Simple shouldn’t mean bland – and this Chicken Curry recipe knocks it out of the park! A mild, creamy coconut curry sauce made with just 5 ingredients (from scratch!), it tastes so good for something so quick, you will be amazed.
If you want to go all out, serve this with Soft No-Yeast Flatbreads to slop up the sauce (it’s basically naan, but much easier to make!)
Chicken Curry
Curries are notorious for lengthy ingredient lists to achieve the richly spiced sauces and punchy flavours. And while we’d all love to be able to whip up a from-scratch Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken whenever the craving hits us, it’s simply not viable.
So today, I’m sharing the best SIMPLE chicken curry that I know. This recipe is a Western style curry – it’s not a traditional Indian curry, Thai curry, nor any other cuisine. And here’s why you’re going to love it as much as I do:
(Very) short list of ingredients
Curry powder is the only spice you need
Creamy curry sauce with mild coconut flavour
30 minute recipe – from scratch!
This chicken curry is the perfect way to get your curry fix without being in the kitchen all day!
What you need for Everyday Chicken Curry
Here’s what goes in this Everyday Chicken Curry.
Curry powder – the only spice you need! Any brand is fine here.
Garlic, ginger and onion – fresh aromatics add a flavour boost that makes all the difference with quick curries! It’s the same when making quick Thai Green Curry or Red Curry using store bought paste.
Chicken broth/stock AND coconut milk – for creaminess and flavour. We’re just using 1 cup of coconut milk here – this isn’t intended to be an overly rich, heavy coconut sauce.
Chicken – thighs are best because this curry needs to be simmered for 12 minutes for the flavours to develop. But yes, it can be made with breast – but the steps need tweaking otherwise you’ll complain that the chicken is dry!!
Peas – optional! Try other diced veg!
Coriander/cilantro – lovely freshness and flavour boost. Coriander haters – use chives or green onions instead.
Don’t let the short list of ingredients fool you. The curry sauce tastes SO GOOD!
Curry Powders
These are the curry powders I currently have in my pantry – but I’ve used plenty of other brands in the past. Curry powder is used in all sorts of recipes, not just Indian curries, including:
Satay Chicken Curry – basically it’s chicken satay skewers in curry form, with loads of peanut sauce!
Chickpea Potato Curry – very popular with readers!
How to make it
There’s nothing groundbreaking about how this chicken curry is made. The one key step is to fry off the curry powder. This brightens up the flavour of the spices + creates more golden bits on the base of the pan, and both of these things add more flavour into the curry sauce!
So don’t skip this step. 🙂
Make it your own!
This recipe is all about the curry sauce, so it’s really versatile in terms of what you can put in it, as well as extra add ins. Here are some options:
Other proteins or vegetarian – make this with beef, lamb, pork, turkey, shrimp/prawns, fish or vegetarian. See directions in the recipe notes;
Make it SPICY! This is not a spicy curry. So to add heat, either use HOT curry powder, or add cayenne pepper or ground chilli powder;
Make it richer – use coconut cream instead of milk. Or use more coconut milk and simmer to reduce for longer; and
Add tomato paste to thicken the sauce a touch and make the sauce a darker colour. Use about 1.5 tbsp.
Try this curry with a side of Green Bean Salad, my friend JP’s famous Iceberg Lettuce salad, or this no-mayo Cabbage Salad.
Serve it over rice, or even mashed potato or noodles. Basically anything that can be doused with that coconut curry sauce! ~ Nagi x
More cosy Chicken recipes
Slow Cooked Chicken Stew and a faster Chicken Stew (Casserole) – on the table in under an hour!
The Curry collection
Thai Red Curry or Green Curry – quick 30 minutes, or from scratch
Massaman Curry and Beef Rendang – two of the most iconic curries in the world
Biryani – the BEST chicken and rice in the world
Dal – Indian lentil curry
Goan Fish Curry – an authentic, spicy fish curry with coconut from the south of India
Indian Coconut Curry sauce – A stronger, more heavily spiced coconut curry sauce than this recipe
View all Curry recipes
Watch how to make it
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Easy Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp ginger , grated
- 1/2 onion , finely chopped
- 500g / 1lb chicken thighs, sliced (Note 1)
- 2.5 tbsp curry powder (Note 2)
- 270 ml / 1.25 cups coconut milk , full fat (9 oz) (Note 3)
- 1.5 cups (375 ml) chicken stock low sodium
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro leaves , chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook garlic, ginger and onion for 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add chicken and cook until it it changes from pink to white.
- Add curry powder and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir, lower heat to medium and cook, simmering rapidly, for 10 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens.
- Add peas and salt. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then taste to see if it needs more salt. Garnish with coriander.
- Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potato!
Recipe Notes:
- Chicken breast – sprinkle with 2 tsp extra curry powder plus pinch of salt and pepper. Sear first in a bit of oil then remove (no need to cook through). Follow recipe – fry off curry with just the onion. Add breast back in towards end of sauce simmering, just to finish cooking.
