This chicken curry recipe is a one-pot dish you can chop up to satisfy your curry cravings. It’s not traditional, but the thick, creamy sauce will definitely hit the spot!
First things first, as we talk about curry, I’d like to say that this is not the traditional way of making it. Curry originated from India and as the dish became well known, many variations have blossomed from it.
Variations of Curry
In India, they use whole spices like cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, garam masala, coriander, onion, tomatoes, and yogurt to make an intensely flavored, thick curry sauce in which chicken or lamb is cooked.
In Japan, they commonly use blocks of curry roux, meant to be diluted in water to make a savory, sweet, and sometimes spicy stew-like curry. It usually has big chunks of onion, potatoes, and carrots, and the sauce is served over rice with some katsu or sliced beef.
In Thailand, they lean on the herby side of using peppers, basil, lemongrass, galangal, cilantro, and shrimp paste to make a curry paste and cooked down with coconut milk where meat, fish, or seafood is cooked.
While all of these curries have their unique taste and textures, they all would hit the same especially when you are craving for that unique spice and creaminess in a dish.
Ingredients for Easy Chicken Curry
My chicken curry recipe is a little bit of every style of making curry. It’s quick and easy to make, but ultimately flavorful and delicious!
- Boneless Chicken Thigh – I like to use boneless thighs simply because they are easy to cook. You can also use bone-in chicken for richer curry, but you would need to add more water and a longer cooking time.
- Red Onion, Tomatoes, Garlic, and Ginger – These are aromatics used for the base of the dish. To prepare, you need to chop them really small so they can be cooked down into a paste-like consistency just like how it is in Indian curry.
- Ghee – This ingredient is a little bit more expensive than the usual butter, but its high smoke point is important as we cook down the aromatics. As compared to regular butter, it won’t burn and leave a bitter taste in the dish.
- Curry Powder – This ingredient is seldom used in traditional curry recipes, but this is very common in the West and some parts of Asia as a staple pantry ingredient because it’s easier to use to make curry any time. I like to have this around for a boost in flavor in the dishes I make.
- Garam Masala – This ingredient is used in Indian curry and this will help the dish solidify its curry taste.
- Coconut Milk – Inspired by Thai curry, adding coconut milk will really elevate the dish. Along with a bit of water, this is where we’ll simmer the chicken. The coconut milk complements both the meat and the curry sauce.
- Butter and Heavy Cream – These ingredients will add creaminess to the dish. However, heavy cream is optional if you don’t want it too creamy.
- Coriander or Cilantro – For garnish
How to make Easy Chicken Curry?
First, melt the ghee in the pan and caramelize the onions in it. Gradually add water to cook down the onion further until it is slightly golden brown. Season with salt.
Following that, add the tomatoes and caramelize them as well. Similarly, add water to cook it down until it is lightly brown. Season with salt again.
From there, add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook it until it forms a pastelike consistency.
Add the curry powder and garam masala, and saute the mixture for a minute. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, then the water and coconut milk.
Cover the pot and leave the chicken to cook for 5-10 minutes. Afterward, lower the heat, flip the chicken, and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Add butter and heavy cream, and mix thoroughly. Garnish with some coriander and cilantro, serve, and enjoy!
Pro-tip for Delicious Homemade Chicken Curry
This chicken curry recipe is a great make-ahead dish. The secret is that the longer the chicken stays in the sauce, the better it will taste. In your next reheat, the dish will be so much more succulent. Pair this with rice or bread for a quick and easy lunch or dinner!
Other one-pot and easy dishes you might like:
- Spicy Chicken Stew
- Korean Boiled Pork Belly
- Spicy Pork Stir Fry
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Cantonese Steamed Fish
- Beef Bulgogi
Try this recipe out and make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!
Easy Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs Boneless Chicken Thighs Fat removed
- 1 pc Big Red Onion Diced
- 2 pc Big Tomatoes Diced
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1/2 tbsp Ginger Minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp Curry Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream Optional
- Coriander or Cilantro
Instructions
- Dice the onion and tomatoes.
- In high heat, melt the ghee in your pan and saute the onions.
- Once it has cooked down, gradually add water to caramelize it until it’s beautifully golden brown. Season with salt.
- Add the tomatoes, and similarly cook it down until lightly brown. Season with salt.
- Once the tomatoes are lightly brown, add garlic and ginger and continue to cook them down until it has a pastelike consistency.
- Add curry powder and garam masala, and mix thoroughly.
- Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, then add water and coconut milk.
- Cover the pan and let the chicken cook for 5-10 minutes. Afterward, turn to low heat, flip the chicken, cover, and leave for another 5-10 minutes.
- Add butter and heavy cream if you like it creamy.
- This is optional, but after cooking, let the chicken sit in the sauce for 1 hour so it really absorbs the sauce.
- Serve over rice or bread and enjoy!
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