This chicken curry recipe is creamy, mildly spiced and comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve it over bed of rice or with naan. Slop up the sensational sauce with naan – food heaven!
Step 1 : Heat oil in a skillet. Fry onion until translucent.
Step 2 : Add bay leaf, minced ginger and garlic. Saute, cook for couple of minutes until the raw smell of garlic and ginger is gone.
Step 3 : Add chicken thighs cut into cubes. Cook in the pan for 2 minutes.
Step 4 : Add curry powder and salt to taste. Cook for 2 minutes.Pro – Tip : Important step : Cook curry powder in the pan for few minutes, before you add liquids. This will make all flavors come through.
Step 5 : Once curry powder is fragrant, pour chicken stock. You can use any broth or stock or just water to cook chicken. Simmer and cook chicken for 10 to 12 minutes.Note : We do not add coconut milk at this stage. There are chances of coconut milk getting curdled and split when heated for long. If the consistency of coconut milk is thick, it will definitely split and curdle while cooking. I ALWAYS add coconut milk in the last stage, once chicken is cooked through.
Step 6 : Once chicken is cooked through, add frozen peas and cook for a minute or two. Adding peas is optional step.
Step 7 : Reduce heat to lowest temperature, pour coconut milk. For thicker consistency use coconut cream.Stir and let it remain on heat for a minute.
Step 8 : Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle coriander leaves or cilantro.
Step 9 : Serve hot immediately over a bed of rice or with naan.
Video
Notes
For tender juicy chicken, use chicken thighs.
Use trusted brand curry powder. You curry chicken is only as good as your curry powder.
Your curry will be brown, reddish or slightly yellowish depending on the curry powder you use. I used homemade curry powder, which gives reddish color.
For creamier texture, blend onions along with ginger and garlic into a paste (without adding water) and saute paste for 5 to 7 minutes until oil separated from the sides of the pan.
You can also use coconut cream instead of coconut milk for creamier, rich, thick sauce curry.
Fry curry powder in the skillet for few minutes to bring out all it’s flavors before you add in liquid to cook chicken. It’s important to build in layers of flavors by cooking/sautéing one ingredient at a time, instead of dumping in all in one go. Giving time for each ingredient to cook will release it’s flavors and adds to the taste of the curry.
Add coconut milk in the end. If coconut milk/cream is cooked on high heat for long time, it will curdle and form lumps. Adding in the end will prevent that.
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.