Chicken Curry is a thick, rich, flavorful, and silky smooth Indian dish loaded with bold flavors and tastes. It is usually made with chicken, spices, Indian herbs, and onion-tomato-based curry paste. This Homemade Chicken Curry is one of the best and easy-to-make curries and tastes great with Indian flatbreads such as naan, roti, chapati, and rice dishes such as basmati rice, and white rice for lunch and dinner.
The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make Chicken Curry with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home. I have also shared a detailed video below to make the process visually clear.
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What is Chicken Curry?
Chicken Curry is a rich, thick, and mildly spicy dish, and it is one of the best curry recipes that delivers bursting flavors of Indian spices and herbs. It is usually made with chicken, spice powders, herbs, and thick onion-tomato-based curry paste. This Homemade Chicken Curry is one of the staple food in Indian homes and usually pairs great with basmati rice, biryani, naan, and other flatbreads.
Even though there are different types of chicken curry recipes across the globe, this Indian curry has a uniqueness for its rich and bold flavors. Not only it is unique but it is also a delicious curry with finger-licking and succulent chicken pieces. It makes a perfect and comforting weeknight dinner when you crave something to wake up your taste buds.
In our family, we all love curries, whether it is typical Indian recipes or Asian-based dishes. So I have the habit of making different curries often for them. Whether served with rice or with some simple flatbreads, curries never disappointed me. They are really a perfect winner for a weeknight meal or even for a crowd.
The recipe that I have shared below is a basic chicken curry in which you can feel the fresh flavors of kasoori methi which is popular in north Indian cooking. But there are also curries from the southern part of India, and one such curry that has a hearty and rich flavor is Chicken Chettinad, which you should definitely try with your family.
So without further delay let's dive into our recipe.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this Chicken Curry is basic kitchen spices and fresh produce that you might easily find at your local Indian grocery stores. So let's see what are they below.
For Curry Paste
Following are the ingredients you will need for curry paste.
- Whole Spices - Cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, and fennel seeds for fresh aroma and flavor
- Ginger and Garlic - Helps in removing the raw flavor from the meat and also delivers warm, and earthy flavor notes
- Onion and Tomato - Onion delivers a warm and mild sweetness to your curry and tomato gives a mild tangy flavor
- Oil - You could use any neutral-tasting cooking oil of your choice
For Chicken Curry
Following are the ingredients you will need for Chicken Curry.
- Chicken - I have used chicken breast here, but you can feel free to use bite-sized whole chicken pieces or thighs that are handy for you
- Ginger Garlic Paste - Even though I have added ginger and garlic for making curry paste, I have also added it to saute the chicken
- Spice Powders - Chili Powder, coriander powder, and garam masala powder for heat and flavor
- Herbs - Dried kasoori methi delivers a unique savory, nutty, and enhances the taste of the curry. And Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish the curry
- Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream - Delivers a thick, rich, and silky smooth texture to your dish
For a detailed ingredients list, please check out the recipe card below
How to make Chicken Curry?
The recipe I have shared here is an easy homemade Chicken Curry from Indian cuisine. It is a basic and easy-to-make curry that delivers the best taste and flavor. I have also shared some recipe tips below to achieve the best results.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photos and video, please check out the recipe card below.
