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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.

chicken curry recipe

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.

chicken curry recipe

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.

chicken curry recipe

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

chicken curry recipe

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.

chicken curry recipe

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.

chicken curry recipe

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.

chicken curry recipe

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

chicken curry recipe

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 //

Can I use garam masala instead of tikka masala?

Absolutely! The spice I had on hand was a tikka masala blend, but garam masala is a delicious spice that will do the trick.

Is this curry spicy?

Not at all. The spices themselves add a touch of heat, but it’s by no means spicy. You could add some chilis or peppers at the end if you want to spice things up a bit.

Can I add vegetables to this curry?

Why not? Feel free to chuck in some carrots, celery, or any other vegetables you like when you’re cooking the onion. It’s a great way to get more veggies into your diet. You could also skip the chicken and make it vegetarian with your favorite meat-free ingredients.

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.

chicken curry recipe

Easy Indian Chicken Curry

Yield: serves 4 to 6
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 40 minutes

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.

Ingredients

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

Instructions

  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.
  2. Melt the coconut oil over medium high heat. Add the red onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  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.
  4. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
  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.
  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.
  7. Stir in the chicken stock and simmer for another 10 minutes.
  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.
  9. Add the heavy cream to the pan and simmer for about 5 minutes.
  10. Serve the chicken curry over rice. Serve with chopped cashews, chopped cilantro, and toasted coconut for garnish.

Notes

Add some naan bread to your shopping list for a truly authentic curry meal.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 426Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 3gSugar: 10gProtein: 24g

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Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Ashok

Wednesday 30th of September 2020

Thanks Guys, Your Recipe Was Too Fantastic. Me and My Family Loved it. I Will definitely Share your Rrecipe with my friends.

Bree Hester

Wednesday 14th of October 2020

I am so glad!!

Darryl

Monday 30th of March 2015

I made this last night and it was excellent. The only change I made was to add some garlic and a few curry leaves at the beginning (the part with the onions and tomatoes and spices). Other than that, I did exactly as written, and it was fantastic. Nice recipe.

bakedbree

Wednesday 1st of April 2015

I'm glad that you liked it so much!

Little Cooking Tips

Friday 9th of May 2014

We were looking for a good chicken curry recipe, and yours hit the spot! Thank you, we loved your recipe and photos!

bakedbree

Monday 12th of May 2014

Thank you! I am glad that you enjoyed it.

Lauren

Friday 8th of March 2013

Very good but not really my version of easy. It was nice to enjoy indian food for a change and the curry powder, & spices in this one made it real comfort food. I made a few substitutions including using sour cream instead of heavy cream, a blend of different seasonings in place of the tikka masala and beef broth instead of chicken because that was all I had on hand. The grocery store was out of stock of cilantro so I used fresh parsley instead along with a dash of lime juice.

bakedbree

Thursday 14th of March 2013

Glad you liked it.

Nazia Hyder

Thursday 7th of February 2013

Let me tell you,you have great photography skills,your curry does look really good,will definitely try it out. I love chicken curry myself & make it quite often. You should try getting the Tikka masala at any Indian/Pakistani store,they'll have a huge variety.

bakedbree

Sunday 10th of February 2013

thank you! I have Indian stores here since we have moved, that is a great idea to find spices.

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