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This Indian Chicken Curry Recipe is packed to the brim with flavor. Perfect for a no-fuss dinner anytime, it’s ready in less than an hour and so easy to throw together. Everyone will be asking for seconds, it’s so delicious!
You may also like my easy butter chicken recipe served with Garlic Naan.
The ultimate comfort food, this Authentic Indian Chicken Curry recipe made with coconut milk instead of heavy cream, is rich, creamy, and incredibly satisfying. Ready in under an hour, it’s incredibly easy to throw together.
It’s loaded with onion, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, coconut milk, and tomato paste to bring the flavor up to the next level. It has so much flavor for so little effort! Feel free to throw in some extra veggies as well. This is a great way to clear out a couple of veggies from the fridge!
Recipe Overview
Before you get started
Here are some tips to make the perfect chicken curry every time.
→ Do not overcook the chicken when you first cook it in step 1. The chicken is going to continue to cook in the sauce.
→ Dice the onions really small and be careful not to burn them when cooking them with the garlic. Cook at medium heat.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you need to sear the chicken for a few minutes in the beginning, and then later when all of the ingredients for the curry sauce have been added to the pot, add the chicken back in and simmer it until it has cooked through. I love this method because the chicken takes on so much of the flavor and stays tender and juicy. It’s delicious!
Yes. You can use boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Don’t like chicken? You can use beef or shrimp.
Yes. If you want to cook this and freeze it for later use, you can. It can be frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it completely and reheat it in a pot on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave until it’s piping hot.
You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Ingredients For Chicken Curry
Below is a list of the ingredients I used to make this dish, and some substitution options you can make. Full measurements will be listed in the recipe card.
- Chicken: To keep it lean and light, I used chicken breasts this time; however, boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be delicious as well.
- Seasonings: I used Chili powder, turmeric, Curry powder, and salt.
- Onion & garlic: Use fresh garlic and not garlic powder. As for the onion, you can use yellow cooking onions or white sweet onions.
- Tomato paste, or you can use a small can of tomato sauce.
- Coconut milk: Use the ones in a can, like the Thai Kitchen brand. Full fat or light would work.
- Cilantro: This one I used for garnishing, so it could be optional.
- Lemon wedges: Lemon at the end is also optional.
How to make chicken curry
Here’s how you can make this chicken perfectly every time.
1️⃣ Season and cook the chicken
In a medium bowl, combine chicken pieces with chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder. Coat them well.
Heat a 4 qt Dutch oven on a medium flame; add olive oil, followed by chicken, and sear them for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set it aside.
✏️ If you do not have a Dutch oven, use whatever pot you have on hand.
2️⃣ Saute the onion and garlic
Add the remaining oil to the same pot and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
✏️ Keep this at medium heat, you do not want to burn the onion and garlic
3️⃣ Make the curry sauce
Add in the tomato paste, curry powder, and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and stir in the coconut milk.
✏️ If you do not want to use coconut milk, feel free to use heavy cream.
4️⃣ Cook and serve
Once the curry starts bubbling, add the chicken back to the pot and allow the curry to simmer for 15-20 minutes on a low heat. Once the chicken is cooked through, add in the chopped cilantro and turn off the heat.
✏️ You can cover the pot for the first 10 minutes, then keep it open until the sauce thickens.
Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 13.5 ounces coconut milk, one can
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- Lemon wedges, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder. Coat them well.
- Heat a 4 qt Dutch oven on a medium flame; add 2 tablespoons olive oilfollowed by the chicken, and sear them for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set it aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot and add the 1 medium yellow onion and 1 teaspoon garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add in the 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and stir in the 13.5 ounces coconut milk.
- Once the curry starts bubbling, add the chicken back to the pot and allow the curry to simmer for 15-20 minutes on a low flame.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, add in the chopped 1 tablespoon cilantro and turn off the flame.
- Serve the chicken curry with a bowl of rice, garnish with Lemon wedges, and enjoy!
Notes
- This Indian Chicken Curry Recipe is keto-friendly, so try serving it over plain cauliflower rice or Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice to keep it low-carb.
- Add in extra veggies! Curries are a good way to make sure there are more vegetables on your plate. Some great options are potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, and carrots.
- Save it for later! This easy chicken curry recipe can be saved in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it completely and reheat it in a pot on the stove, in the oven, or the microwave until it’s piping hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Curries to try
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Thai Green Chicken Curry
- Shrimp Curry
- Chickpea Butternut Squash Curry
- Healthy Turkey Meatballs in Curry Sauce
You may also like
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Spaghetti Meat sauce
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Berries Baked Oatmeal
- Chicken Carbonara Pasta
- Jerk Chicken Recipe
This was as promised – easy and delicious. It took about 1/2 hours to come together and I served it with protein rice: a combination of brown&white rice, quinoa and lentils and then added frozen green peas at the end. Also cauliflower roasted with salt, olive oil and cumin. A perfect week-night meal. Lots of yummy sauce.
Glad you loved it.
My boys and I ❤️ this! I usually put some chicken broth in w the chicken curry and then put in three bags of cooked white rice. It stretches it out for several days. Thx for this great recipe this is my favorite.
Thank you so much. Glad you guys loved it.
Would coconut cream be okay?
Yes. If it is too thick, you can loosen it up a bit with some water
The dish is not hindu. Hindus don’t eat meat.
Came out perfectly! Delish – five stars!