This easy mild quick chicken curry is so fast to make, adaptable, and can be on the table in about 30 minutes. A perfect mid week dinner, ready before takeout would arrive! Perfect for batch cooking and filling the freezer.
Quick chicken curry
This easy chicken curry with lots of thick luscious sauce is just the thing for when you are craving curry in a hurry, and don’t want to fuss in the kitchen, and don’t want to order in.
In the UK we love to eat curry; British Indian food is a style of cooking, that does not claim to be authentic but it is well loved and ever popular.
I’ve got lots of curry recipes on the site, but sometimes a good old fashioned generic British curry with no pretensions is what is needed.
More curry house classics!
- Chicken Madras – Tender chicken, tomatoes, chillies and spices in a rich smooth sauce.
- A mild and creamy one pot with chicken in a creamy sauce thickened with almonds – chicken pasanda.
- Chicken jalfrezi has a rich tomato based sauce packed with spices, chilis, peppers, and onions.
My easy chicken curry is made from everyday curry powder and a few spices that you will have in the cupboard as well as canned tomatoes and coconut milk from the pantry.
There’s no need for prepared ahead pastes or base sauces that need to be kept in the fridge, or to marinade the chicken ahead of cooking.
Although I cook for two I will always make a big batch of curry (cook once and eat twice or more) – most curries are better for having been allowed to rest (or had a spell in the freezer), and with this recipe there are no perishable leftover ingredients!
Why make easy chicken curry
- It is quick, easy and delicious – curry on the table in about half an hour!
- It is adaptable – use the spices you have – make as hot or mild as you want
- No ultra-processed ingredients either!
- It’s far less fatty then restaurant take away dishes
- There’s no need to make a base sauce in advance,
- It’s great for batch cooking and for feeding a crowd or filling the freezer.
- Also, batch cooking means there are no half cans of left-over ingredients taking fridge space.
Easy chicken curry ingredients
- Chicken – Thighs are always my first choice when making a curry or stew with small pieces of chicken. They have more flavour and more fat, so they will not dry out when cooking. They are also cheaper than chicken breast.
This recipe uses filleted thighs. You can either buy them ready filleted, or remove the skin and bone yourself. Pop both into a bag the freezer for the next time you make chicken stock. . - Onions – A single large brown onion or a handful of shallots.
- Curry Powder – I used a medium curry powder which is not just for curries. Amongst other recipes I use it in Coronation chicken, and parsnip soup.
- Spices – turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika for extra favour and aromatics – don’t worry if you don’t have all of these, just add a little more curry powder. If you want a hotter curry use a chilli powder rather than the paprika.
- Garlic and ginger pastes – or a combined one. If you don’t have these use a few cloves of garlic and a piece of fresh ginger root (leftover fresh ginger is best stored in a tub in the freezer).
Prepared garlic and ginger paste
This is central to easy Indian cooking at home, and a massive time saver.There are large jars available at my local Asian convenience store and it will keep well in the fridge. Depending on the shop you can buy a jar of mixed ginger and garlic, or individual jars of just the one ingredient.
If you don’t cook spicy food on a regular basis portion what’s left into an ice cube tray (I have a dedicated food ice cube tray), freeze and then pop out into a plastic bag or airtight container to store.
- Canned tomatoes – I buy mid-range, mid-priced tinned tomatoes. You don’t need the most expensive, but avoid the cheapest budget range. Mid priced supermarket own brand is perfect here. For a super smooth sauce you can use passata, but I find that the canned tomatoes break down absolutely fine.
- Coconut Milk – a can of coconut milk, or small can of coconut cream. (Read my guide to coconut milk)
- Stock – a regular chicken stock cube
- Ghee (or oil) not shown – I increasingly use homemade ghee for frying almost anything. A jar will last for ages in the fridge, it adds a lovely nutty toasty flavour. If you don’t have ghee any flavourless oil will also work.
How to make quick chicken curry – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this easy chicken curry recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Melt the ghee, or add the oil to a deep frying pan, skillet or casserole, add the chicken and fry over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until it has some colour.
