Curry Chicken
intro
Tender seared chicken simmered in warmly spiced, creamy coconut-tomato curry sauce, a cozy, flavor-packed meal perfect for serving over fluffy basmati rice.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all ingredients
Pat chicken chunks completely dry with paper towels, season with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Dice the onion, mince garlic, grate ginger, dice tomatoes, and measure out all spices and coconut milk before starting to cook to avoid last-minute scrambling.
Sear the chicken
Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat (175°C/350°F). Once oil shimmers, add chicken chunks in a single layer, working in two batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Sear for 3 minutes per side until golden brown on all edges, then transfer seared chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
Reduce heat to medium (150°C/300°F). In the same pan with leftover chicken drippings, add diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Toast the spices
Add 3 tablespoons mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the pan with the aromatics. Stir constantly for 20 seconds over medium heat until the spices release a rich, warm aroma, coating the onion mixture evenly.
Build the curry sauce
Add diced roma tomatoes to the spiced aromatic mixture, stir to combine, and cook for 4 minutes over medium heat until tomatoes break down into a thick, chunky sauce. Pour in 400ml full-fat coconut milk, stir until fully combined with the tomato mixture, and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking at the surface, not a rolling boil).
Simmer the curry
Return the seared chicken chunks and any accumulated juices from the plate back into the curry sauce. Stir to coat the chicken fully, reduce heat to medium-low (120°C/250°F), cover the pan, and simmer for 12 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 75°C/165°F) and tender.
Finish and garnish
Taste the sauce and add extra salt if needed, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro over the top of the curry as a bright, fresh garnish. Let the curry rest for 3 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Tips
2.Do not skip the short spice toasting step: this blooms the spices’ essential oils, creating a deep, rounded flavor instead of a flat, raw spice taste that comes from adding spices directly to liquid.
3.Serve curry chicken over fluffy basmati rice or with warm naan bread to soak up the rich sauce; stored in an airtight container, leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the fridge and taste even better as flavors meld overnight.
OMG this creamy coconut curry chicken is a total game changer for our weeknight dinners! I was worried my super picky 7 year old would turn her nose up at anything with 'curry' in the name, but she asked for SECONDS before I even sat down. It was so easy to throw together after work, the 40 minute cook time is totally accurate too — no weird fancy ingredients required, I already had almost everything in my pantry. 10/10 will be adding this to our regular meal prep rotation!
Made this last night for me and my roommate, SO good. I added a handful of baby spinach right at the end and an extra squeeze of lime, and it tasted exactly like the takeout curry I pay $18 for down the street, but way cheaper and I knew exactly what was going in it. Super straightforward recipe even for someone like me who burns toast half the time, lmao. Only note is I wish it had a little more spice kick, so next time I'll toss in a chopped Thai chili with the garlic.
Wow, this was such a hit at our neighborhood block party! I doubled the recipe because I knew there'd be a crowd, and people were coming up to ask me for the recipe all night. The creamy coconut base balances the curry spices so well, it's not overpowering at all so even people who don't eat a lot of curry loved it. I served it over jasmine rice with some warm naan on the side, perfect combo. Already planning to make it again for my sister's birthday dinner next week!