Chicken Curry
intro
Tender chicken simmered in fragrant spiced tomato-onion gravy with a creamy finish, perfect served over basmati rice for a cozy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Marinate the chicken
Pat 600g of chicken thigh pieces dry with paper towels, then toss in a bowl with 120ml plain full-fat Greek yogurt, ½ tsp ground turmeric, and ½ tsp table salt. Let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prep remaining ingredients.
Sauté the aromatics
Heat 45ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add 300g finely diced yellow onion, cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and deep golden brown. Add 12g minced garlic and 30g grated ginger, cook for 60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Toast the spices
Add the remaining ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp (4g) ground cumin, 2 tsp (4g) ground coriander, 1 tsp (2g) Kashmiri red chili powder, and ½ tsp table salt to the onion mixture. Stir constantly over medium-low heat for 30 seconds to toast the spices, until their warm, earthy aroma is clearly released.
Simmer tomato base
Pour 400g smooth Roma tomato puree into the spiced onion mixture, stir to fully combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F), cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until glossy oil separates from the tomato mixture and pools at the pot edges.
Cook the chicken
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the tomato gravy, stirring to coat every piece fully in sauce. Pour in 120ml water, stir, then return to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low (120°C/250°F), cover, and cook for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and is fork-tender.
Finish and garnish
Stir in 60ml heavy cream and 1 tsp (2g) garam masala, mixing until the gravy becomes a warm, creamy golden-orange hue. Simmer uncovered for 2 minutes over low heat, then taste and adjust salt if needed. Top with 15g chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
Tips
2.Keep heat at medium-low or lower when toasting ground spices, as they burn in as little as 15 seconds and will leave the curry tasting bitter.
3.For a dairy-free alternative, replace the yogurt and heavy cream with 180ml full-fat coconut milk, stirred in during the final step for the same creamy texture.
OMG this homestyle chicken curry was such a hit at our Sunday family dinner! My two picky kids went back for seconds, and even my husband who swears he ‘hates curry’ cleaned his plate. I served it over basmati rice with a side of naan and it was SO good. Total game changer for our weekly meal rotation!
Made this last night for my roommate and I, flavor is unreal! Quick question though – I used light coconut milk because that’s all the bodega by my apartment had, and it came out a little thinner than I expected. Did I mess up? Still tasted amazing, just curious for next time!
I’ve tried so many chicken curry recipes that are either too bland or way too complicated for a weeknight, and this one is perfect. Medium difficulty is totally fair, even as someone who’s pretty new to cooking from scratch I didn’t feel overwhelmed. The spice level is spot on if you follow the recipe, I added an extra serrano for a kick and it was chef’s kiss. 10/10 will make again.
Just finished making a big batch of this for my weekly meal prep! Portioned it out with jasmine rice and roasted broccoli for 5 days of lunches, and my whole apartment smells incredible. Took exactly 45 minutes like the recipe said, no surprises. Can already tell this is going to make my work week so much better!
Made this for the end-of-season soccer team potluck this past weekend, and people were coming up to me asking for the recipe the whole time! Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I thought the cook time was a little tight for me – I ended up needing almost an hour total because I had to cut up the chicken and veggies first. Otherwise, flavor is incredible, zero leftovers to bring home which is always a win.
Y’all, this curry is better than the one I get at my favorite local Indian spot down in Houston! I threw in a handful of baby potatoes I had sitting in the pantry like my nana used to do, and it came out so hearty and comforting. Perfect for those random chilly Texas winter nights when you want something cozy.
Bro. I’m a broke college senior who can barely make mac and cheese without burning it, and I pulled this off? Total win. Used chicken thighs instead of breasts because they were cheaper, swapped the fresh ginger for the jarred stuff I had in my dorm fridge, and it still slapped. 10/10, cheap, filling, feeds me for like 3 days. No notes.
I’ve been making my version of chicken curry for my grandkids for over 30 years, so I was a little skeptical trying a new recipe, but wow! I loved the tip to bloom the spices in oil first before adding the chicken – it made the flavor so much deeper than mine usually is. My grandkids said this was the best curry they’ve ever had, which is the highest compliment I can get!
Wait a second, why didn’t anyone tell me how good this curry is for potlucks? I made it for my office potluck today and the whole crockpot was empty in 15 minutes! Multiple coworkers asked if I’d cater our next team lunch, lmao. Only heads up: if you’re bringing it to a group event, definitely make a double batch, people will go back for thirds.
Made this as a post-hike dinner last weekend after an 8 mile trek in the Rockies, and it was the perfect warm, filling meal to refuel. I added a can of chickpeas for extra protein and it worked so well. Not too heavy, packed with flavor, easy to make even when you’re dead tired after being outside all day. Can’t wait to make this on my next car camping trip too!
This curry is SO flavorful, I’ve already made it twice in the last week! My only tiny note is that the default spice level is pretty mild for someone who loves super spicy food like me, but that’s an easy fix – I added 2 extra Thai chilis and a dash of cayenne and it was perfect for my taste. Will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation!