You won’t believe how easy it this to make this delicious chicken curry recipe from scratch! Despite the short ingredient list, this curry is full of rich and complex flavors. Between the aromatics and a handful of spices, you’ll love the incredible flavors that each bowl has. You’ll want to serve this with some rice to soak up that dreamy, creamy curry sauce.
What I love even more about this curry is that not only does it only take around 30 minutes to cook, it’s made in one pot, so cleaning up is a breeze. This wholesome and satisfying meal is also healthy while only requiring simple and affordable ingredients. It’ll quickly become a new family favorite.
If you want another easy one-pot recipe, then try my lentil soup recipe, chicken stew recipe, or chicken and rice soup recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Aromatics — aromatics such as onions, garlic, and ginger are key ingredients for a flavorful chicken curry recipe. Make sure to sauté them properly until they are soft and golden brown to build a strong flavor base for your curry. Look for fresh ginger root that is firm and plump. Avoid ginger that is wrinkled or soft.
Spices — make sure your curry powder, coriander, and cumin are fresh. Old, stale spices will lead to the curry being less flavorful.
Broth — I highly recommend using chicken broth instead of water to ensure a flavorful curry base.
Chicken — I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the curry, but you can swap them for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just be sure to trim some of the fat off the chicken thighs.
Coconut milk — adding coconut milk adds richness and creaminess to your curry.
How to Make Chicken Curry
1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander, cumin, and salt, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the broth and tomato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes or until starting to thicken. Stir in the chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened or until the desired consistency. Serve with hot cooked rice and chopped cilantro.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Do not cover during cooking times. You want the sauce to be able to reduce and thicken.
- Make sure to stir the coconut milk until smooth to incorporate the fat solids before adding it to the sauce.
- You can adjust the amount of coconut milk based on your preference for a milder or richer curry.
- Make sure to cut the chicken as uniformly as possible to ensure the chicken cooks evenly in the sauce.
- To prepare the ginger, use a vegetable peeler or the edge of a spoon to peel off the skin gently. Once peeled, you can mince the ginger. You can store leftover unused ginger in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
- Instead of rice, you can serve the curry alongside naan bread to soak up the extra sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken curry is a versatile dish so you can add a variety of vegetables to it! Some of my favorites include bell peppers, potatoes, peas, cauliflower, spinach, and other leafy greens.
The secret to a good curry is creating a solid flavor base and building deep flavor. Make sure you use fresh ingredients, including chicken, vegetables, and spices! Take your time with the process of cooking the curry, as cooking the aromatics properly and simmering the curry will help develop the flavors. Also, simmering the curry will ensure the flavors meld together and the chicken cooks through.
Once the leftovers have cooled to room temperature, transfer the chicken curry to airtight containers. Store for up to 4 days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop.
You can! Place the cooled chicken curry in freezer-safe bags or containers, and store them in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw the frozen curry in the refrigerator before reheating.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Chicken Curry recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Curry
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped (260g)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chicken broth (240mL)
- ¾ cup diced tomato (200g)
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces (680g)
- 1 cup coconut milk (240mL)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander, cumin, and salt, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the broth and tomato and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes or until starting to thicken.
- Stir in the chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes, or until the desired consistency. Serve with hot cooked rice and chopped cilantro.
Notes
- Do not cover during cooking times. You want the sauce to be able to reduce and thicken.
- Make sure to stir the coconut milk until smooth to incorporate the fat solids before adding it to the sauce.
- You can adjust the amount of coconut milk based on your preference for a milder or richer curry.
- Make sure to cut the chicken as uniformly as possible to ensure the chicken cooks evenly in the sauce.
- To prepare the ginger, use a vegetable peeler or the edge of a spoon to peel off the skin gently. Once peeled, you can mince the ginger. You can store leftover unused ginger in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
- Instead of rice, you can serve the curry alongside naan bread to soak up the extra sauce.
Yana says
I like the species and the additional chickpeas
Rachel says
So delicious! I feel like this is going to become a new staple recipe for me. I crave it all the time!
Thomas Spacht says
This is great. I’ve sometimes added some untraditional ingredients/substitutions that creates a curry of sorts in an unexpected way. Substitute two tablespoons or more of Thai red curry paste for the curry powder, add a heaping tablespoon of garam masala, and then some chopped fruit such as apples or pears (two or so). Omit the chick peas. Finally add a small amount of honey if desired (careful, not too much!). I’m not sure what one calls this, but it is very good.
Rita says
My husband and I love your chicken curry recipe…it’s one of the best, and besides being easy to prepare, it’s very nutritious!