Our Favorite Chicken Curry
- PREP 35min
- COOK 30min
- TOTAL 1hrs 5min
This Indian chicken curry recipe is rich, creamy and saucy. Serve it with rice (try coconut rice) or naan bread so that you have something to pick up all of the creamy sauce. We do not recommend substituting the yogurt or cream in this recipe since they add richness and flavor to the sauce.
You Will Need
1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for heat, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon for medium-spicy
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
A 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or use ghee
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons full-fat plain unsweetened yogurt
1 teaspoon Garam Masala, see notes
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped, optional for serving
Directions
Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and add them to a bowl. You can leave the chicken whole if you prefer or if you are using bone-in pieces.
Scatter 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper over the chicken. Toss well and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Make ahead: The chicken can be left to marinate for up to 24 hours; it should be covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Make Curry
Add garlic, ginger, onion, and 1/2 cup of water to a blender or food processor. Blend until mostly smooth. You can also use an immersion blender with a cup attachment.
Heat the oil or ghee in a wide skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Arrange the marinated chicken in the pan in one layer and brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and place the skillet back on the heat.
Add the onion-ginger mixture and cook, stirring often, until all the water evaporates, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric over the onion-ginger mixture and cook for about 20 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook another minute.
Add the yogurt, a tablespoon at a time, stirring it into the sauce before adding any more. Adding the cream slowly prevents it from curdling.
Return the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the pan, along with the remaining 1 cup of water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cover with a lid. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the Garam Masala and cream. Taste the sauce and add the final 1/4 teaspoon of salt if you feel that it is needed (we almost always add it).
Turn the heat back to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with fresh cilantro scattered on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Leftover curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Make-ahead tips: The chicken can be left to marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Bone-in chicken: Use about 3 pounds. There is no need to de-bone or cut the chicken. You can make the chicken with whole chicken pieces and should not need to adjust the recipe since the simmer time should still be enough to cook the chicken until tender.
- Garam Masala: A warm, sweet spice blend that differs regionally and from home to home. The mix typically includes cardamon, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. The Garam Masala is added towards the end of cooking so that the spices perfume every bite. You can buy or make the blend. We especially enjoy this one from The Spice House.
- Ghee: A type of clarified butter popular in Indian cuisine. Butter is cooked until the milk solids separate and turn toasty brown. The butter is then strained. Ghee has a higher smoke point and longer shelf life than regular butter. You can make ghee at home or buy it.
- Recipe inspired by Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe for Malai wali murghi (Chicken with cream)
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.