How to make your own authentic chicken bhuna curry, from scratch at home.
This easy bhuna recipe uses simple ingredients of onions garlic, ginger, tomatoes and curry powder fried together to create a good medium spiced, dry bhuna sauce.
Add chunks of chicken breast or boneless thigh and as many green chillies as you like to make it spicy.
The best homemade curry, similar to what they serve in a traditional British Indian restaurant or takeaway.
How to make a Chicken Bhuna Curry?
We show you how to make the best Indian restaurant style chicken bhuna, with our easy step by step video.
Continue reading below for more information about what an authentic bhuna is, and how we adapt our recipe, making it suitable for UK and US homes to cook a good English Curry House style recipe from scratch.
Jump to RecipeJump straight to the recipe by clicking above, to get cooking this fabulous curry straight away.
What is a Bhuna?
Traditional Bhuna originates from the Bengal region, a popular cooking method used in India and Pakistan.
An authentic cooking style whereby onion, garlic, ginger and spices are fried together in ghee or oil to make a thick rich dry sauce, before adding vegetables or meat.
Water is not usually added, keeping the bhuna sauce dry and thick. Served with coriander leaves (cilantro).
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this homemade chicken bhuna are easy to find in any supermarket.
Onions, garlic, ginger, oil (or ghee), medium curry powder, tinned tomatoes, green chillies, chicken breast and coriander. The number of chillies used and adding water is optional.
It only takes 25 minutes to cook, so it is best to prep all your curry ingredients before you start cooking.
Cooking Method
Our recipe card below gives you full step by steps to create the best homemade chicken bhuna. Here is a quick breakdown of what order to add your ingredients.
As mentioned earlier an authentic bhuna sauce has a dry thick and rich sauce with no water added.
However, we leave it up to you if you want to add water to make a bit more sauce then add it during the chicken cooking time.
Serving suggestions
We served our chicken bhuna with our equally delicious pilau rice which complimented it wonderfully. Served with the microwave poppadums by Patak's. Which came out great!
You can serve it with plain basmati rice or coconut rice and any Indian side dish you like. You could also start the meal with a chicken tikka starter.
Indian Side Dishes
Yes, this chicken bhuna recipe can be made ahead and in my opinion, it actually tastes even better the next day!
If making ahead or saving leftovers, store in an airtight container or bowl covered with cling film and use within 3 days
Yes, this chicken curry can be frozen. Allow to defrost before reheating.
Reheat in the microwave or in a pan until steaming hot throughout. Times will vary depending on how much you are warming up at once.
So there you have it, a homemade Indian takeaway style, chicken bhuna. Ready in only 30 minutes.
The perfect medium spiced curry, if you want it hotter you can also add some fresh chopped chillies on the top once served.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Chicken Bhuna Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil Ghee can be used instead
- 2 Onions diced
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 2 teaspoon Ginger grated
- 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon Medium Curry Powder
- 2 Chicken Breasts cubed
- 2 Green Chillies Chopped- use 1 for medium or none for mild
- 3 tablespoon Coriander Leaves and stalks (cilantro) chopped
- Water optional - if you want sauce less dry
Instructions
- Fry onions in oil over medium-low heat, stirring often. Cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil, 2 Onions
- Add garlic and ginger, fry gently for 2 minutes.4 cloves Garlic, 2 teaspoon Ginger
- Add curry powder, stir through.2 tablespoon Medium Curry Powder
- Add chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes1 can Chopped Tomatoes
- Once the sauce has thickened, add chopped green chillies.2 Green Chillies
- Add chicken and cook for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.2 Chicken Breasts
- A traditional bhuna no water should be added to make a thick dry sauce. However, if you find it too dry you can add some water whilst the chicken is cooking.Water
- Check the chicken is cooked through, then add chopped coriander (cilantro).3 tablespoon Coriander Leaves and stalks (cilantro)
- Serve with our coconut pilau rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Curry Recipes
If you love our chicken bhuna recipe, why not try some of our other curries, such as our Chicken Pathia, Chicken Balti, Basa Fish Curry or our King Prawn Masala.
Or go check out Jack's Chicken Rogan Josh for a great rich medium spiced curry.
Colleen
So realistic and easy to do - it’s the best one yet!!!!!
Luke and Kay
Thank you so much for your review of our Chicken Bhuna Curry, Colleen! We’re delighted to hear it’s the best one yet. We value your feedback and strive to make dishes that are authentic and simple to prepare. 🙂
Nic
This is the best bhuna recipe! We really enjoyed it.
