Welcome to my favourite ever chicken bhuna curry recipe. With tender chunks of chicken cooked in a rich sauce infused with garlic, chilli, ginger and tomato. It has so much flavor and it's surprisingly healthy!
When I went to America to visit family a decade ago, I couldn't believe the Indian Takeaway we ate at had never heard the word Bhuna when I tried to order.
In fact, our whole Indian food dining experience didn't quite meet British Indian restaurant standards. Now, things may have changed since, but this tasty curry is one of the most popular dishes in the UK.
Mostly spelled bhuna, sometimes bhoona: people call it a dry curry, but it isn't really. It just means that this popular cooking method creates a thick bhuna sauce while the chicken is cooked directly in the curry - not before.
Jump to:
✔️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Healthy curry with little oil
- Much cheaper than an expensive takeaway
- Teaches you how to make a basic Indian curry sauce
- Simple to change the main ingredient if on a budget
- This bhuna chicken recipe is an easy weeknight meal
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Cooking oil - I use little oil from a cooking spray bottle for an unofficial Slimming World curry, but you could use vegetable oil, ghee, etc
Chicken breast - skinless and boneless for a leaner recipe, but chicken thighs are juicier and generally cheaper cuts
Chopped onions - shredded or blitzed in a food processor to form a delicious curry paste with a help of splash of water
Garlic cloves - grated or blitzed with the onions for a more complex sweet flavour
Ginger - for a warming taste, but must be finely grated, not chopped in case your food processor doesn't break it down enough - or use ginger puree for ease
Fresh chillies - whatever your personal preference red or green chillies, chilli powder or red pepper flakes
Indian spices - we like the spice blend of ground cumin, garam masala powder, ground coriander powder, turmeric, and salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh tomatoes - chopped into chunks, which I find taste better than using canned. You could also add tomato puree.
Water - a little water to help the curry paste form and 1 & ¼ cup (300ml) for the main sauce.
Lime juice - or lemon for some acidity to bring out the flavours.
📋 Instructions
Enjoy this step-by-step guide on how to make this easy chicken bhuna masala!
First, place the onions, garlic, chilli, and ginger in a food processor along with 3 tablespoon of water (about 40 ml water).
Then blitz until you have a paste.
Next, add the oil or Frylight to a large non-stick pan (that has a lid).
Once you have hot oil, add the onion paste and fry over medium heat without a lid for 3-4 minutes, stirring throughout.
Now add all the spices and seasoning and continue to fry over high heat while stirring frequently until the paste has turned golden throughout.
Then add the chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes if using.
Next, you'll need to add 300ml (1 & ¼ cups) of water.
Give it a good stir and add the lid on top, then bring the sauce to a boil.
Then add the chicken pieces and lemon juice, and recover to let the chicken cook in its own juices.
Reduce to a medium heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes and stir in some chopped coriander.
Tip: Stirring occasionally helps make sure it doesn't catch at the bottom of the pan. If it does, just add enough water, anything from a dash or splash to a cup of water and continue until the chicken is cooked through.
If you don't have a food processor, you can grate or finely slice everything as best as you can. The cooking style won't quite be the same and may not result in a thick sauce, but it will still be a delicious bhuna!
👩🍳 Substitutions
The great thing about this bhuna curry is that you can make some simple swaps to suit any special dietary requirements, such as the following:
- Vegetarian - swap chicken and make an easy vegetable bhuna curry for a fraction of the price and add cauliflower florets, diced butternut squash, potato, etc
- Weight loss - use low calorie cooking oil spray instead of olive oil, ghee (clarifed butter), etc
- Meat - most Indian takeaway menus will offer bhunas in a variety of meats such as chicken tikka, prawn, and lamb, but beef isn't as common for cultural reasons
You can also find my easy prawn bhuna recipe here, using more dry store cupboard ingredients.
⚖️ Variations
Here's a few different ways you can adapt our recipe for chicken bhuna!
- Spicy - increase the amount of chilli powder and use whole spices and cumin seeds if desired
- Deluxe - use Kashmiri chilli powder, tikka powder for chicken tikka bhuna, a bay leaf and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a wedge of lemon. Sometimes we also like to stir a couple of tablespoons of mango chutney and butter
- Kid friendly - omit the green chilies, chili powder, or use a simple curry powder you know they like.
🔪 Equipment
Please note that as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through affiliate links.
- food processor
- Measuring spoons
- Large frying pan - or non-stick kadhai
- Weighing scales
- Chopping board
- Chopping knife
- Measuring jug
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating chicken bhuna fresh, but it can cooked in a large batch and stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezing - if batch cooking, or have leftovers, cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and you can reheat chicken bhuna microwave until piping hot, or on the hob or stove.
💡Pro Tips
- Food processor or not, I recommend grating fresh ginger to prevent an overpowering taste, or use 1 tablespoon of ginger puree
- By 5-10 minutes of your time, you can make the curry base ahead of time and make it into a pulp in a food processor without the chicken. Then portion into an ice cube tray and freeze. These can then be turned out into a zip lock bag.
- If adding cooked chicken instead, reduce your final cooking time to 10-15 minutes.
- While making this chicken bhuna recipe, chop the chicken into small bite-sized pieces to ensure they cook throughout to avoid eating raw meat.
- When dealing with dry aromatic spices like cumin powder, masala, or coriander, avoid cooking them at a high temperature to avoid burning and losing their aroma.
