground spices like red chili powder & garam masala powder and few whole spices like bay leaf and cinnamon for tempering.

Kadai Masala Spices

• Coriander Seeds - They add a citrusy note to the kadai masala and are one that help in balancing the consistency of the sauce.
• Cumin Seeds - Add a warm earthy note.
• Whole Black Pepper - They have a sharp taste and make the kadai dishes quite peppery.
• Kashmiri Dried Chilies - When we roast the chilies, their seeds also roast which when ground add a smokiness to the kadai spice powder.
• Cloves - Are very aromatic and have a strong warm flavor. In the kadai masala they add a hint of sweetness and warmth.
• Fennel Seeds (Optional) - Are very aromatic and have a strong taste. We need just a little bit for their anise like flavor.

Instructions

Marinate Chicken & Prepare Kadai Masala

1. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and add beaten yogurt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garlic and ginger paste and salt.
2. Coat the yogurt and spices very well on the chicken & set aside for 2 hours.

3. In a kadai or a wide cooking pot(3 qt or larger), add all the whole spices listed for kadai masala. Dry roast the spices on low heat for 2-3 minutes until the coriander seeds appear & smell toasty and the kashmiri chilies look crispy and slightly plump. Don't let the spices turn dark brown or black.
4. Transfer the spices to a dish and let cool off completely. They will continue to toast for little longer in the residual heat.
5. Add the cooled spices to a grinder jar and grind/pulse to make a powder. Don't make a fine powder- it is alright if few small pieces of spices or chilies remain.

Note - This kadai masala is quite hot. If you think you cannot handle the heat, I suggest starting with ½ tablespoon and then adding more gradually as per your taste.

Stir Fry Onion & Peppers

6. To the same cooking pot in which we toasted the spices, add 1 tablespoon of ghee (or any neutral oil) and let warm up.
7. Add onion petals and bell peppers chunks to the hot ghee. Sprinkle two pinches of salt over them and stir-fry the vegetables for a couple of minutes on medium high heat. We don't want vegetables to soften, just want their skins to get a char while remaining crunchy. Take out the stir fried vegetables in a plate and set aside.

Make Kadai Chicken

8. Pour mustard oil into the same cooking pot and let heat up on low medium heat until it is a bit smoky.
9. To the warm oil, add the cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, bay leaf, ginger juliennes and green chili halves. Saute spices in oil for 8-10 seconds taking care not to burn the spices.
10. Add the chopped onions to the pot next and on low medium heat, fry the onions until they are nicely golden brown. This could take 7-9 minutes.
11. Next, add the garlic paste and fry with the onions for 20-30 seconds or until the raw smell goes away.

12. Lower the heat and add the marinated chicken to the onions. Sprinkle kashmiri red chili powder and salt over the chicken. Toss the chicken with the onions, stirring continuously for next 1 -2 minutes to ensure the yogurt warms through without curdling.
13. As soon as chicken is mixed, bump up the heat to medium and start stir frying the chicken. This process, known as bhunai, requires optimal heat. If the heat is too low, the chicken and yogurt will release their juices, making the kadai watery. If the heat is too high, the chicken may sear on the outside too quickly but remain raw inside. Depending on the how heavy it is and width of your cooking pot, you can do the bhunai on low-medium to medium heat. Adjust heat as needed.

14. Stir fry the chicken for about 5-7 mniutes and then add the tomato puree and sugar. Also sprinkle 2 - 2.5 tablespoon of kadai masala powder that we prepared earlier.
15. Continue the bhunai while stirring intermittently for another 12-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and you see tiny bubbles of oil releasing from the sauce. At this stage if you wish for a little gravy, you can add ⅓ to ½ cup water to adjust the consistency of sauce. After you add water, let cook for 2-4 minutes until water forms part of the sauce.

16. To the simmering kadai chicken, add the onion petals, bell peppers, ½ teaspoon kadai masala, garam masala powder, kasuri methi and a dollop of ghee (or butter). Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Avoid overcooking else the peppers and onions will become too soft.
17. Garnish with chopped cilantro and let rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve with warm indian flatbreads, steamed basmati rice or jeera rice. 

Recipe Tips

• The kadai masala powder that we prepare is quite hot. If you think you cannot handle the heat, I suggest starting with ½ tablespoon and then adding more gradually as per your taste.
• Though you can adjust the spice levels as per your taste, don't make kadai chicken too mild because then are deviating from its authentic taste.
• If using bone-in chicken pieces, you will need to cover the cooking pot to make sure that the chicken is cooked to the bone. Adjust the cook time as needed. 
• Many restaurants also add tomato slices besides onion and bell peppers. You can do so too. Cut tomatoes in long sections and take out the seeds. No need to char the tomatoes, add directly towards the end and let soften.