Chicken Curry in a Hurry

curry in a large white bowl with rice and flatbread and gold spoon digging in

5 from 9 votes

This quick chicken curry is easy to make and even more delicious to eat. It only takes 30mins to cook, making it perfect for a midweek dinner!

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Cost: £3 / $4

Equipment

Large Frying Pan & Wooden Spoon
Sharp Knife & Chopping Bowl
Small Bowl (to store cooked chicken)

Ingredients

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1.3lb / 600g Boneless Skinless Chicken Thigh, diced into small bite size pieces & preferably close to room temp (see notes)
2 small Onions, peeled & quartered
2 tsp EACH: minced Garlic & Ginger (sub pre chopped for speedy option)
2 tbsp Hot Curry Powder (see notes)
1 tsp EACH: Turmeric, Ground Coriander, Cumin, Paprika
3 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
1x 14oz/400g can of Full Fat Coconut Milk
1x 14oz/400g can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 Chicken OXO/Bouillon Cube
1 handful (approx 2-3tbsp finely diced) Fresh Coriander, (tear with hands for speedy option)
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and add to the oil. Spread out and leave until golden on one side, then flip and fry until golden all around & just about cooked through the centre. Building a golden crust is important to develop flavour. Remove and place in a bowl to one side.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion to the leftover fat. Fry for a couple of minutes until it begins to soften and lightly colour, then add in the ginger & garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer. Add all of the spices and toast for 1 min, then add tomato puree and fry for 1-2 mins.
Pour in the tomatoes then swill out the can with water (just under half the can). Add coconut milk and cooked chicken (with all the resting juices), then add coriander/cilantro, Oxo cube and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Give it a good stir then leave it on a medium simmer for 15 mins, or until the curry starts to thicken. If you have time, keep it on a low simmer for 30 mins to develop the flavours a little more. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper (make sure it's well seasoned to bring out the best in the sauce). Serve with flatbread, rice and extra coriander/cilantro if you have it!

Video

Notes

a) Chicken - I use chicken thigh because it's more fatty and flavoursome than breast, but it does take slightly longer to cook through. If you want to use thigh but still want speed, the smaller the chunks of chicken the quicker it'll cook. In all cases, I recommend bringing the chicken close to room temp if you have the time. Cold chicken straight from the fridge tends to release a lot of moisture and often seizes up more easily.

b) Curry Powder - I find 2 tbsp hot curry powder gives a great heat (medium-hot spice). You can use mild or medium curry powder if you'd prefer. If you go overboard with the spice serve the curry with a dollop of yoghurt to tone down the heat.

c) Flatbreads - I make mine from scratch (so easy!) and do it ahead of time, so they just need reheating when you serve. Check out my Flatbreads for the recipe!

d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4 with no sides and using 1 tbsp veg oil to fry.

Nutrition