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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 Indian Chicken Curry recipe is rich, creamy, and incredibly satisfying. Ready in less than an hour, it’s so easy to throw together and what’s more, it’s really good for you too!
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 toss in some extra veggies as well. This is a great way to clear out a couple of veggies from the fridge!
Recipe Highlight
- It’s easy! This authentic Chicken Curry Recipe just takes a few minutes to prep, and then all you have to do is simmer it for 20 minutes. It’s so simple and ready in less than an hour!
- Healthier than takeout: Takeout food is usually loaded with extra oils and ingredients that are unnecessary. This chicken curry tastes even better than the restaurant version, and it’s good for you.
- Amazing flavor: Loaded with onion, garlic, turmeric, curry powder, coconut milk, and fresh cilantro, this recipe is a powerhouse of flavor!
- Meal prep: This is a great recipe to make and save for later in either the fridge or freezer. Perfect for work lunches or a no-fuss dinner later in the week.
Ingredients For Chicken Curry
For the chicken:
- Chicken: To keep it lean and light, I added chicken breasts this time, however, boneless skinless chicken thighs would be delicious as well.
- Chili powder: adds a kick of heat
- Turmeric: The gorgeous golden color of this Indian Chicken Curry Recipe comes from turmeric.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
For the curry:
- Olive oil: or any other oil
- Onion & garlic: One of my favorite flavor duos, onion and garlic is a must in Indian cuisine! Fresh is best, the powdered forms just don’t have as much flavor to me.
- Tomato paste: Amps up the curry sauce flavor and makes it even more robust.
- Curry powder
- Coconut milk: Rich and creamy coconut milk is the main base ingredient for the curry sauce. It is slightly nutty and addictively good!
- Cilantro: I love to add chopped cilantro to all of my curries at the end for a little hint of freshness.
- Lemon wedges: A squeeze of fresh lemon balances all of the other flavors perfectly.
How to make Indian chicken curry
1. In a medium bowl combine chicken pieces with chili powder, salt, and turmeric powder. Coat them well.
2. 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.
3. Add the remaining oil to the same pot and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
4. Add in the tomato paste, curry powder, and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and stir in the coconut milk.
5. 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.
6. Once the chicken is cooked through, add in the chopped cilantro and turn off the flame.
7. Serve the chicken curry with a bowl of rice to enjoy.
Tips for success
- 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 in the microwave until it’s piping hot.
Frequently asked questions
My top tip for making the best curry is to use fresh herbs and spices as much as possible! They are so much more flavorful and fragrant than dried. You can really tell the difference.
It depends on the method of cooking and how much liquid you add, but for a quick stovetop curry like this Indian Chicken Curry Recipe, I don’t cover the curry so that the curry sauce intensifies and thickens up.
Yes, you just sear it 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!
More Curries to try
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Thai Green Chicken Curry
- Shrimp Curry
- Chickpea Butternut Squash Curry
- Healthy Turkey Meatballs in Curry Sauce
Recipes you may also like
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Berries Baked Oatmeal
- Chicken Carbonara Pasta
- Jerk Chicken Recipe
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
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Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ pound 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 tablespoon 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 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.
- Add the remaining oil to the same pot and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
- Add in the tomato paste, curry powder, and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes and stir in the 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 cilantro and turn off the flame.
- Serve the chicken curry with a bowl of rice to 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 in the microwave until it’s piping hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!