Simple shouldn’t mean bland – and this Chicken Curry recipe knocks it out of the park! A mild, creamy coconut curry sauce made with just 5 ingredients (from scratch!), it tastes so good for something so quick, you will be amazed.
If you want to go all out, serve this with Soft No-Yeast Flatbreads to slop up the sauce (it’s basically naan, but much easier to make!)
Chicken Curry
Curries are notorious for lengthy ingredient lists to achieve the richly spiced sauces and punchy flavours. And while we’d all love to be able to whip up a from-scratch Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken whenever the craving hits us, it’s simply not viable.
So today, I’m sharing the best SIMPLE chicken curry that I know. This recipe is a Western style curry – it’s not a traditional Indian curry, Thai curry, nor any other cuisine. And here’s why you’re going to love it as much as I do:
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(Very) short list of ingredients
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Curry powder is the only spice you need
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Creamy curry sauce with mild coconut flavour
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30 minute recipe – from scratch!
This chicken curry is the perfect way to get your curry fix without being in the kitchen all day!
What you need for Everyday Chicken Curry
Here’s what goes in this Everyday Chicken Curry.
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Curry powder – the only spice you need! Any brand is fine here.
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Garlic, ginger and onion – fresh aromatics add a flavour boost that makes all the difference with quick curries! It’s the same when making quick Thai Green Curry or Red Curry using store bought paste.
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Chicken broth/stock AND coconut milk – for creaminess and flavour. We’re just using 1 cup of coconut milk here – this isn’t intended to be an overly rich, heavy coconut sauce.
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Chicken – thighs are best because this curry needs to be simmered for 12 minutes for the flavours to develop. But yes, it can be made with breast – but the steps need tweaking otherwise you’ll complain that the chicken is dry!!
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Peas – optional! Try other diced veg!
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Coriander/cilantro – lovely freshness and flavour boost. Coriander haters – use chives or green onions instead.
Don’t let the short list of ingredients fool you. The curry sauce tastes SO GOOD!
Curry Powders
These are the curry powders I currently have in my pantry – but I’ve used plenty of other brands in the past. Curry powder is used in all sorts of recipes, not just Indian curries, including:
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Satay Chicken Curry – basically it’s chicken satay skewers in curry form, with loads of peanut sauce!
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Chickpea Potato Curry – very popular with readers!
How to make it
There’s nothing groundbreaking about how this chicken curry is made. The one key step is to fry off the curry powder. This brightens up the flavour of the spices + creates more golden bits on the base of the pan, and both of these things add more flavour into the curry sauce!
So don’t skip this step. 🙂
Make it your own!
This recipe is all about the curry sauce, so it’s really versatile in terms of what you can put in it, as well as extra add ins. Here are some options:
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Other proteins or vegetarian – make this with beef, lamb, pork, turkey, shrimp/prawns, fish or vegetarian. See directions in the recipe notes;
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Make it SPICY! This is not a spicy curry. So to add heat, either use HOT curry powder, or add cayenne pepper or ground chilli powder;
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Make it richer – use coconut cream instead of milk. Or use more coconut milk and simmer to reduce for longer; and
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Add tomato paste to thicken the sauce a touch and make the sauce a darker colour. Use about 1.5 tbsp.
Try this curry with a side of Green Bean Salad, my friend JP’s famous Iceberg Lettuce salad, or this no-mayo Cabbage Salad.
Serve it over rice, or even mashed potato or noodles. Basically anything that can be doused with that coconut curry sauce! ~ Nagi x
More cosy Chicken recipes
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Slow Cooked Chicken Stew and a faster Chicken Stew (Casserole) – on the table in under an hour!
The Curry collection
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Thai Red Curry or Green Curry – quick 30 minutes, or from scratch
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Massaman Curry and Beef Rendang – two of the most iconic curries in the world
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Biryani – the BEST chicken and rice in the world
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Dal – Indian lentil curry
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Goan Fish Curry – an authentic, spicy fish curry with coconut from the south of India
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Indian Coconut Curry sauce – A stronger, more heavily spiced coconut curry sauce than this recipe
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View all Curry recipes
Watch how to make it
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Easy Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp ginger , grated
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 500g / 1lb chicken thighs, sliced (Note 1)
- 2.5 tbsp curry powder (Note 2)
- 270 ml / 1.25 cups coconut milk , full fat (9 oz) (Note 3)
- 1.5 cups (375 ml) chicken stock low sodium
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro leaves , chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic, ginger and onion for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add chicken and cook until it it changes from pink to white.
- Add curry powder and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir, lower heat to medium and cook, simmering rapidly, for 10 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens.
- Add peas and salt. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then taste to see if it needs more salt. Garnish with coriander.
- Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potato!
Recipe Notes:
- Chicken breast - sprinkle with 2 tsp extra curry powder plus pinch of salt and pepper. Sear first in a bit of oil then remove (no need to cook through). Follow recipe - fry off curry with just the onion. Add breast back in towards end of sauce simmering, just to finish cooking.
- Shrimp/prawns or fish pieces - as above with breast.
- Other proteins (beef, turkey, lamb, pork) - use a quick cooking cut that's tender and juicy, slice or dice. Follow chicken breast steps.
- Vegetables - add into sauce based on cooking time.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I forgot to share this when I published Gozleme! (Turkish stuffed flatbreads) I took them down to Jeff, a local who lives down at the dog park and he gave them a big thumbs up.
And there’s Dozer. Being shameless!!!