Kay
Thank you for trying our Chicken Bhuna Curry, Nic! We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It's one of our favourites too!
Paul
Really enjoyed this. I doubled up and did half chicken and half red pepper(vegan). Great instructions and it tasted great. Thank 🙂
Kay
Thank you for trying our Chicken Bhuna Curry, Paul! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it and that the instructions were clear. 🙂
Stu
Wow! Superb! Just made this Bhuna and my partner and I are speechless at how nice it turned out. This is the best tasting curry I’ve ever made.. and I’ve been making them for years.. Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
Kay
Thank you so, Stu, for that great comment and rating; it is appreciated 🙂
Nice to hear you like our chicken bhuna recipe; we love making this on the weekends; it's so tasty; if you like a good curry, you will enjoy our Chicken Pathia Curry it's delicious 😉
Enjoy!!
Kat
This dish helped me convince my husband that curry is delicious! He always refused to eat curry, BUT he loved this one! I'm so happy as I love a good curry 🙂 Paired with your coconut pilau rice, mint raita (as we needed something cool to pair it with, 'cos I go HEAVY on chillies) and a naan bread this was absolutely amazing! I will definitely be making this again 🙂
Kay
Thank you so much, Kat, for the comment and rating; its really appreciated by both of us 🙂
Great to hear your family loved our chicken bhuna curry, you might want to try out our Chicken Pathia Curry and Tandoori Chicken Tikka Kebab for starters they are great recipes with full of superb flavours 😉
Enjoy!!
Nn
Hi,
Did you use normal garlic and ginger or did you use purée form from the shops?
And is it best to follow the recipe the way it is and use the amount of ingredients specified, so for example if I’m doubling up do I need to use 4 onions or can I use 3?
Kay
Thanks for the questions, we used garlic puree and fresh ginger, but you can use 2-3 teaspoons (4-6 if doubling!) of garlic and ginger puree instead.
Three onions would be enough; it depends on how saucy you like it? The sauce will be thicker with four onion.
Hope that helps,
Kay & Luke
Lloyd
Just as good as out local Indian takeaway, really easy too.
Kay
Thank you, Lloyd; so lovely to hear you think our chicken Bhuna recipe is as good as your local Indian takeaway 🙂
If you like good curry recipes, you will like our Chicken Balti Curry - Indian Takeaway Recipe or Chicken Pathia Curry they are delicious 😉
Enjoy!!
BB
excellent easy to make we all enjoyed and will definitely make this again
Kay
Thanks for the comment, really pleased you liked the bhuna curry recipe 🙂
If you like a good curry, you should try out our Chicken Pathia Curry its fantastic 🙂
Enjoy!!
BB
Very easy to cook and a wonderful dish to eat with friends or family
Great recipe.
Kay
Thank you so much, Robert
Really glad you enjoyed our Chicken Bhuna recipe 🙂
If you like a good curry you might like to try out our Chicken Pathia Curry its delicious
Enjoy
Katherine Hackworthy
What an incredible, flavor-packed bhuna!
Alex
I will try this recipe, mouth-watering from looking at the photos. Thank you!
Jac
Always on the lookout for authentic recipes! Thanks 🙂
Julia
This was absolutely scrumptious! The chicken was so tender and flavorful, serve over brown nice and family loved this bhuna curry, thanks for sharing
Anjali
I love all of the spices you used in this curry!! It made it so flavorful, rich and satisfying! Will definitely be making this again soon!
Kay
Thank Anjali for the comment and rating 🙂
Really glad you liked the chicken curry, we love this bhuna recipe for its flavour, it's a great meal for any day of the week!!
Gina
Had never heard of this dish but the ingredients were simple and it came out amazing. Definitely a keeper!
Kay
Thanks, Gina
So glad the bhuna curry came out great for you 🙂
Always nice to hear good feedback !!
Serena
This sounds delicious! And I love that you can make it ahead of time.
Kay
Thanks, Serena for the comment!
Always a bonus making this bhuna recipe ahead of time 🙂
Enjoy!!
Beth
One of our favorite dishes. I going to give this a go tonight!
Kay
Thanks, Beth
Hope you enjoyed the chicken bhuna recipe 🙂
Gillian Ratford
This looks amazing my husband’s favourite
Kay
Thank you Gillian for that comment, it's much appreciated 🙂
Really hope your husband enjoys the chicken curry recipe, let us know how it goes?