Easy Chicken Curry Recipe

easy curry recipe placed on rice with roti in the background

4.83 from 52 votes

I’ve found a hack to making the most delicious Indian Chicken Curry in just 30 minutes! I love this recipe because it has all those warm spicy Indian flavors, but there are only two spice blends called for (yellow curry and garam masala). The curry sauce has a great depth of flavor, and it’s so easy to make. Perfect for a weeknight!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Karen

Ingredients

2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 & 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
1 & 1/2 pounds chicken breast chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 13-ounce can coconut milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon garlic smashed and minced
1 tablespoon ginger peeled and then minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about half a lemon
1 cup chicken broth*
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

In a large saute 12-inch skillet, toast the spices in a dry pan. This 2 minute process wakes up their flavor so much! Add 2 tablespoons curry powder, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garam masala, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dry pan and set over medium heat. Let toast for 1-2 minutes, keeping a careful eye on it. Don't walk away and let it burn. Continually stir the dry spices so they don't scorch. After about 90-120 seconds, remove from heat and scrape into a small bowl.
Chop 1 and 1/2 pounds chicken breast into bite size chunks, 1-2 inch pieces. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the raw chicken pieces to a medium bowl.
Sprinkle the chicken in the bowl with HALF of the toasted spices. Stir to mix it together and get all the chicken coated.
Open the can of coconut milk and dump it on the chicken. We're going to let it marinate for a hot minute while we chop our veggies.
Chop the onion and jalapeno. Make sure you get all the seeds and membranes out of the jalapeno unless you like it really spicy!
Smash, peel, and mince the garlic, you will need 3-4 cloves to get 1 tablespoon. (Or you can use the jarred garlic if you're in a rush) Peel the ginger with a spoon (it's the best way!) and mince up 1 tablespoon (save the rest of your ginger in the freezer for next time!)
Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the same large skillet from before. Set over medium high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the chopped onion and jalapeno. Add all the remaining toasted spices to the onions. Let saute for 4-6 minutes, until the onions are translucent. If the spices are starting to stick to the pan, add a little more oil.
Add the minced garlic and ginger and saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let it brown, turn down the heat if necessary, or add a bit more oil.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the pan (about half a lemon).
Add the coconut milk and chicken to the pan. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir. Turn the heat back up to medium high if you moved it down.
Let the mixture come to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer over medium low heat. Make sure there is a slow bubble happening.
In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir it together until there are no lumps (add a bit more cold water if necessary). Add the cornstarch slurry to the chicken curry and stir.
Let the curry simmer on the lowest heat you can while still maintaining a slow bubble. The curry is done when the chicken is cooked through, it should take about 5-8 minutes depending on how large your chicken pieces are. Test the chicken by splitting a piece with your wooden spoon to see if it's cooked. Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat immediately so that it doesn't get overcooked and tough.
Chop about 1/2 cup of cilantro and stir into the curry.
Serve hot with Jasmine rice or Basmati rice, Homemade Naan, or Buttery Roti!

Notes

*I used 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. I love that stuff. So easy to keep on hand in the fridge.

Nutrition