Jenn Ramirez says
Wow! I usually have to really change up a recipe to make it great. This was fantastic. I wanted to lick the bowl. I’m going to serve this for an upcoming dinner with family.
I did add a bit of turmeric to add a bit of extra depth. I also added cauliflower and zucchini. Served it with a coconut rice.
This is definitely going on our dinner rotation.
Nagi says
Sounds perfect Jenn, I’m so happy you love it! N x
Gillian Davidson says
When we feel like curry in a hurry this is my go to. My family loves to eat it and I love to cook it because it is quick, easy and packed with flavour.
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Gillian!! N x
Rebekah Rush says
Hi Everyone
Made this one for my fam (which including Max our Golden Retriever) and they loved it. My son is just learning to cook so will add this to his folder.
Thanks for the inspiration and the list of easy ingredients that make something delicious. Bex – The learner 🙂
Keep safe xoxoxo
Tony says
Thanks – very helpful.
Ai Thi brake says
I love this recipe so much! Very simple and so delicious. I added Batata, zucchini and carrots instead of peas, it turned out amazing. My family loves it and will be adding it to our dinner rotation! Thank you
Nagi says
YUM! Sounds delicious Ai! N x
Richard says
Thank you, great recipe, easy to do. I am using chicken wings and will garnish with spring onion and red chilli finely sliced, to be served on a bed of rice, with pappadams and yoghurt (for heat control!) Richard
Nagi says
YUM!!!! N x
Jennifer Bridge says
Hi Nagi – love your recipes. Could you please tell me what sought/brand of skillet you use in this recipe.
Regards
Jen
Nagi says
Hi Jennifer – this is a cast iron skillet here 🙂 N x
Carmela says
Love this recipe, and love Indian food, but when I see coconut milk or cream in a recipe, I usually don’t make it. I am fully confused with the coconut milk options. What is coconut milk and what is coconut cream? Do I use the whole can for coconut milk and the fat that sits on top when refrigerated for coconut cream?
Thank you! I love your recipes and made a lot of them.
Nagi says
Hi Carmela, cream has a higher fat content (just like regular cream and milk) two different cans – they will be labelled as such. When using either they tend to separate if sitting around. Shake the can/container and add the whole contents. N x
Carmela says
Thank you! I did not know about the different fat content.
Sasha says
Another winner Nagi!! I think your site is my most visited website 🙊 Had a leftover potato so added this at the same time as the chicken. So easy and delish. Thanks!!
Nagi says
I LOVE hearing this Sasha, thanks so much!! N x
Nicola Hopkinson says
I make this a lot and it’s a firm family favourite! Can’t fault it!
Nagi says
Great to hear Nicola!! N x
Miri says
Sorry Nagi, My partner made this tonight and it didnt tick any boxes for me. Found it bland. He also doubled the recipe. Just not the curries we make and love I guess.
Nagi says
Hi Miri, sorry you found it bland, I stand by my recipes having bold flavours – was the recipe followed exactly? N x
Jeroen Nieuwenhuisen says
First time one of your recipes failed me…
I did not get the creaminess I see in your video. I even used about 80 millileters less stock. In the end I tried adding milk but that didnt do much either. I remeber this recipe being different… Did it change?
Nagi says
Hi Jeroen, not sure where it’s gone wrong for you sorry! Did ou make any other changes to the recipe? N x
Mandy Benson says
Hi Nagi & Dozer,
Can the easy chicken curry be frozen, im trying to get meals frozen for my husband as we work different shifts,and i want to take meals out of the freezer that we can easily reheat ,have already got a freezer full of doner kebab meat… yum yum
Carmen says
Hello Nagi & Dozer,
Easy chicken curry is super delicious 😋Simple and heavenly!
Happy Easter from the tiny island of Malta 🇲🇹
Gina says
Is there any substitute for coconut milk/cream? I have none in the house and would rather not go out to get any if possible.
Nagi says
Hi Gina, you can use cream, it just wont have that coconut flavour 🙂 N x
Adrian says
I can never print your recipes, why???????????????????????
Nagi says
Hi Adrian, click the “print” button in the recipe card and a new browser tab will open with a printable version of the recipe – N x
Carla says
I could only find unsweetened coconut milk. Will that work?
Nagi says
Hi Carla, yes the recipe uses unsweetened 🙂 N x
Cathleen says
What can I do if I don’t have coconut milk? Can I substitute regular milk or something else?
Nagi says
Hi Cathleen, it wont be quite the same but cream would be the best substitute 🙂 N x
Bertha Greyling says
Being in lockdown I traching my 11 year old twin boys to cook. This recipe was one twin’s firts dinner. Wow, what a success!! Thank you!!!
Kelsey says
Hey Nagi, love your recipes and use them relentlessly! Just wondering if this could be slow cooked at all? I love the concept but I am short on time right at the pointy end of dinner time and prefer to have stuff bubbling away for my husband to dish up while I’m working 🙂
Nagi says
Woah that’s awesome Bertha!!
Phil says
Hello you..
Definitely out the park 😀
I made my own curry powder from Hari Ghotra absolutely first class!..give it a whirl 👍I omitted the chicken and added cooked prawns at the end just to warm through.. Topped with coriander.
Nagi..? Stunning!!
I bought the India cookbook by Pushpesh Pant last week..I’ve STILL not cooked anything from it..
Definitely, nobody has a patch on you x
Nagi says
Oh shucks! That’s such great feedback – thanks so much Phil! N x