3.5/5 rating (348 votes)

Thari Wala Chicken

Healthy Chicken Curry

  • Heat Medium
  • Serves 4
  • Dietary Info LACTOSE-FREE HEALTHY WHEAT-FREE GLUTEN-FREE
  • Prep 10 mins
  • Cook 40 mins

A traditional Indian chicken dish cooked with meat on the bone in a beautiful aromatic sauce.

Hari says

This was the first dish my mum made me cook on my own. The first time I had a go it turned out OK, but a little too watery and lacking in flavour. Luckily for you, I know what all the mistakes are, having made them all myself over the years! It's not just about throwing spices into your food, it's about how you bring all the ingredients together.

Always think about what you are looking to achieve and work towards it. This is my staple dish - when I have a craving for Indian food (which happens fairly regularly). It's a great one to keep in your recipe book for when you need a healthy Indian food-fix.

Top Tip: If you haven’t got the time to make this in the evening, then you can slow cook it so it’s ready when you get in.

  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • 8 pieces of chicken (4 legs cut into thigh and drumsticks)

Masala

  • 2 tbsp of oil
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 400g plum tomatoes
  • 1 heaped tbsp of ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • Handful of coriander stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 chilli, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp of garam masala
  • Handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Method

  1. Skin the chicken, removing any excess fat.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Fry on a high heat for a few minutes then reduce the heat and cook gently for about 20 minutes until they turn a lovely dark golden brown. If they stick to the bottom of the pan reduce the heat and add a dash of hot water as and when required.
  3. Once browned add the tinned tomatoes, ginger, salt, turmeric, coriander stalks and chopped chilli. Increase the heat to high.
  4. Let the onions and tomatoes melt together creating a thick aromatic masala paste. This will take about 5-10 minutes so be patient! Once the paste is shiny and thick add the chicken pieces and stir to coat.
  5. Turn the heat up and fry the chicken for 5 minutes.
  6. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and put the lid on the pan. Leave to cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the meat is starting to fall away from the bone.
  7. Once cooked, add enough boiling water to just cover the chicken and cook for another few minutes then remove from the heat.
  8. Stir in the garam masala, throw in the coriander and serve.

Served with

Goes with any side dish, rice, naan, parantha, pilau...


Nutritional information

Typical values* per Serving
Calories376
Fat (g)20
of which saturates (g)4
Carbohydrates (g)13
of which sugars (g)4
Fibre (g)3
Protein (g)39
Salt (mg)953
*Based upon calculated values, supplied by myfitnesspal.com. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated.

Useful equipment

Go to the shop

This goes well with

You may also like to try

Share this

“ Thank you for printing this recipe for my delicious Thari Wala Chicken ”

Comments

Comments (72)

  • Jonet Morales

    26 March 2020 at 18:24 |
    Dear Ms. Hari Ghotra,
    Looking through the dates of the comments, I guess mine would be the only one made in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Anyway, I tried your recipe, but being in the middle of a lockdown in Manila, I had to make some adjustments. I did not have enough tomatoes, but added a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste. The Thari Walla chicken has become a family favorite! The second time I cooked it, I added the last of my potatoes and carrots. That went down very well too. Thank you for the recipe.
    Jonet

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      26 March 2020 at 19:25 |
      Hi Jonet I am so happy to read that the dishes are helping you though this difficult time. Thanks so much for sharing with me. Please get the app and next time post a picture of the dishes you cook. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Liam Beech

    24 July 2019 at 22:09 |
    Would this Thari Wala Chicken still work with chicken breast instead of chicken on the bone, or do the bones add something?
    Cheers

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      07 September 2019 at 13:13 |
      Hi Liam yes it works with chicken breast but the flavour you get from the low slow cook of meat on the bone is much nicer. If you don't like meat on the bone I recommend you use thigh fillets pieces or a mixture of thigh and breast. If it's just breast you want then make sure your masala is thick and deep and robust before adding the chicken as breast cooks quickly and you don't want it to dry out. I hope this helps! Thanks so much Hari

      reply

  • Shinydan Howell

    13 April 2019 at 18:13 |
    Absolutely wonderful, many thanks!

    reply

  • Jaswinder

    23 March 2019 at 11:12 |
    Hi Hari, Having grown up to similar background as yourself and being spoiled by Mamaji's cooking always and that I have more time now since my early retirement, I've really became interested in cooking need to reciprocate and for Mamaji, family and friends.
    Thanks for your additional tips and detailed explanations I can see and understand the subtleties of our cooking methods of the spices, correct temperatures and the final proof in enjoyment of the labor of love in healthy cooking. Keep up the good work and thank you.
    Jaswinder
    P.S. Chicken Jalfrazi was perfect?

