How to make your own authentic chicken bhuna curry, from scratch at home.
This easy bhuna recipe uses simple ingredients. Onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and curry powder are 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.
Jump to:
See our recipe card below for how to make the best Indian restaurant-style chicken bhuna.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Chicken Bhuna Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Onions
- 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil - Ghee can be used instead
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 teaspoon Ginger
- 2 tablespoon Medium Curry Powder
- 1 can Chopped Tomatoes
- 2 Green Chillies - use 1 for medium or none for mild
- 2 Chicken Breasts
- Water - optional
- 3 tablespoon Coriander Leaves and stalks (cilantro) - chopped
Instructions
- Dice 2 Onions and fry in 3 tablespoon Vegetable Oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-low heat, stirring often. Cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
- Crush 4 cloves Garlic and grate 2 teaspoon Ginger. Once the onions have softened, add the ginger and garlic and fry gently for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoon Medium Curry Powder, and stir through.
- Add 1 can Chopped Tomatoes. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes
- Finely chop 2 Green Chillies. Add once the sauce has thickened.
- Cut 2 Chicken Breasts into cubes and add to the sauce. Cook for 10 - 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In 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.
- Check the chicken is cooked through, then stir in 3 tablespoon Coriander Leaves and stalks (cilantro)
- Serve with our coconut pilau rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This Chicken Bhuna Curry Recipe was originally posted on 07/05/2021. It was updated on 03/06/2024 to move the recipe card to the top for a better user experience.
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.
What is a Bhuna?
Traditional Bhuna originates from the Bengal region, a popular cooking method used in India and Pakistan.
An authentic cooking style involves frying onion, garlic, ginger, and spices 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
Here is a quick breakdown of the order in which you should add your ingredients, along with our step-by-step images, to create the best homemade chicken bhuna.
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 to add water to make a bit more sauce and add it during the chicken's 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 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.
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.
Paul says
Really enjoyed this. I doubled up and did half chicken and half red pepper(vegan). Great instructions and it tasted great. Thank 🙂
Kay says
Thank you for trying our Chicken Bhuna Curry, Paul! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it and that the instructions were clear. 🙂
Stu says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Just as good as out local Indian takeaway, really easy too.
Kay says
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 says
excellent easy to make we all enjoyed and will definitely make this again
Kay says
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 says
Very easy to cook and a wonderful dish to eat with friends or family
Great recipe.
Kay says
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 says
What an incredible, flavor-packed bhuna!
Alex says
I will try this recipe, mouth-watering from looking at the photos. Thank you!
Jac says
Always on the lookout for authentic recipes! Thanks 🙂
Julia says
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 says
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 says
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 says
Had never heard of this dish but the ingredients were simple and it came out amazing. Definitely a keeper!
Kay says
Thanks, Gina
So glad the bhuna curry came out great for you 🙂
Always nice to hear good feedback !!
Serena says
This sounds delicious! And I love that you can make it ahead of time.
Kay says
Thanks, Serena for the comment!
Always a bonus making this bhuna recipe ahead of time 🙂
Enjoy!!
Beth says
One of our favorite dishes. I going to give this a go tonight!
Kay says
Thanks, Beth
Hope you enjoyed the chicken bhuna recipe 🙂
Gillian Ratford says
This looks amazing my husband’s favourite
Kay says
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?