Prep Curry Paste
- Saute the Spices - In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add cinnamon stick, bay leaves, fennel seeds, and cloves. Give it a saute until it turns aromatic. Make sure not to burn the spices which make your curry bitter
- Soften the Onion - Now add onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until the onion turns soft
- Saute Tomatoes - Add the tomatoes and saute until it turns mushy
- Transfer - Remove the onion-tomato mixture from the heat and transfer it to a blender jar
- Blend - Blend it to a smooth paste and reserve it for later use (Always allow any hot mixture to cool down to room temperature before starting the blending process)
Prep Chicken Curry
- Saute the onions - In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add onions. Saute until it turns soft
- Add the Spice Powders - Now add the ginger garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Saute until it turns fragrant (always be cautious to avoid burning the spice powders which alters the taste of the curry)
- Coat the Chicken - Once the spices powders are fragrant add the chicken pieces. Give it a good saute until everything coats well on the chicken
- Close and Cook - Close the lid of the pan and allow the chicken to cook for 3 to 5 minutes
- Add Curry Paste - Now open the lid and add the reserved curry paste to the chicken. Give it a good mix
- Adjust the consistency - Add the water and give it a good mix. You can also adjust the water quantity based on how thick or thin you need your curry
- Boil - Allow the mixture to boil for 12 to 15 minutes. Add ¼ cup of coconut milk or heavy cream and give it a good mix. Allow the curry to boil for 3 to 5 minutes. You can also check your salt at this stage and season if needed
- Garnish - Add the crushed Kasoori Methi and give it a mix. Finally, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and remove from heat
Tips
- Curry Paste - Using freshly made curry paste gives the authentic Indian flavor and taste to your chicken curry which makes this dish unique from other curry recipes. So I would recommend not compromising on it
- Spice and Spice Powders - Always make sure to saute the whole spices and spice powders without burning them. If the spices are burnt, then the curry would turn a bitter taste. So I would recommend sauteing them until it turns fragrant without burning. Doing this will help to infuse the fresh flavors of spices into your curry
- Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream - Typically in authentic homemade Indian Chicken Curries, people do not use heavy cream instead coconut milk or curd(plain yogurt). Coconut milk delivers a silky-smooth texture along with a natural mild sweetness. Some also prefer to use curd. If you are planning to use curd then I would recommend whisking or beating the curd before adding it to the curry. Also, bring the curd to room temperature before adding it to the curry. This will help to avoid the curdling process. However, if both the coconut milk or curd is not handy then you can also feel free to use heavy cream in your curry
- Chicken Pieces - Even though I have used chicken breast pieces here, you can also use curry-cut chicken thighs, and bite-size whole chicken pieces according to your preferences
Substitutions
In case some of the ingredients are not handy for you, I have suggested some substitutions below for similar results.
- Coconut Milk - Heavy cream delivers a similar sweetness, richness, and thickness to your curry. Replace the same quantity for desired results
- Water - Even though authentic Indian Chicken curries are made with water, you can also use chicken broth for rich flavor. But make sure to watch your salt quantity, because the broth already has a good amount of salt in it
- Tomato - Even though fresh tomatoes deliver the best taste to your curry, you can also add crushed can tomatoes if that's handy for you. But watch on the salt here as well
- Garam Masala - Any good quality brand of chicken masala powder works fine too
Calories
This Chicken Curry shared here contains 309 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change any of the ingredients. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Storage Suggestions
This Chicken Curry would stay good in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a closed container. You can also store this curry in the freezer for up to a month in a freezer-friendly individual serving bag. Thaw the frozen curry and reheat it in a microwave or stovetop before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Chicken Curry with white rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice, or with biryani dishes like chicken biryani, lamb biryani, or shrimp biryani. You can also serve it along with naan, chapati, roti, or other sides of your choice.
Related Recipes
You can also find similar curry recipes below and more at chicken curry recipes.
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Korma
- Chicken Vindaloo
- Chicken Karahi
- Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
- Thai Green Curry
- Panang Curry
- Rogan Josh (Lamb Curry)
- Egg Curry
- Fish Curry
More veg curry recipes.