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      23 March 2019 at 11:46 |
      Hi Jaswinder Lovely to hear from you. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Lovely to hear you are enjoying the recipes on the site. I hope you continue to try more dishes. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Robbie

    15 January 2019 at 18:11 |
    Wow. Cooking the chicken that way with no water works incredibly well and makes such an intense gravy. I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face after eating a massive plate :)

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      15 January 2019 at 18:18 |
      Hi Robbie This is one of my favourite so I am thrilled you enjoyed it as much as I do. Next time take a picture and share it in my free app - we would love to see how good it is https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks so much for trying the recipe and leaving a comment. Hari

      reply

  • sameera

    03 January 2019 at 06:47 |
    Thanks for sharing your recipe. Last week I bought chicken. I prepared Thari wala chicken with your recipe. It tastes well with Basmati rice. My husband liked it very much. Your blog is very interesting. Keep posting more articles.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      07 January 2019 at 11:57 |
      Good to hear that you enjoyed this Sameera. Thanks for trying it!

      reply

  • kenny

    15 November 2018 at 17:02 |
    hi Hari
    I am cooking for 8, is it ok to double up on the ingredients ?

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      15 November 2018 at 18:03 |
      Hi Kenny yes that should be fine but only go up by half on the spices and maybe only 1 and a half tins of tomatoes. Please do take pictures and share them with me on the app. I hope it goes well. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • anil

    23 August 2018 at 08:53 |
    Hi Hari,

    I was wondering how to reduce the ingredients if we were to cook for 2 people ie 4 pieces of chicken? Thanks.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      23 August 2018 at 08:56 |
      Hi Anil - Did you see my response on the Thari wala chicken? If not here you go I would recommend leaving the ingredients as they are so you get a nice masala but reduce the tomatoes by half as you don't want it to be too tomatoey. That said I would encourage you to cook the full amount because you will get a better tasting gravy as you will get more juices and flavour from the meat. This dish will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge but it also freezes really well so you can have the remaining curry on another day. I hope this helps. Let me know how you get on.

      reply

  • Sara

    13 June 2018 at 07:43 |
    Today tried it taste was awesome... Since am a bachelor I dont want to invest much time in kitchen, so i usually don't try difficult/more processing time recipes, This one really easy and tasty....

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      24 June 2018 at 20:53 |
      Hi Sara So glad you found it easy to cook and tasty to eat. Thanks so much for your lovely comments and for giving this recipe a go. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Bay

    03 February 2018 at 13:02 |
    Hi Hari, recipe sounds interesting....do I have to manually remove the skin from the thigh and drumstick pieces? I am looking at slow cooking in the oven. What temperature and time would you suggest? I’ve read the slow cooking section for this but this wasn’t made clear. Thanks

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      05 February 2018 at 17:11 |
      Hi Bay - Yes you have to take the skin off or buy skinned pieces. If you are slow cooking in the oven about 90C. Hope that helps Hari

      reply

  • Donovan Goodman

    28 December 2017 at 19:27 |
    Spot on.
    Having done a few Indian cookery courses here in Norfolk, I enjoy cooking a good curry but never ventured far from the recipes that I have been taught to make. This one was very easy and similar to the chicken massalla curry I usually make. I was surprised to find it simpler but with no compromise on flavour. I did add cumin seeds, bay leaf and cinnamon bark at the start but otherwise stuck to the recipe and it was lovely. Can't wait to try them ALL.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      29 December 2017 at 12:42 |
      Hi That is wonderful to hear. This is a simple recipe but its my go to curry when I have a craving. As you say yes you can jazz it up a bit or keep it simple but it always hits the spot. So good to hear that you enjoyed it and will be using the website more. Happy cooking Hari

      reply

  • Carolina

    04 December 2017 at 11:19 |
    This was my first recipe using my new crock pot and was delicious.
    Thanks

    Carolina
    London

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      12 December 2017 at 20:26 |
      Yay that makes me so happy - glad to hear you enjoyed it!

