If you love Indian food you have to try this recipe! This Chicken Curry tastes just as good as what you’d get at an Indian restaurant, if not better, and it’s easy to make.
It brimming with flavor thanks to all the spices, it’s rich and creamy and it’s amazingly hearty when you finish it off with basmati rice or naan bread.
Chicken curry is common to several countries including India, countries in Asia and the Caribbean (if you are looking for an Asian version I have that recipe HERE). My favorite of them though is this aromatic Indian Chicken Curry, I’m always just craving these flavors.
This has been the go-to dish I order at my local Indian restaurant so I finally just decided to recreate it at home and I couldn’t be happier with the end result!
I love that it has an abundance of spices leaving it with incredible flavor. I also love that little bit of cream that’s added at the end, even though it’s not much it works wonders.
And of course it’s got an abundance of sauce because that’s what chicken curry is all about – that irresistible sauce for soaking up with naan bread or serving alongside rice.
Chicken thighs can be used in this recipe as well. You’ll want to trim excess fat from them, then increase the cooking time a bit, thighs take longer to cook than chicken breasts do.
Chicken Curry
Chicken pieces are cooked in an aromatic, deliciously seasoned curry sauce then it’s finished off with cream for richness and cilantro for color and freshness. Serve alongside basmati rice or naan bread for soaking up the extra sauce.
Prep: 20min
Total: 40min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 362 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 38 g, Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 136 mg, Sodium 726 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, (crushed in a small bag with a meat mallet)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, (chopped (1 cup))
- 4 garlic cloves, (minced (1 1/2 Tbsp))
- 1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup drained canned diced tomatoes or peeled, seeded, diced fresh tomatoes
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper, (to taste)
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, (diced into 1 1/4-inch cubes)
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water ((optional))
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Instruction:
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together all of the spices in the spice blend, set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in onion and saute until slightly golden brown, about 4 – 6 minutes.
- Add in garlic and ginger, saute 30 seconds more then add in spice blend and saute 30 seconds.
- Pour in chicken broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
- Pour mixture into a blender then cover with lid and remove lid insert, cover opening with a clean folded kitchen rag.
- Blend mixture until well pureed and smooth then return to skillet and heat skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season sauce with salt and cayenne pepper (start with about 1/2 tsp salt and a few dashes cayenne then add more to taste) then add in chicken.
- Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet with lid and simmer until chicken has cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 8 – 12 minutes.
- During the last minute of cooking stir in the cornstarch and water slurry if desired, to thicken sauce slightly (or if needed thin with a little chicken broth).
- Stir in cream then serve warm with cilantro over basmati rice.
Easy Chicken Curry Recipe
I’ve found a hack to making the most delicious Indian Chicken Curry in just 30 minutes! I love this recipe because it has all those warm spicy Indian flavors, but there are only two spice blends called for (yellow curry and garam masala). The curry sauce has a great depth of flavor, and it’s so easy to make. Perfect for a weeknight!
Prep: 20min
Total: 30min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 340 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Protein 26 g, Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 73 mg, Sodium 674 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, unSaturated Fat 8 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
- 1 & 1/2 pounds chicken breast (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 13-ounce can coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (smashed and minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (peeled and then minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
- 1 cup chicken broth*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
Instruction:
- In a large saute 12-inch skillet, toast the spices in a dry pan. This 2 minute process wakes up their flavor so much! Add 2 tablespoons curry powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dry pan and set over medium heat. Let toast for 1-2 minutes, keeping a careful eye on it. Don’t walk away and let it burn. Continually stir the dry spices so they don’t scorch. After about 90-120 seconds, remove from heat and scrape into a small bowl.
- Chop 1 and 1/2 pounds chicken breast into bite size chunks, 1-2 inch pieces. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the raw chicken pieces to a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle the chicken in the bowl with HALF of the toasted spices. Stir to mix it together and get all the chicken coated.
- Open the can of coconut milk and dump it on the chicken. We’re going to let it marinate for a hot minute while we chop our veggies.
- Chop the onion and jalapeno. Make sure you get all the seeds and membranes out of the jalapeno unless you like it really spicy!
