Chicken dopiaza. Featuring succulent chicken and sweet onions “two ways”, this hearty chicken curry is delicious and comforting. With traditional spices and herbs working magic in this recipe, it’s guaranteed to please everyone in the family.

When I plan our weeknight meals, I always try to make it as easy as possible by focusing on quick meals, so I can spend valuable time with my loved ones. Being an all-time favorite, chicken curry makes a weekly rotation on our menu. It ticks all the right boxes - quick, easy, delicious.
So, let’s talk about a lip-smacking chicken curry - chicken dopiaza or chicken do pyaza. Onions are the core ingredient in this recipe, it’s all about using “onions two different ways”. Some also suggests that it indicates “twice the onions”.
Either way, this chicken curry is going to be amazingly delicious. And I’m going to use onions two different ways - chopped and diced. Seriously, this curry is a family favorite right now. In my kids opinion, it tastes very similar to butter chicken, and I totally agree.
Start with making a simple yogurt mixture. A simple combo of yogurt, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and red chili powder. Yogurt in the mixture really keeps chicken moist and tender when cooked. This yogurt mixture goes into the chicken dopiaza curry towards the end of the cooking process.
Moving onto the next step, let’s make this scrumptious curry. You’ll need to brown some onions, in this case, two large onions chopped up very finely. Garlic and ginger goes in next followed by tomatoes. Of course, you can use store bought garlic and ginger paste in this recipe, but you know, fresh ingredients are much flavorful.
The tomatoes are cooked until they turn mushy. Now, the yogurt mixture that we prepared earlier goes into this curry along with chicken, green chilies, diced onions, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves or kasuri methi and lots of coriander (cilantro) leaves.
I’ve used my favorite part of chicken in this chicken dopiaza recipe. Chicken thighs. The juiciest part of chicken apt for any kind of chicken curry. You can choose either boneless or bone-in version. The latter option is super flavorful but takes a bit longer to cook. Since we’re talking about weeknight meal, I just want to go with boneless thighs that cook really quick.
Now, cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through. You’ll also get a rich, flavorful sauce loaded with onions. It’s so good!
So, whenever you want to prepare a healthy meal for your family, make this amazingly delicious chicken curry. It tastes great with basmati rice, pulao, ghee rice, roti, paratha and naan.
More Chicken Curry Recipes
- Indian Chicken Curry
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Korma
- Chicken Madras
- Chicken Vindaloo
- Malabar Chicken Curry
- Chicken Jalfrezi
- Chicken Karahi / Kadai Chicken
- Chicken Ghee Roast
- Green Chicken Curry

Chicken Dopiaza | Chicken Do Pyaza | Video
Ingredients
Yogurt mixture:
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander coriander powder
- 1 - 2 teaspoon red chili powder
Chicken dopiaza:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 large onions chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped (or ¾ of canned tomatoes)
- 1 kg chicken cut into cubes(boneless or with bone), (I used thigh)
- 3 green chilies slit
- 1 onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ¼ cup chopped coriander cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi crushed (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Coriander cilantro leaves, to garnish
Instructions
Yogurt mixture:
- Place yogurt, turmeric, cumin, coriander and red chili powder in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Chicken dopiaza:
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes break down and turn mushy. Add chicken, yogurt mixture, green chilies, onions, garam masala and coriander (cilantro) leaves and kasuri methi (if using). Cover with water. Stir to combine.
- Cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Garnish with more coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Like this chicken dopiaza recipe? Then join Nish Kitchen on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. Watch exclusive recipe videos on YouTube. Don't forget to check out:
Ronit says
Such a tasty looking dish. Love all the ingredients in it. Great photos too!