Chicken Do Pyaza (Double Onion Chicken Curry)
चिकन दो प्याज़ा
Chicken Do Pyaza — "do" meaning "two" and "pyaza" meaning "onion" — is a classic Mughlai curry where onions are used in two ways and at two different stages of cooking: finely chopped onions are caramelised as the base of the gravy, while large chunks of onion are added towards the end of cooking and remain partly intact, giving them a sweet, yielding texture that contrasts with the tender chicken. The double-onion technique produces a curry that is both complex in base flavour (from the deep-fried base onion) and textured with chunks of soft-braised onion that sweeten the sauce. Originating in the Mughal imperial kitchen, Do Pyaza is a dish of elegant contrasts — rich yet not heavy, spiced yet balanced, with the onion as the undisputed star.
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min
Ingredients
Method
Heat oil/ghee in a heavy pot. Add whole spices (splutter 30 seconds). Add finely chopped onions (the first "do"). Cook 18–20 minutes until deep golden. Add ginger-garlic paste, cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, cook until oil separates (10 minutes). Add spices. Cook 3 minutes.
About 20 min
Tip: The first onion must be cooked until it is genuinely deep golden — this long-cooked caramelised onion is the body and sweetness of the do pyaza sauce. Under-cooking it produces a thin, uninteresting curry.
Add chicken pieces. Bhuno (stir-fry) on high heat 8 minutes until the chicken is sealed and the masala coats it completely. Add 200ml water. Cover and cook on medium 20 minutes until chicken is 90% cooked.
About 15 min
Tip: Bhuno the chicken vigorously in the masala — this sealed, dry cooking step drives the spice flavours into the chicken and prevents it tasting like poached meat in sauce.
Add the large onion chunks (the second "do"). Stir gently. Cook uncovered 8–10 minutes — the chunk onions should soften and turn slightly translucent but still hold their shape. They will absorb the curry flavour and turn sweetly yielding. Add garam masala and fresh coriander. Serve with naan, laccha paratha, or rice.
About 10 min
Tip: The second onion chunks are the signature of this dish. Do not overcook them to mush — they should be just tender with some bite remaining, creating a textural contrast to the soft chicken.
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 560 mg
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Recipe by Boon Tools.