- Smash, peel, and mince the garlic, you will need 3-4 cloves to get 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use the jarred garlic if you’re in a rush) Peel the ginger with a spoon (it’s the best way!) and mince up 1 tablespoon (save the rest of your ginger in the freezer for next time!)
- Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the same large skillet from before. Set over medium high heat.
- When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the chopped onion and jalapeno. Add all the remaining toasted spices to the onions. Let saute for 4-6 minutes, until the onions are translucent. If the spices are starting to stick to the pan, add a little more oil.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it brown, turn down the heat if necessary, or add a bit more oil.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the pan (about half a lemon).
- Add the coconut milk and chicken to the pan. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir. Turn the heat back up to medium high if you moved it down.
- Let the mixture come to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer over medium low heat. Make sure there is a slow bubble happening.
- In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir it together until there are no lumps (add a bit more cold water if necessary). Add the cornstarch slurry to the chicken curry and stir.
- Let the curry simmer on the lowest heat you can while still maintaining a slow bubble. The curry is done when the chicken is cooked through, it should take about 5-8 minutes depending on how large your chicken pieces are. Test the chicken by splitting a piece with your wooden spoon to see if it’s cooked. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat immediately so that it doesn’t get overcooked and tough.
- Chop about 1/2 cup of cilantro and stir into the curry.
- Serve hot with Jasmine rice or Basmati rice, Homemade Naan, or Buttery Roti!
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!
Prep: 10min
Total: 30min
Serving Size: 1
Nutrition Facts: calories 474 calories, Carbohydrate 34 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 66 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 25 grams fat, Fiber 5 grams fiber, Protein 32 grams protein, Saturated Fat 19 grams saturated fat, servingSize 1, Sodium 445 milligrams sodium, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Trans Fat 0 grams trans fat, unSaturated Fat 4 grams unsaturated fat
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil (olive oil may be substituted)
- 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- one 13-ounce can coconut milk (I used lite; full-fat will deliver a richer/thicker result)
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste (curry powder may be substituted, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional and to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
- rice, quinoa, or naan, optional for serving
Instruction:
- To a large skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.
- Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
- Add the coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until liquid volume has reduced as much as desired and thickens slightly.
- Add the spinach, lime juice, and stir to combine. Cook until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and optionally add brown sugar, additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
- Evenly sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately. Curry is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
This Thai red curry recipe is so easy to make at home! It’s much tastier than takeout and healthier, too. Feel free to change up the vegetables (you’ll need about 3 cups total) and skip the kale if you want a more traditional Thai curry. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Prep: 10min
Total: 40min
Yield: 4
Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 340 calories, Sugar 9.3 g, Sodium 473.3 mg, Fat 11.3 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 56.3 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 8.3 g, Cholesterol 0 mg
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- Pinch of salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 1 yellow, orange or green bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*
- 1 can (14 ounces) regular coconut milk**
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups packed thinly sliced kale (tough ribs removed first), preferably the Tuscan/lacinato/dinosaur variety
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut sugar or turbinado (raw) sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce***
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
- Garnishes/sides: handful of chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional red pepper flakes, optional sriracha or chili garlic sauce
Instruction:
- To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
- To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while stirring continuously.
- Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are fork-tender, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, water, kale and sugar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers, carrots and kale have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and season with tamari and rice vinegar. Add salt (I added 1/4 teaspoon for optimal flavor), to taste. If the curry needs a little more punch, add 1/2 teaspoon more tamari, or for more acidity, add 1/2 teaspoon more rice vinegar. Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you’d like. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.
Quick and Easy Chicken Curry Recipe
FAQ
What is the secret to a good curry?
The three core ingredients of almost any Indian curry are garlic, onion and ginger. There are a few styles of curries that don’t use garlic to ensure subtle flavour isn’t overwhelmed, but it’s a good rule of thumb that those three ingredients are likely to be included.
What is the secret ingredient in curry?
How is curry made from scratch?
- Heat a little oil in a pan then add some chopped onion. …
- Add a spoonful of ginger and garlic paste, a finely diced chilli pepper and a teaspoon each of cumin, coriander and garam masala.
- Stir and cook gently for a minute and then add some diced chicken.
What is the difference between curry and Indian curry?
What is the difference between Thai curry and regular curry?