Easy Indian Chicken Curry

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This Indian chicken curry recipe is simply divine. It is full of flavour 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 thing. The next time I go home, she and I are making it together and there will be copious notes and a Flip for good measure.

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 intimated by the ingredient list, it appears long, but it is easy.

It comes from my new favorite cookbook, Deliciously Organic. I have made quite a few things from it since I bought it (the Thai Steak Salad and Grand Isle Shrimp are so, so, good), but I am not going to share them because I want you to buy the book for yourself.

Indian Chicken Curry Ingredients //

• 3 pounds boneless skinless organic chicken cubed
• 1 cup plain organic yogurt
• 1 teaspoon tikka masala
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Curry Sauce:

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium red onion chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 (28-ounce) can of organic diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon tikka masala
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• jasmine rice or brown rice
• chopped cashews
• toasted coconut
• chopped cilantro

How to Make // The Steps

Step 1: Mix together the yogurt, tikka masala, pepper, and cilantro. Add the chicken 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 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and saute 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 saute 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 small saute 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.

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

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

This might be my new favourite dinner.

Storage Information //

This easy chicken curry recipe is a great way to meal prep ahead of time as it can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days. This recipe makes up for great leftovers to be enjoyed for 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 a 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.

Substitute the Chicken for 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 (India 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 favourite vegetarian protein.