Chicken curry in a thick red-brown masala with green pepper and red onion, topped with a dried red chilli, in a white bowl on wood — Photo: AugustineKajur · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner

Kadai Chicken

Name: Kadai Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Indian & South Asian
Ingredients: 600 g Chicken breast, skinless, cut into 3 cm pieces; 1 1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 3 Whole dried red chillies; 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns; 1 1/2 tbsp Rapeseed or sunflower oil; 1 large Onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp Ginger, grated; 5 cloves Garlic, grated; 4 medium Ripe tomatoes, finely chopped; 1/2 tsp Ground turmeric; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 cup Water; 1 large Green bell pepper, cut into squares; 1 medium Red bell pepper, cut into squares; 1 small Red onion, cut into petals; 1 tbsp Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi); 1/2 tsp Garam masala; 1 small handful Fresh coriander, chopped

कड़ाही चिकन (Kadai Chicken)

By BerryFit Kitchen · Nutrition checked with USDA data · Updated Oct 11, 2026 · How we make recipes

Tender chicken breast tossed in a wok-style kadai with crisp bell peppers, onion and a rich tomato masala perfumed with freshly toasted and ground coriander, cumin and dried chillies. Bold, aromatic and lighter on oil than the restaurant version.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Serves: 4

Medium
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
High protein
Low Carb

15%

Per serving309kcal15% of a 2,000 kcal day

37gProtein

19gCarbs

10gFat

6gFiber

Calories come from: Carbs 24% · Fat 29% · Protein 47%

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Ingredients

For 4 servings

600 gChicken breast, skinless, cut into 3 cm pieces
1 1/2 tbsp8 gCoriander seeds
1 tspCumin seeds
3Whole dried red chillies
1/2 tspBlack peppercorns
1 1/2 tbsp20 gRapeseed or sunflower oil
1 large180 gOnion, finely chopped
1 tbsp10 gGinger, grated
5 cloves15 gGarlic, grated
4 medium450 gRipe tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 tspGround turmeric
1 tsp6 gSalt
1/2 cup120 gWater
1 large160 gGreen bell pepper, cut into squares
1 medium120 gRed bell pepper, cut into squares
1 small80 gRed onion, cut into petals
1 tbspDried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) (optional)
1/2 tspGaram masala
1 small handful10 gFresh coriander, chopped

Steps

1
Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chillies and peppercorns in a dry kadai or wok over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
2
Cool the toasted spices, then grind them to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or mortar.
3
Heat 2 tsp of the oil in the kadai over high heat and stir-fry the bell peppers and red onion petals for 2-3 minutes until lightly charred but still crisp; set aside.
4
Add the remaining oil to the kadai, lower to medium and cook the chopped onion for 6-7 minutes until golden.
5
Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
6
Add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt and two-thirds of the ground spice mix; cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes break down into a thick masala.
7
Add the chicken and stir to coat; cook for 3 minutes until the outside turns white.
8
Pour in the water, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through to 74 °C / 165 °F.
9
Return the peppers and onion petals, add the remaining ground spices and garam masala, and crumble in the fenugreek leaves if using.
10
Toss over high heat for 2 minutes until the sauce clings to the chicken.
11
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

Swaps, storage and make-ahead

Swaps

Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breast for juicier meat that stays tender if simmered a little longer.
Make it vegetarian and vegan by swapping the chicken for firm tofu or cooked chickpeas, adding them for the last 5 minutes of simmering.
If you can't find kasuri methi, leave it out or add a pinch of dried oregano for a herbal note, though the flavour will differ.
Replace the fresh tomatoes with a 400 g can of chopped tomatoes for an easier year-round shop.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating until steaming hot throughout. It can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months, though the peppers will soften once thawed.

Make ahead

Toast and grind the spice mix up to a week ahead and keep it in an airtight jar, and chop the vegetables and chicken a day ahead, storing them covered in the fridge. You can also cook the tomato masala 2 days ahead, then reheat it and continue from adding the chicken.

Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.

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Allergens and nutrition

No major allergens in the ingredients.

Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.

Full nutrition

	Per serving (447 g)	Per 100 g
Calories	309 kcal	69 kcal
Protein	36.9 g	8.3 g
Carbohydrates	18.6 g	4.2 g
of which sugars	8.7 g	1.9 g
Fiber	5.5 g	1.2 g
Fat	10 g	2.2 g
of which saturated	1.4 g	0.3 g
Sodium	665 mg	149 mg

Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.