- We cook the ground spices for a couple of minutes toward the start of the process to give them every chance of releasing all of their flavours.
- Cook the onions thoroughly to caramelize as it changes the final flavour significantly
- A great tip for rice preparation (Basmati or pilau rice) - give them multiple rinses to remove the excess starch, then soak them for 20-25 minutes, this will give you extra fluffiness.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Rice: cook your rice infused with lightly crushed cardamom pods and a whole clove or two for an authentic chicken bhoona, or make some pilau rice.
Indian breads: serve with soft naan bread, whether it be garlic naan, cheesy naan, plain, kulcha, Peshwari or keema (meaty). We love trying different naan bread recipes!
Poppadoms: great for dipping into the curry for some crunch alongside an Indian pickle tray with mango chutney, lime pickle, yogurt mint sauce, cucumber raita, etc
Crunch salad: I love the free salads that usually come with our takeaways. A great one is shredded lettuce, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and a wedge of lemon
❓ FAQ
Yes, chicken bhuna can be frozen. Once cooled, store it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Then defrost in the fridge and reheat.
Chicken bhuna can be reheated in the microwave once defrosted. I reheat it in a lidded container with a vent for 4 minutes, stirring halfway and ensuring it is piping hot.
The best thing about this version is that is healthy, low in calories and high in protein.
Yes, you can pressure cook chicken curry, which takes much less time! I reduce the cooking time for Indian dishes with chicken to 10 minutes.
Yes, it makes a great chicken bhuna slow cooker recipe as you can see in this mild version, but I recommend using less water as it won't get chance to evaporate in the crock pot.
➕ More Indian Recipes
Why not save money on increasing takeaway prices and make one of these different Indian curries at home?
🍽️Pairing
Here are some old and new recipes that go great on the side with a good bhuna!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Bhuna Curry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- Frylight
- 350 g chicken breast or skinless thighs diced
- 1 red chilli or ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 2 onions chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 knob fresh ginger finely grated or 1 teaspoon ginger puree
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 6 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
Instructions
- Put all the onions, garlic, optional chillies and ginger in a food processor with 3 tablespoon of water.
- Blitz until you have a paste like consistency.
- Spray your large pan with frylight. *Make sure you use one that has a lid.
- Cook the onion paste on medium heat without a lid. Stirring for 3-4 minutes.
- Now add the spices and seasoning.
- Stir while frying for 3 minutes, ensuring until the paste is golden throughout.
- Add the tomatoes and 300ml water.
- Cover and bring to the boil.
- Add the chicken and lemon juice and cover again while cooking on medium heat while stirring from time to time for 25-30 minutes.
- You may need to add water as it should thicken during this time.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World’s website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- Food processor or not, I recommend grating fresh ginger to prevent an overpowering taste, or use 1 tablespoon of ginger puree
- By 5-10 minutes of your time, you can make the curry base ahead of time and make it into a pulp in a food processor without the chicken. Then portion into an ice cube tray and freeze. These can then be turned out into a zip lock bag.
- If adding cooked chicken instead, reduce your final cooking time to 10-15 minutes.
- While making this chicken bhuna recipe, chop the chicken into small bite-sized pieces to ensure they cook throughout to avoid eating raw meat.
- When dealing with dry aromatic spices like cumin powder, masala, or coriander, avoid cooking them at a high temperature to avoid burning and losing their aroma.
- We cook the ground spices for a couple of minutes toward the start of the process to give them every chance of releasing all of their flavours.
- Cook the onions thoroughly to caramelize as it changes the final flavour significantly
- A great tip for rice preparation (Basmati or pilau rice) - give them multiple rinses to remove the excess starch, then soak them for 20-25 minutes, this will give you extra fluffiness.
Suzanne Martin
I made this dish a couple of weeks ago but haven’t got a food processor so mine was more of a chunky version. I will definitely make this again, it was delicious 😊
Sarah
I always use this receipe now for a curry wan everyone who has tried it has said its delicious it works well every time
Blending the ingredients gives it a greater Taste too
Please try! You will not be disappointed
Karen
Hi can you cook this in a slow cooker? Or is it best on the hob?
Marie hurst
This is fantastic thank you
Aimee
This was delicious, and really simple to follow! I added some spinach at the end of cooking, yummy! Thank you!
Erin
How many people does this recipe serve?
vikkie
4 really, but we're big eaters and can eat it between two of us.
Claire
Hi can this be done in a pressure cooker? Thanks
Sarah
So tasty! I’ve proved my partner wrong that slimming world free recipes aren’t bland. Thank you!
Jo fisher
Can you use passatta instead of tomato chunks as I don’t like fresh tomato’s chunks. And if so how much please ?
Laura
So you have to cook the chicken first?
Angela
Hi instead if using fresh garlic cloves and ginger could you use the ones that come in jars and if so how much would you put in thanx
Beth
Just made this and it was delicious! I used tinned tomatoes (1 tin) instead of fresh and it was still great 🙂 I also don't have a blender so just fried the onions in oil spray. What a tasty curry!
Jackie Wilson
Can you freeze this?
vikkie
Yes x
Helen
Can you use a tin of chopped tomatoes instead of chopping fresh ones?
vikkie
Hiya,
Try a 400g tin to start off with but you may need a tin and a half x
Janine stewart
Followed your recipien wat a gorgeous dish , thank you ? I've just joined slimming world
vikkie
So glad you tried and enjoyed. It's my favourite curry 🙂 x