Chicken Bhuna
Our homely Chicken Bhuna is sure to warm you right up. A Pinch of Nom twist on a curry menu classic, we’ve paired succulent diced chicken chunks with an oniony, tomato-based sauce. Thanks to a thrifty blend of store cupboard herbs and spices, every forkful is rich with takeaway-style flavour for far fewer calories.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories221
- Carbs15g
- Protein32g
- Fat2.3g
- Saturates0.4g
- Sugars12g
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For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
When you can make a curry as delicious as our Chicken Bhuna at home, there’s no need to order from the takeaway. Our recipe recreates a familiar curry house favourite for a fraction of the calories; you’d never be able to tell we’ve made a swap or two from how rich and thick our sauce is.
To keep every forkful as flavoursome as possible, our chicken chunks are coated in a homemade spice rub before cooking. We give the flavours plenty of time to mingle by leaving the chicken chunks marinating overnight.
By using a simple combination of store cupboard herbs and spices, as well as easy-to-find ingredients, our mildly spicy sauce is super tasty and budget-friendly. An oniony, tomatoey dish, this crowd-pleasing taste bud warmer is sure to go down a treat – even with the fussiest eaters at the table.
Serve it with an accompaniment of your choice (we think Pilau Rice works best!), or turn it into an Indian-inspired feast by adding Onion Bhajis and Samosas to your spread.
What diets is this Chicken Bhuna suitable for?
Chicken Bhuna can be enjoyed on dairy-free diets, as long as you substitute fat-free Greek yoghurt for a suitable alternative.
If you’re cooking for people with allergies, be extra careful when checking ingredients and preparing food!
Do you need any special ingredients to make Chicken Bhuna?
You don’t need anything special to make this Chicken Bhuna curry. We’ve used a simple combination of store cupboard staples and easy-to-find ingredients.
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How many calories are in this Chicken Bhuna?
There are 221 calories per portion in this Chicken Bhuna, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment!
This Chicken Bhuna is perfect if you’re following a calorie-controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Add the chicken to a non-reactive bowl and add the yoghurt, chilli powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Mix well to coat the chicken. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate overnight.
Step 2
Spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pan and fry for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Add the curry powder, garam masala and chilli powder and fry for a minute.
Step 4
Add the chicken and brown on all sides to seal.
Step 5
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, and lemon juice. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thickened.
Step 6
Stir through the yoghurt and sprinkle over the coriander. Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
What could I serve with this Chicken Bhuna?
This Chicken Bhuna is perfect served with fluffy boiled rice, or you can serve it alongside a selection of slimming-friendly side dishes for an Indian-inspired Fakeaway night:
How do you know when Chicken Bhuna is cooked?
Chicken Bhuna is ready to serve when the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thickened. The chicken chunks will need roughly 15 minutes to cook thoroughly.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Chicken Bhuna in the fridge?
Once you’ve put Chicken Bhuna out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers of Chicken Bhuna to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Chicken Bhuna?
Yes, you can! Chicken Bhuna can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Chicken Bhuna?
From chilled: Place in a microwave-proof container with loosely-fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes, until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost, and heat covered in the microwave for 3-5 minutes then stir. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes until piping hot.
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Chicken Bhuna
Forget about ordering from a takeaway! Our slimming-friendly Chicken Bhuna is just as delicious for fewer calories.
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Prep Time
10 MINS
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Cook Time
30 MINS
- KCals 221
- Carbs 15G
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a non-reactive bowl and add the yoghurt, chilli powder, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Mix well to coat the chicken. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate overnight.
- Spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and set on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pan and fry for 10 minutes.
- Add the curry powder, garam masala and chilli powder and fry for a minute.
- Add the chicken and brown on all sides to seal.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, and lemon juice. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thickened.
- Stir through the yoghurt and sprinkle over the coriander. Serve with your choice of accompaniment.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
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20 comments
See what others have to say
AdeleWednesday 17th May 2023
Would it work if I cook it in the slow cooker for a few hours?
SharonWednesday 17th May 2023
Hi Adele, we haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker so can’t guarantee a good result.If you’d like to try it, make sure to stir in the yoghurt after cooking. We have a handy article that you may find useful: How to Convert Recipes to a Slow Cooker Hope this helps.
LinsMonday 8th May 2023
I made this Chicken Bhuna tonight, I didn’t have time to marinade the chicken over night so i just left it a couple of hours, it was lovely, and so easy to make. Thank you for yet another brilliant recipe .
SharonTuesday 9th May 2023
Hi Lins, we’re so pleased you enjoyed our Chicken Bhuna! Thanks for letting us know.
MattThursday 27th April 2023
Is it very spicy? I like a curry, but a balti is more my level of heat.
SharonTuesday 16th May 2023
Hi Matt, we would say our Chicken Bhuna is mildly spiced. Hope this helps.
MarieFriday 13th January 2023
I didn’t have great hope for this after my 3 year old looked at it pulling her face and said eurgh! However she then proceeded to have not one but THREE helpings! I got the thumbs up from her & her sister so I think we can say it was a resounding success! Daddy liked it too! Thanks PON will definitely be making again.
HollyMonday 16th January 2023
Hi Marie, thanks so much for your message so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the Chicken Bhuna!
UrsulaFriday 6th January 2023
Which recipe book is this in? I can’t find it in the three I have 🥲
HollyMonday 9th January 2023
Hey Ursula, this recipe is exclusive to our website so doesn’t currently appear in any of our books, hope that helps!
GemmaTuesday 3rd January 2023
Hubby allergic to onions and leeks anything else you think I could use instead or would it be OK just to leave this out
HollyThursday 5th January 2023
Hey Gemma, you can leave the onions out but this will alter the overall finished flavour of the curry, hope that helps!
LisaTuesday 9th May 2023
I always thought it would not be a decent curry without onion but I made one not long ago without and it was equally as good 😊
SharonFriday 12th May 2023
Hi Lisa, thanks for helping out with this question!
SusanTuesday 3rd January 2023
What fantastic curry recipe,I used left over cooked chicken from yesterday’s roast ,I did marinate the chicken over night . So quick and easy ,I know plan on making the sauce in bulk and freezing it
I’ve taken great photos to share with family x.
HollyThursday 5th January 2023
Hey Susa, thanks so much for your message we are so glad to hear you enjoyed the Chicken Bhuna!
RebeccaThursday 29th December 2022
This sounds delicious! Is there any other way of doing this recipe other than adding yogurt at the end? No matter how much I cool down a dish the yogurt will split!
Thanks
HollyThursday 5th January 2023
Hi Rebecca, you could try removing some of the sauce and mixing in with the yoghurt to bring it up to temperature a little so that it’s not as cold when adding to the curry, hope that helps!
Mike JonesTuesday 27th December 2022
Can this be done in my Instant pot?
HollyThursday 5th January 2023
Hi Mike, we haven’t tested this reicpe in the Instant Pot but it should work fine, we have a conversion guide HERE to help!
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