      reply

  • Pauline

    31 October 2017 at 10:26 |
    Made this on Friday with 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into large pieces. Was lovely, very fresh and so easy. As there is just the 2 of us there were leftovers for Saturday night, so I cooked a sliced red pepper and added the leftovers, warmed through and made karthi rolls with shop bought chapatis and a little whisked egg on one side. Lovely again. Will now be my go to recipe for 2 easy weekend meals in one. Looking forward to trying your other recipes and getting your slowcooker book for Christmas.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      31 October 2017 at 10:35 |
      Hi Pauline Well that is just wonderful to hear!! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go. It's my go to curry and just lovely to use in different ways. Really good to hear that you enjoyed it and it's become a favourite for you too. Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Will look forward to hearing what else you try too. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Pauline

    24 October 2017 at 09:33 |
    How spicy is this dish?
    I am not keen on mild/fruity/tomato curries, I prefer heat but with depth of flavour from the spices, would this one be for me?
    I would order medium/hot curry in the UK, madras heat but tend to choose something more interesting from the chefs specialities.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      25 October 2017 at 09:56 |
      Hi Pauline This is a great dish because it has a lovely flavour and if you like curries with more heat then I would suggest increasing the number of chillies you add to the masala. It's not fruity but a great way to create a strong base sauce which can then be tweaked to suit your tastes. You can also add some sliced chillies for more heat and freshness. I hope this helps. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Abi

    21 August 2017 at 19:42 |
    This has fast become a kitchen staple in my house! Absolutely Delish and so easy to make!
    Thanks again Hari for yet another lush recipe! X

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      22 August 2017 at 16:22 |
      My pleasure Abi - It's my go to curry too Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Hari

      reply

  • Monica

    19 July 2017 at 09:28 |
    Hello,
    Would this recipe work with boneless chicken too?

    reply

  • Andy

    16 May 2017 at 19:17 |
    Hi Hari
    I can see why this is your staple dish. Really tasty and quick. My partner Kate said it was the best chicken curry I had made for a while.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      17 May 2017 at 08:02 |
      Hi Andy Nice to hear that you and Kate enjoyed this dish. It's simple but so good. Thanks for your comment and for using the recipes Hari

      reply

  • Claire from Australia

    14 January 2017 at 09:53 |
    Hi Hari!
    My partner found your website and we have made so many recipes, they are just brilliant, the only concern for me is that they are better than any good Indian restaurant we can find so we end up eating at home a lot!! We adore the website, and this is John's favourite. Thank you, Claire

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      14 January 2017 at 18:20 |
      Hi Clare from Australia Thank you so much for using the website - Im so thrilled to hear you are enjoying cooking the dishes. All my friends say the same thing they won't go out for Indian food anymore either!! This is my go to chicken curry as well - your partner has good taste! Thanks so much for your comments. Hari

      reply

  • Tim hallam

    13 January 2017 at 18:35 |
    I've made a number of your recipes now including some of the more elaborate ones and have always overlooked this as it was 'just' chicken curry , well how wrong was I , beautiful ! ( though I did double the garlic and fresh chili )

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      13 January 2017 at 19:22 |
      Hi Tim this is my go to curry and I have to say I love it. I have kept the ginger and chilli on the low level so it appeals to all but I love the fact you free styles on that front. So glad you liked it, the simple ones are always the best. Thanks so much for using the site and your comments Hari

      reply

  • Stephanie

    16 November 2016 at 01:46 |
    Dear Hari, I'm so happy I found this recipe! Been craving curries lately and I cannot wait to make this on the weekend. I was wondering though, can I substitute the plum tomatoes for tomato puree? And if so how much should I use? I'm so sorry! It's difficult to get plum tomatoes here and it's pretty pricey too >.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      16 November 2016 at 08:14 |
      Hi Stephanie What I mean by plum tomatoes is just tinned or canned tomatoes - they don't have to be plum just any tinned tomatoes will do. By puree do you mean the tomato concentrate? if so I find this is can come out too strong in tomato flavour. If all you have is puree then water it down. I would use about 4 tbsp. Hope this helps - let me know how it comes out. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • mandy

    14 September 2016 at 15:54 |
    Hi really looking forward to cooing the chicken curry in my slow cooker, but just a query. I need to make this for 8 and we like a lot of sauce. Do I just double up on all the ingredients.
    Many thanks
    Mandy