While the chicken is cooking peel and dice the onion.
Cooking pan – one that is 22-25cm / 9″-10″ is ideal, non stick helps but is not essential.
Step Two – Remove the chicken from the pan, add the onion and fry for a few minutes until it starts to get some colour and is fragrant.
Add the garlic and ginger paste, curry powder and spices. Stir and cook for another minute or so.
Step Three – Return the chicken to the pan, add the canned tomatoes and coconut milk.
Rinse out the tomato can with the stock and add to the pan.
Give everything a good stir.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, or use a splatter guard to allow the steam to escape and the curry to reduce, whilst not making too much of a mess of your stove top.
Let the curry cook for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is reduced and thickened.
Step Four – Taste and check the seasoning and thicken if necessary.
Mix teaspoonful or two of cornflour/cornstarch in a small bowl with the same volume of sauce from the curry to form a “slurry”, before stirring it back into the curry until it thickens.
If thickening with cornflour always make the paste / slurry in a separate bowl never add the cornflour directly to the hot curry – you will never get the lumps out.
- Read more in my ultimate guide on how to thicken with cornflour.
Serving suggestion
Ideally garnish the dish before serving with some thinly sliced chillis and coriander leaves.
Serve the chicken curry with traditional British Indian restaurant side dishes, such as pilau rice or turmeric rice. Flatbreads such as rotis, parathas or naan are other options. A bowl of creamy home made raita helps reduce the heat!
Variations
- Use leftover roast chicken – fry the onions and spices, and then add the cooked chicken along with the canned tomatoes, coconut milk and stock.
- Add extra vegetables – you can make this curry go far further buy adding some extra vegetables, or pulses.
Fry sliced peppers or mushrooms along with the onions, add a bag of spinach at the end of cooking (add on top of the curry, pop the lid on and leave to wilt for a minute, stir in and repeat if needed).
Or add a can of any type of bean or pulse – rinse and add – chickpeas would work very well.
- Adjust the spicing and heat to taste. swap the curry powder for a hotter blend, or add some chilli powder along with the other spices
Storage
This quick chicken curry, like most curries, is far better when made in advance and allowed to rest. Then reheat before serving. This gives more time for the flavours to infuse into the meat, and for everything to meld and soften.
Fridge – Allow to cool, and as soon as it is room temperature pack into an airtight container and place in the fridge. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Cool and pack into an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge or on the worktop before reheating.
Reheat in a pan on the stove top, or heat in the microwave, making sure it is properly hot all the way through before serving.
Hints and tips
- Take time to fry the chicken then the onions and spices property for maximum flavour.
- Curries lend themselves very well to batch cooking and it is easy to double this recipe up.
I find when doubling you don’t always need to double the liquid, so don’t double the amount of stock that you add.
- I don’t recommend halving this recipe – the spice quantities become fiddly and a smaller batch is more likely to dry out.
The curry freezes and reheats so well it is the perfect dish to cook once and eat twice or more.
FAQs
This is a mild to medium curry, but you can easily adjust the level of spice. For a hotter dish, you can substitute chilli powder instead of paprika and use a hotter curry powder.
Yes, absolutely. You may find you need a little more liquid. The chicken obviously won’t need frying before adding the other ingredients.
I’m increasingly using ghee in lots of my cooking. It’s easy to make at home if you can’t find it locally. I love the rich, slightly nutty flavour. But if you don’t have any, then oil is absolutely fine.
More British Indian restaurant recipes
- My slow cooker beef curry is a tasty and easy recipe that’s ready when you get home
- Chicken bhuna – tender chicken in a rich spiced tomato onion sauce.
- Chicken dhansak is a delicious lentil based curry with sweet and sour notes in a fruity, subtly spiced sauce.
