Chicken Bhuna

This Chicken Bhuna from Chisel & Fork is a punchy Indian-style curry featuring juicy chicken thighs simmered in a richly caramelized and intensely spiced onion-tomato gravy. The classic bhuna technique brings out deep flavor as the spices fry and meld with aromatic onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and tomatoes—resulting in a thick, bold sauce that clings to each bite.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup vegetable oil (divided)

• 2 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ cubes

• 2 onions, chopped

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 jalapeño, diced (remove seeds to reduce heat)

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 6 cherry tomatoes, diced

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• ⅓ cup water

• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

• Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Directions

1. Brown the chicken: Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding; cook ~3 min per side until golden. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil and onions; cook 4–5 min until translucent. Stir in ginger, garlic, and jalapeño; cook 1 min.

3. Spice fry: Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, cardamom, garam masala, salt, and pepper; fry ~1 min until fragrant.

4. Add tomatoes: Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and water; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 min.

5. Simmer chicken: Return chicken to pan; simmer, uncovered, for 15 min until sauce reduces and thickens .

6. Finish & serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve hot with basmati rice or naan.

Nutrients

(Estimated per serving; recipe yields about 8 servings)

• Calories: 218 kcal

• Protein: 23 g

• Fat: 12 g (Saturated: ~2 g)

• Carbohydrates: 3 g

• Fiber: 1 g

• Sugar: 1 g

• Cholesterol: 105 mg

• Sodium: 423 mg

• Potassium: 91 mg