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      30 September 2016 at 16:59 |
      Hi Mandy just go up by half for the spices but double the ingredients - Sorry if this is a bit late. I hope it was good - do let me know. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Nicola

    27 August 2016 at 21:03 |
    Hi
    Tried your Thari Wala recipe tonight, found it by 'Googling' chicken curry recipes. Wow, what a find! It was so easy to make and so very tasty, a huge hit with all of us. Will definitely make it again.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      28 August 2016 at 06:56 |
      Hi Nicola Yey thank you so much for using the website and joining the HG team. This is my basic chicken curry recipe and I love it. Please do follow on social media if you want more recipes and food info and I really hope you come back to the site for more great Indian dishes. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Nicola

    27 August 2016 at 21:01 |
    Hi
    Tried your Thari Wala recipe tonight, found it by 'Googling' chicken curry recipes. Wow, what a find! It was so easy to make and so very tasty, a huge hit with all of us. Will definitely make it again.

    reply

  • Archie

    23 July 2016 at 12:13 |
    Hi Again,
    I tried this recipe and loved it! Thank you for sharing. I'll be following for more tasty updates!
    All the best
    Archie

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      25 July 2016 at 15:55 |
      Hi Archie That is fantastic! Thanks so much for trying this dish - I love it too. Do let me know what else you try and thank you so much for leaving a comment! Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Christine

    04 June 2016 at 00:26 |
    Made this today in my new slow cooker. THANK YOU for giving me a recipe that's made me believe the slow cooker was worthwhile! Everything I've made so far has been a flop but this was wonderful. So tasty. Just some minor tweaks next time with more salt and slightly less water needed but it's a definite addition to my regular menu. I'm keen to try the methi and lamb dishes next.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      07 June 2016 at 06:54 |
      You have made my morning Thank you for trying it I'm so pleased it came out delicious in your slow cooker. Methi and lamb are good let me know how you get on with those. Thanks for leaving a comment Hari

      reply

  • Victoria Morgan

    30 April 2016 at 09:48 |
    Hi - another question about slow cooking this curry. Should I follow steps 1-3 using a frying pan and then transfer to my slow cooker?

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      30 April 2016 at 10:10 |
      Hi Victoria yes that's right - let me know what you think of the dish. Thanks for using the site Hari

      reply

  • Archie

    20 March 2016 at 16:34 |
    This looks really tasty. If I want to make it via slow cooker at what point do I transfer over and for how long?
    Thanks
    Archie

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      22 March 2016 at 21:11 |
      Hi Archie for this dish follow the steps up to number 3 then add some water and leave to cook. Timing depends on your slow cooker but usually its 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. I have put this blog together about slow cookers which may help. http://www.harighotra.co.uk/blog/top-ten-slow-cooking-recipes
      Let me know how it turns out. Thanks for coming to the site. Hari

      reply

  • Matthew

    01 March 2016 at 18:12 |
    Tried your chicken, delicious yet quite simple! Just waiting for your vindaloo to cook through now, I'll let you know!! Thanks x

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      03 March 2016 at 07:58 |
      Hi Matthew glad you liked the chicken - it's my basic chicken curry dish and I really love it. How was the vindaloo?

      reply

  • Helen

    06 February 2016 at 13:35 |
    Hi
    Thinking of trying this one tomorrow on the family. Just wondering how hot is the dish?
    I am assuming its fairly mild if described aromatic?
    Just stumbled across your site and really looking forward to trying loads your dishes x

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      06 February 2016 at 17:39 |
      Hi Helen This makes an amazing family dinner so I'm sure it will go down a treat. In terms of heat level you can have it hot and spicy or mild by adjusting the number of green chillies used. If it's for children you may only want to add half a chilli to see how they get on with it then increase next time. If you want a bit of spice for the adults you can finely chop some chillies that they can add to their plates when you serve up. I hope this helps. Do let me know how you get on. Many thanks for getting in touch. Hari

      reply

  • Vicky K.