Chicken Curry Recipe Video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Chicken Curry Recipe below that I hope will help you make Indian-style curry at home. You could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Curry
Ingredients
For making Curry Paste
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 2 Tomato, chopped
- 1 small Cinnamon Stick
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Ginger, chopped
- 1 tbsp Oil
For Chicken Curry
- 1.75 lb Chicken Breast, you can also use bone-in chicken pieces
- ½ cup Onion, chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
- 3 tbsp Coriander Powder
- ¾ tsp Garam Masala
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Kasoori Methi, crushed
- ¼ cup Coconut Milk, or heavy cream
- Salt, as needed
- 1½ tbsp Oil
- 1½ cup Water
- Coriander Leaves, to garnish
Instructions
To make Curry Paste
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add cinnamon stick, bay leaves, fennel seeds, and cloves. Give it a saute until it turns aromatic. Make sure not to burn the spices which make your curry bitter
- Now add onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until the onion turns soft
- Add the tomatoes and saute until it turns mushy
- Remove the onion-tomato mixture from the heat and transfer it to a blender jar
- Blend it to a smooth paste and reserve it for later use (Always allow any hot mixture to cool down to room temperature before starting the blending process)
To make Chicken Curry
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add onions. Saute until it turns soft
- Now add the ginger garlic paste, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Saute until it turns fragrant (always be cautious to avoid burning the spice powders which alters the taste of the curry)
- Once the spices powders are fragrant add the chicken pieces. Give it a good saute until everything coats well on the chicken
- Close the lid of the pan and allow the chicken to cook for 3 to 5 minutes
- Now open the lid and add the reserved curry paste to the chicken. Give it a good mix. Add the water and give it a good mix
- Add the water and give it a good mix. You can also adjust the water quantity based on how thick or thin you need your curry
- Close the lid and allow the mixture to boil for 12 to 15 minutes
- Open the lid and add ¼ cup of coconut milk or heavy cream and give it a good mix. Allow the curry to boil for 3 to 5 minutes. You can also check your salt at this stage and season if needed
- Add the crushed Kasoori Methi and give it a mix. Finally, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and remove from heat
To Serve
- Serve this Chicken Curry with white rice, basmati rice, and jasmine rice, or with biryani dishes like chicken biryani, lamb biryani, or shrimp biryani. You can also serve it along with naan, chapati, roti, or other sides of your choice
Video
Notes
- Curry Paste - Using freshly made curry paste gives the authentic Indian flavor and taste to your chicken curry which makes this dish unique from other curry recipes. So I would recommend not compromising on it
- Spice and spice powders - Always make sure to saute the whole spices and spice powders without burning them. If the spices are burnt, then the curry would turn a bitter taste. So I would recommend sauteing them until it turns fragrant without burning. Doing this will help to infuse the fresh flavors of spices into your curry
- Coconut Milk or Heavy Cream - Typically in authentic homemade Indian Chicken Curries, people do not use heavy cream instead coconut milk or curd(plain yogurt). Coconut milk delivers a silky-smooth texture along with a natural mild sweetness. Some also prefer to use curd. If you are planning to use curd then I would recommend whisking or beating the curd before adding it to the curry. Also, bring the curd to room temperature before adding it to the curry. This will help to avoid the curdling process. However, if both the coconut milk or curd is not handy then you can feel free to use heavy cream in your curry
- Chicken Pieces - Even though I have used chicken breast pieces here, you can also use curry-cut chicken thighs, and bite-size whole chicken pieces according to your preferences.
Nutrition
FAQ
Chicken Curry is a rich, thick, and mildly spicy dish with bursting flavors of Indian spices and herbs. It is usually made with chicken, spice powders, herbs, and thick onion-tomato-based curry paste. This Homemade Chicken Curry is one of the staple food in Indian homes and usually pairs great with basmati rice, biryani, naan, and other flatbreads.
Yes, you can use heavy cream instead of coconut milk for similar results.
Even though I have used chicken breast pieces here, you can also use curry-cut chicken thighs, and bite-size whole chicken pieces according to your preferences
Serve this Chicken Curry with white rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice, or with biryani dishes like chicken biryani, lamb biryani, or shrimp biryani. You can also serve it along with naan, chapati, roti, or other sides of your choice.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe I shared here and I would love to hear from you about how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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