Skip to content
Handiہانڈیاردو
Qorma, salan & curries

Chicken Ginger Recipe

چکن جنجر بنانے کا طریقہ

Restaurant-style chicken ginger: boneless strips in a tomato and yogurt masala with a big handful of fresh ginger, black pepper and lemon.
WhatsApp
Illustration of Chicken Ginger

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Medium hot

Chicken ginger is a Pakistani restaurant classic, found on nearly every karahi-and-BBQ menu next to chicken jalfrezi and white karahi. Boneless chicken strips are cooked quickly in a smooth tomato and yogurt masala, and fresh ginger goes in twice: crushed at the start for body, and in fine matchsticks at the end for a sharp, warm bite. It is quick, not too heavy and easy to scale up for guests.

Ingredients

4 servings

For 4 servings

Measures

To finish

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a karahi or wide pan on medium heat and fry the onion until soft and light golden.

    ⏱ 5 min

  2. Add the crushed ginger and garlic and fry for a minute until fragrant.

    ⏱ 1 min

  3. Turn the heat up, add the chicken strips and stir-fry until they turn white on all sides.

    ⏱ 4 min

  4. Add the tomato purée, salt, red chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring, until the purée thickens.

    ⏱ 6 min

  5. Lower the heat and stir in the yogurt a little at a time so it does not split. Bhuno until the masala is smooth and the oil separates at the edges.

    ⏱ 6 min

  6. Add most of the ginger matchsticks, the green chillies and black pepper. Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked through and the ginger softens slightly.

    ⏱ 4 min

  7. Stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and cream if using. Top with the remaining ginger and the coriander and serve.

Tips for the best result

  • Use young, juicy ginger and cut it as thin as you can; thick sticks are fibrous and harsh.
  • Thigh meat stays juicier than breast if you are cooking ahead for guests.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the boneless chicken. Strips cook in minutes; long simmering makes them dry and stringy.
  • Adding cold yogurt on high heat. It splits into grainy curds; lower the heat and add it gradually.

How to serve

Serve hot with naan or roti, and raita on the side.

Storing and reheating

Keeps 2 days in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of water. Freezes for up to 1 month.

Nutrition and cost

Worked out from the ingredients, not measured in a lab. Treat both as a rough guide.

Per serving Estimate

Calories
410kcal
Protein
37g
Fat
24g
Carbs
12g
Fibre
2.7g
Sodium
820mg

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018), public domain values for the raw ingredients (100% of the recipe by weight had data). Deep-frying oil is counted at 20%; bones and water lost in cooking are not subtracted, so bone-in and fried dishes can read high. Not medical advice. Method

Cost per servingEstimate

≈ Rs 185

Whole dish ≈ Rs 730 · 94% of ingredients by weight priced

From the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics weekly SPI, week ended 29 Oct 2026. Spices, herbs and some vegetables are not in the SPI and are left out unless you add your price, so the real cost is a little higher. How this works

Chicken Ginger: questions people ask

What is the difference between chicken ginger and chicken jalfrezi?

Chicken ginger is built around a lot of fresh ginger in a smooth tomato and yogurt masala. Jalfrezi is a stir-fry with capsicum, onion and tomato chunks and a tangier, drier sauce.

Can I make chicken ginger with bone-in chicken?

Yes. Use 1 kg of small pieces and cook them covered for about 15 minutes after the yogurt goes in, before adding the ginger matchsticks.

Serve it with, and similar recipes

All salan and qorma recipes

Read this recipe in Urdu: چکن جنجر بنانے کا طریقہ

https://handi.danixsoft.com/recipes/chicken-ginger · Handi, DanixSoft