    01 February 2016 at 02:37 |
    Dear Hari and fellow Readers.
    I just opened my first batch of Thari Wala from my slow-cooker.
    All I could do was run over to my mum's and give her a warm bowl too.
    What a delight! Just fantastic - I can't send enough praise.
    For Slow-Cooker adventurers:
    I followed Hari's instructions up to Step 4. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to skip blending the chicken and spices on the pan, but luckily I didn't. I followed Step 3 in full, added a bit more green chili and set my slow-cooker on high for 4 hours.
    This one is A Keeper and a Perfect meal when you're looking for a wonderful Indian dish.
    Again, many Thanks! :o)

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      01 February 2016 at 08:32 |
      Hi Vicky Thank you so much for your comment - I'm really pleased to hear that you loved this one - it is a great one for the slow cooker. If you are interested, here's my blog on my top ten slow cooker curries http://www.harighotra.co.uk/blog/top-ten-slow-cooking-recipes
      Thanks so much for showing us how you did it your steps will hopefully really help anyone else out there looking to slow cook some Inidna dishes. Slow cooking is such a great way to cook a delicious evening meal when you have been out at work all day. Thanks again and I look forward to hearing about more dishes you cook. Hari

      reply

  • Hari Ghotra

    17 August 2015 at 08:25 |
    Hi Sarah This really is a great recipe. Yes you can use fresh tomatoes I would use about 5 medium sized tomatoes. Either blend them or chop up finely. Depending on how juicy they are you may need to add a little water but if they are nice and ripe it should be fine. Make sure your onions cook right down so you end up with a thick masala base. Let me know how you get on. Hope this helps. Hari

    reply

  • Sarah

    16 August 2015 at 12:43 |
    hi hari, im eager to try this recipe out! If i cant get canned or plum tomatoes, can i just use normal tomatoes chopped up? How many do you reckon I use? and do I need to add water with the tomatoes?

    reply

  • Hari Ghotra

    05 July 2015 at 08:09 |
    Hi Lou Oh my 5 weeks in India - you lucky person! Get ready for an experience that will totally bow your mind. I hope you have a fantastic time. Glad you enjoyed the dish too. Let me know about your experience when you get back. Happy travelling! Hari

    reply

  • Lou

    01 July 2015 at 18:16 |
    I have never made curry before, but to try to tame my excitement about spending the next 5 weeks in India I gave this recipe a go. It was so tasty and your guide was so easy to follow..thank you Hari!

    reply

  • Hari Ghotra

    21 April 2015 at 11:03 |
    Hi Jazz
    Lovely to hear that you are enjoying the recipes on the site. It really depends on what kid of veg you want to add. You could add mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, mixed frozen veg after step 6. You could add some sliced spinach, kale just before the end. Personally I prefer to keep my meat dishes and veg dishes separate so you get a variety of flavours. I hope this helps. Thanks Hari

    reply

  • Jazz

    21 April 2015 at 09:48 |
    Hey Hari

    Love your recipes, they're just like how my mum cooks!!

    Love thari wala anything, but can I also add some veg to this recipe? If so, what would you add and when?

    reply

  • Hari

    05 March 2015 at 19:30 |
    Hi Chris
    Fantastic! I'm so glad you approve. I think that meat on the bone adds so much flavour to the sauce.

    reply

  • Chris

    04 March 2015 at 22:59 |
    I made this today, was so tasty. I had made it before with filleted thighs, but used boned thighs and drumsticks today... what a difference :)

    reply

  • Hari

    02 March 2015 at 10:30 |
    Let me know how it turns out - this is my basic chicken curry dish so would love to hear what you think.

    reply

  • Aaron

    01 March 2015 at 16:47 |
    Going to try this recipe tonight. I'm using only chicken legs as I have a bunch of them in my freezer. I love that this recipe uses the stalks of coriander, I have never made something that uses the entire bunch (leaves and stalks). I'm sure this will turn out great, as I've loved the other recipes I've tried from your site. Thanks again and keep up the great work! Anytime anyone I know needs a good recipes for great Indian food I'll be sending them your way!

    reply

  • Hari

    22 February 2015 at 20:18 |
    Hi Roy
    Chicken on the bone give the sauce so much flavour, so glad you tried and enjoyed it! Thanks for getting in touch. Hari

    reply

  • Roy

    21 February 2015 at 20:04 |
    Quality, You have won me over using chicken on the bone with this recipe. Thanks

    reply

  • Hari

    09 February 2015 at 08:43 |
    Hi Hannah Which one are you making? Here is a link to my garam masala recipe with a video - enjoy!
    http://www.harighotra.co.uk/my-blog/the-wonder-spice

    reply

  • Hannah

    09 February 2015 at 08:01 |
    Hi I am making one of your recipes tonight what goes into your garam masala mix? Hannah x

    reply

Leave a comment