Easy Indian Chicken Curry

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This Indian chicken curry recipe is simply divine. It is full of flavor and spices, and tastes absolutely amazing on top of a bowl of jasmine or Basmati Rice.

My mom makes the best chicken curry that I have ever eaten in my life. This is the second-best I have ever eaten. You might be wondering why I am not sharing my mom’s curry recipe. It is because she won’t give me the recipe. It isn’t that she is territorial or anything, it is just that she cannot tell me how she makes it. Just like Nonnie’s meat sauce, it is a feel, smell, and taste kind of thing.

This Indian chicken curry recipe is simply divine. It is so reminiscent of my mom’s. It tastes and smells like hers, even though the way that she makes it is so very different. Please do not be intimidated by the ingredient list, it appears long, but it is incredibly easy.

Why You Will Love This Recipe //

• As daunting as the list of ingredients might seem, this is actually an incredibly easy recipe to make. I’d venture as far as to say you could swing this one midweek, too.
• Make this dish ahead of time for delicious meal prepping.
• The spices and flavors are to die for, and your kitchen will smell incredible all night.
• Indian food can seem tricky at first, especially if you’ve never made it before, but this recipe will change your mind.

Ingredients //

It’s a long list of ingredients, but I promise you, each ingredient adds an incredible flavor to this curry.

The Chicken:

• 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cubed
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp tikka masala
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

The Curry Sauce:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp tikka masala
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve:

• jasmine rice or brown rice
• chopped cashews
• toasted coconut
• chopped cilantro

How to Make Easy Indian Chicken Curry // The Steps

Step 1: Mix together the yogurt, tikka masala, pepper, and cilantro. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate overnight. If you do not have time for that, you can let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step 2: Melt the coconut oil over a medium high heat in a sauté pan. Add the red onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Make a well in the middle of the onions and add the turmeric, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and curry powder. Stir around in the pan for 45 seconds. You will be able to smell the spices.

Step 4: Add the tomatoes to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Step 5: Take the tomato and onion mixture out of the pan and puree using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. Add the puree back to the sauté pan.

Step 6: Drain the chicken from the marinade. Add to the pan. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Step 7: Stir in the chicken stock and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Step 8: Toast the cumin in a separate, small sauté pan for about 30 seconds or until you can smell it. It really brings out the flavor, so it is worth the extra step. Add the cumin, tikka masala, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the pan with the chicken.

Step 9: Add the heavy cream to the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Step 10: Serve the chicken curry over cooked rice. Serve with chopped cashews, chopped cilantro, and toasted coconut for garnish.

A Vegetarian Option //

I understand that some of you might not eat chicken but still love the tikka masala curry. The good thing about this recipe is that you can substitute the chicken for either tofu or paneer (Indian cottage cheese) in the tikka masala sauce and it still turns or delicious. The steps to make this recipe will be exactly the same, but instead of the chicken, you use your favorite vegetarian protein.

Serving Suggestions //

Serve this easy Indian chicken curry for lunch or dinner with a big bowl of rice. Whichever variety of rice you prefer will work well with this dish. You can also serve your curry with warm naan bread, samosas, or make it a feast with more Indian dishes like Indian butter chicken or spiced drumsticks.

FAQs //

How to Store Easy Indian Chicken Curry //

This easy chicken curry recipe is a great way to meal prep ahead of time, as it can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. This recipe makes leftovers into a great hands-off lunch or dinner.

If you cooked up a big pot of this chicken and want to consume it in a few weeks or even a month later, this can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Whenever you wish to eat it, plan a day ahead and remove it from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge the night before. Heat it on the stove or in the microwave and serve it with a bowl of rice.