Bihari Style Chicken Curry is a traditional dish prepared in Bihar, that is slightly rich and spicy. What differentiates this chicken preparation from others is the usage of fresh whole garlic knob in the curry and the cooking process.

Being a foodie and an Indian, I am just amazed to see how each region in India has a unique version of the humble chicken curry. I was introduced to this recipe by an old friend who hails from Bihar. After that, I have tried this Bihari style chicken curry a number of times to make sure it is as satisfying as I first prepared it.
How to make Bihari Style Chicken Curry
Preparing this curry is very simple. You need fresh whole garlic knob, sliced onions, the spice paste, and garam masala paste. Other than that you only need some patience. Why I am saying this is because you need to saute the spices and chicken for a good amount of time at least 15-20 minutes for a better result.
The use of whole garlic does not actually add any flavor or taste to the curry. People eat it with the curry after it is cooked in the chicken spice gravy. It is also believed to be beneficial especially in winter and rainy season.
And as I said earlier this curry is slightly rich and spicy, as a lot of masala goes in. So don’t reduce the oil quantity. However, you can adjust the heat by regulating the quantity of chili. The consistency of the chicken curry completely depends on your preference. You can make it thin or in gravy form or slightly dry. Hence add water accordingly.
Serve this dish with steaming hot rice or roti and enjoy the meal.
Few more chicken recipes you may like.
If you try this recipe, please leave a feedback and rating. You can also tag me @spoonofflavor on Instagram.
Bihari Style Chicken Curry | Bihari Chicken Masala
INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 250 ML )
- 500 grams or 1.1 lbs chicken bone-in cleaned, washed and drained
- 4-5 tbsp mustard oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 thinly sliced onions medium size
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 small whole garlic knob or more washed
- Salt as required
- Warm water 1 cup
For Spice Paste
- 1 roughly chopped onion medium size
- 8-10 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 ½ inch ginger peeled and chopped
- 1 roughly chopped tomato small size
- 1 green chili
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 5-6 whole peppercorns / black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
For Garam Masala Paste
- 3 green cardamoms
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick approx 2 inches
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oil in a pan. Once the oil turns hot add bay leaves, followed by onion slices and saute until onions turn slightly golden.
- Add chicken pieces and saute for 6-7 minutes over medium flame.
- Add the spice paste, whole garlic knob, and turmeric powder. Saute for 14-15 minutes over medium flame.
- Add warm water and salt. Stir to mix. Cover and cook over low flame until chicken is cooked.
- Now at this point of time add the garam masala paste and stir well. Covered and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Now turn off the flame and remove from the stove and serve hot with rice or roti.
Notes
- Adjust the chili as per your requirement.
- Adjust the thickness of the curry by adding more or less water.
- Follow each step to get the best result.
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Komal Asher Julian
Hi Geetanjli,
I tried your recipe yesterday and it was awesome. Thank you for sharing this delicious detailed recipe.
Geetanjali
Hello Komal Asher Julian, glad to know this 🙂 Thank you for the feedback!