- Shrimp/prawns or fish pieces – as above with breast.
- Other proteins (beef, turkey, lamb, pork) – use a quick cooking cut that’s tender and juicy, slice or dice. Follow chicken breast steps.
- Vegetables – add into sauce based on cooking time.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
I forgot to share this when I published Gozleme! (Turkish stuffed flatbreads) I took them down to Jeff, a local who lives down at the dog park and he gave them a big thumbs up.
And there’s Dozer. Being shameless!!!
Nagi!
Firstly, I use your recipes every week and they’re always amazing. And I mean always!! Including this one.
I can’t access your site right now though, it seems you’ve been hacked! I get redirected to really bad sites. I had this page open from yesterday’s cooking so it doesn’t redirect me.
I need your recipes back!
Hope this is easy to fix. Love your work!
im looking forward into preparing chicken curry with rice it looks nice
Nagi, your recipes are always spoton. And sooooo easy. Thankyou, l loved the everyday chicken curry.
Hello to Dozer.
Thanks so much Bonnie, that’s so nice to hear!
Yet another excellent, simple and reliable recipe from you Nagi. We had this last night and it was yummo!
Adding potatoes in after chicken is white. Is those a good time time to add them? Can’t wait make it later
Yes! Cubed potatoes 🙂 N x
Love both your recipes and pics of Dozer’s adventures. Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Again Nagi, you are amazing. I am trying just about every one of your recipes daily now, when time permits. I truthfully look no further for inspiration or recipes. Yours are all so very easy and immensely tasty.
Before trying this everyday chicken curry, I sent in a request for a Chinese curried chicken/prawn recipe we get here in Australia, obviously westernised as being my family’s favourite and always a request for me to make, to which I can never seem to get near replicating. (I do enjoy and do a reasonable job of cooking, or so I have been told!!) The westernised curried chicken & rice, I don’t believe has coconut milk in it (not that we don’t love coconut milk as we adore it), but I tell you what, I just loved this dish, and again, like so many of your recipes, it was so easy to achieve such huge flavours. I haven’t tried it on the family yet so don’t have their opinions, but for myself, I think I need not look any further. A real keeper. Thanks yet again Nagi
Great recipe. Full of flavour and one of the easiest curries I have ever made.
Woot! Thanks Rosalie!
Wasn’t sure what to have and saw this post…wasn’t sure how it would go as hubby is not a big curry person but his words “Nagi hasn’t disappointed so far” and he was spot on! Thx again, this was delicious, another winner for us.
Wahoo!
Hi Nagi. Just about to make your everyday chicken curry. Can you advise me if you think it would freeze ok please?
PS Cooking your Pad See Ew tonight for the first time. Sure it will be amazing as are all your recipes. I’ll leave comments for it after. Cheers, Robyn
Hi Robyn, yes this should be find to freeze! I hope you love the Pad See Ew – N x
simple and delicious. thank you!
You’re so welcome!!
This was sooo good! Your recipes are always fool proof and so delish
Thanks so much for the awesome feedback ❤️
Easy to make and fantastic to eat
Thanks so much for the feedback Pete!
Kon’nichiwaow Nagi,
Another great curry.
Absolutely first class.I made my own curry powder up and made it that wee bit hotter,superb👍Yip, definitely a keeper.
Thanks again Nagi,
Have a great day.
Phil x
Thanks so much for the great feedback Phil!
I followed the recipe exactly. Loved the flavors but I thimpnk there is too much liquid. Even after 20 minutes of vigorous simmering it was still very watery. Will make again but will reduce chicken broth by half.
Hi Yvonne, I’m sorry you thought there was too much liquid (I do love my curries extra saucy to mop up with flat bread). You can always reduce the stock if you prefer ☺️
Hi Nagi! We make something new from your website every week and tonight we made your easy chicken curry. It was amazing! I want to eat it everyday for the rest of my life!! Except that may cause issues as I’ve got chicken marinading for your doner kebabs tomorrow night which are just as equally amazing!
Woot!!!! Thanks so much for the feedback Nathalie!
Wow, this chicken curry looks delicious. Thanks Nagi for this delicious recipe.
Thanks Marley!
Made the Everyday Chicken Curry and loved it! Added chopped red pepper to add colour. Thanks for another perfect recipe!
So pleased you enjoyed it Linda! N x
Recipe was a super helpful starter for an easy weeknight curry. Stopped by the store on my way home to grab chicken, cilantro, and ginger. Had everything else on hand. I added some additional hot curry to the 2.5tbsp of regular curry, and some cumin, cayenne, and a touch of coriander. Left the cilantro leaves whole and added them in at the end. Definitely let it simmer for a full 20-30 min to get that beautiful glossy rich sauce.
Thanks so much for the recipe and this site!
Oh I love that Steven, you jacked it up and turned it into a serious one!! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
I tried this recipe …….in afternoon and it was easy and delicious. It’s great idea for both lunch and dinner.
So pleased you enjoyed it Chiranshi! N x