- Explore all my favourite Indian curries
Quick chicken curry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 500 g chicken thighs (1)
- 1 large onion
- 2 tsp ginger paste (2)
- 2 tsp garlic paste (2)
- 1½ tbsp medium curry powder (3)
- 2 tsp paprika (3)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (3)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (3)
- 1 tsp garam masala (3)
- 1 tsp turmeric (3)
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes (4)
- 400 g can coconut milk (5)
- 120 ml (0.50 cups) chicken stock
- 2 tsp cornflour (optional to thicken)
- 1 tbsp butter (optional)
To Serve
- coriander / cilantro
Instructions
- Fry the chicken – Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces, about 2cm / 1 inch. Melt the ghee, or add the oil to a deep frying pan, skillet or casserole, add the chicken and fry over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until it has some colour.Whilst the chicken is cooking peel and dice the onion. Cooking pan – one that is 22-25cm / 9-10 inch is ideal, non stick helps but is not essential.2 tbsp ghee or oil, 500 g chicken thighs
- Fry the onion – Remove the chicken from the pan, add the onion and fry for a few minutes until it start to get some colour and is fragrant.1 large onion
- Add the spices – Add the garlic and ginger paste, curry powder and spices. Stir and cook for another minute or so.2 tsp ginger paste, 2 tsp garlic paste, 1½ tbsp medium curry powder, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric
- Add the remaining ingredients – Return the chicken to the pan, add the canned tomatoes and coconut milk. Rinse out the tomato can with the stock and add to the pan. Give everything a good stir.400 g can chopped tomatoes, 400 g can coconut milk, 120 ml chicken stock
- Cook – Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, or use a splatter guard to allow the steam to escape and the curry to reduce, whilst not making too much of a mess of your stove top. Let the curry cook for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is reduced and thickened.
- Season (& thicken) – Taste and check the seasoning and thicken if necessary by mix teaspoonful or two of cornflour/cornstarch in a small bowl with the same volume of sauce from the curry to form a “slurry”, before stirring it back into the curry until it thickens.2 tsp cornflour (optional to thicken)
- Finish & serve – for a restaurant finish stir through a knob of butter before serving. Garnish the curry before serving with some thinly sliced chillis and coriander leaves.1 tbsp butter (optional), coriander / cilantro
Notes
- Chicken Thighs are always my first choice for chicken pieces. Because they have more fat they have more flavour and are also cheaper than chicken breast. You can also use chicken breast.
- Prepared garlic and ginger paste – This is central to easy Indian cooking at home, and a massive time saver. Depending where you buy you can buy a jar of mixed ginger and garlic, or individual jars of just the one ingredient. Leftovers can be portioned into an ice cube tray and frozen.
If you do not have them then use 3 cloves garlic and a 1 inch piece of ginger root. the rest of the ginger root can be stored in a tub in the freezer. - Spices – the base flavour of this curry is from the curry powder. Add the other spices if you have them. If not add in extra curry powder. For a hotter curry use a hot curry powder and/or some chilli powder.
- Canned tomatoes – you can also use passata. I buy mid-range, mid-priced tinned tomatoes. You don’t need the most expensive, but avoid the cheapest budget range. Mid priced supermarket own brand is perfect here.
- Coconut milk – regular canned coconut milk. you can also use a small can of coconut cream, and add extra stock.
- Use leftover roast chicken – fry the onions and spices, and then add the cooked chicken along with the canned tomatoes, coconut milk and stock.
- Add extra vegetables – you can make this curry go far further buy adding some extra vegetables, or pulses. Fry sliced peppers or mushrooms along with the onions, add a bag of spinach at the end of cooking (add on top of the curry, pop the lid on and leave to wilt for a minute, stir in and repeat if needed). Or add a can of any type of bean or pulse – rinse and add – chickpeas would work very well.
- Adjust the spicing and heat to taste. swap the curry powder for a hotter blend, or add some chilli powder along with the other spices
- Take time to fry the spices and chicken properly, so that they are fragrant and the chicken is thoroughly cooked on the outside and well covered in the spice mixture.
- Curries lend themselves very well to batch cooking and it is easy to double this recipe up, BUT if you do so don’t double the stock.
- I don’t recommend halving this recipe – the spice quantities become fiddly and a smaller batch is more likely to dry out. It freezes and reheats so well it is the perfect dish to cook once and eat twice.
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