Bihari Chicken Curry

A unique chicken preparation from yet another state in India, this Bihari chicken curry is one of those gems that you absolutely must try at least once! Made with caramelised onions and whole garlic pods, this one’s delicious and heartwarming at the same time.    

If you have never heard of Bihari Chicken Curry, you are missing out! Also known as garlic chicken, this curry is cooked with whole garlic pods that gives the dish a strong garlick-y flavor. Plus it has everything that you’d want in a chicken curry - juicy, succulent pieces of chicken, a lip smacking spicy gravy, and robust, punchy flavors that will keep you coming back for more! 

Reasons You’ll Love This Curry

• A delicious and unique garlicky chicken curry to alleviate your weeknight dinner game 
• Ready in just 35 minutes! 
• Even though it has a long list of ingredients, they’re all pantry staples 

Ingredients You’ll Need for Bihari Chicken Curry 

• For the chicken: 
  • Chicken: Bone-in chicken pieces. If using boneless, use chicken thighs so they remain juicy unlike chicken breast which will dry out
  • Spices: Whole spices like bayleaf, crushed green cardamom, and cloves are used along with some turmeric to temper the oil 
  • Oil: This chicken is traditionally cooked in mustard oil for that strong, smokey flavor and I wouldn’t recommend using anything else
• For the gravy:
  • Spices: This recipe uses a mix of whole and powdered spices to achieve maximum flavor. Whole spices include cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, black and green cardamom, whole red chillies, bay leaves, and crushed green chillies. While for ground spices I have used coriander powder, red chilli powder, and turmeric. 
  • Garlic: This recipe is garlicky! You’ll need both peeled garlic cloves as well as whole garlic pods for those bold and punchy flavors!   
  • Oil: Mustard oil 
  • Onions: Long, thinly sliced to form the base of the gravy  
  • Ginger: For flavor and aroma 
  • Garam masala: No Indian dish is ever complete without garam masala. I have used my homemade garam masala but you can use a store-bought one as well.  
  • Chicken masala: Adds an extra layer of flavor. Any brand works
  • Coriander: For added freshness

Top Tips To Make The Best Bihari Chicken Curry 

• You can use boneless chicken pieces for this Bihari chicken curry, however I recommend using chicken thighs only. Chicken breast pieces cannot withstand the high cooking temperatures and tends to dry out during the cooking process. 
• My homemade garam masala powder is a lot more potent than store-bought ones. If you’re using a store-bought one, then you'll need  a little extra (see recipe card below for exact measurements).  
• This chicken curry is spicy but that's the hallmark of a good Bihari chicken curry, so make sure to adjust the chillies as per your spice tolerance.  

This is generally how you eat this chicken curry in Bihar. The whole pods of garlic have cooked down till they are really soft and the garlic can be squeezed out of the skin

Punchy and garlicky, this Bihari chicken curry is the perfect gravy to alleviate your usual weeknight curry game. One bite into this garlicky chicken curry will make you wonder why you haven’t had this before. Serve it with rotis or steamed rice and a side salad for a delicious and wholesome meal.  

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Bihari Chicken Curry

This authentic chicken curry recipe hails from the state of Bihar. Its uniqueness lies in the addition of whole garlic bulbs and the caramelisation of onions to form the base of the gravy. Spicy, intense, and robust!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Bihari, Indian

Diet Gluten Free, Halal

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 453kcal

Author Richa

Ingredients

For Chicken

• 1½ tablespoons Mustard Oil
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Green Cardamom crushed
• 2 Cloves crushed
• ¾ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 500 grams Bone-in Chicken curry cut, approximately 2-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon Salt

For Gravy

• 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
• 1 teaspoon Jeera cumin seeds
• ½ inch Cinnamon
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Green Cardamom
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 3 whole dried Red Chillies
• 2 whole Garlic Bulbs
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 3 medium Onions sliced (approximately 2 cups or 230 grams)
• 15 Garlic Cloves peeled
• 2-3 Green Chillies crushed
• 1- inch Ginger chopped
• 1½ tablespoons Coriander Powder
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri Chilli Powder
• ¾-1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Chicken Masala
• ½ teaspoon homemade Garam Masala use ¾ teaspoon if store-bought
• 2 tablespoons chopped Coriander

Instructions

Roasting Chicken:

• Heat 1½ tablespoons of mustard oil in a kadhai until it starts to lightly smoke.
• Reduce the flame to low and add all the whole spices mentioned under chicken. Add turmeric and chicken to the oil and fry on medium heat until the chicken starts to brown slightly (about 3 minutes).
• Add ½ teaspoon salt, mix well, fry for another minute, and transfer the chicken to a bowl.
• For the Gravy:
• In the same kadhai, add 3 tablespoons of mustard oil. Now add all the whole spices mentioned under gravy along with whole garlic bulbs & whole red chillies. Saute for 1-2 minutes till fragrant.
• Add onions & sauté until translucent. Add whole garlic cloves, chopped ginger, and crushed green chilies. Keep cooking the onions while stirring occasionally till the onions caramelize to a nice brown color and become slightly jelly-like. Add all the spice powders except garam masala and mix.
• Add partially cooked chicken into the pan with 1½ cups hot water. Cook until the chicken is tender - about 20 to 25 minutes. Finally, add garam masala powder, mix & top with chopped coriander. Bihari Chicken Curry is ready to serve.

Notes

1. Using Bone-in chicken keeps the meat tender and juicy. If 'curry-cut' is not available to you, use drumsticks and thighs.
2. Do not skip the whole garlic bulbs in this recipe  - it elevates the flavour of the dish!
3. Mustard Oil is highly recommended for this recipe as it adds smokiness and a distinct flavour to the dish. Alternatively, you may use any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil. 

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 909mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 508IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg

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