Easy Chicken Curry (Printable version)

Comforting, creamy chicken curry with aromatic spices and tangy yogurt. Ready in 45 minutes for weeknight dinners.

# Ingredients list:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 inch ginger, grated
05 - 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
07 - 1/4 cup heavy cream

→ Spices

08 - 2 tablespoons curry powder
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
11 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Other

15 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
16 - 1/2 cup water
17 - Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Heat the oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and golden, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Sprinkle in the curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the chicken and cook for 1 minute to release the spice aromatics.
05 - Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, allowing them to soften and break down.
06 - Lower the heat and stir in the yogurt, mixing well. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - Pour in the water and heavy cream, stirring to combine. Simmer gently for another 5 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is creamy and slightly thickened.
08 - Taste and adjust salt or spices as needed.
09 - Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice or naan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce gets silky and rich without any complicated techniques or hard to find ingredients.
  • It fills the house with the kind of warm, spicy aroma that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to deepen and meld together.
02 -
  • Always lower the heat before adding yogurt or it will split and turn grainy instead of creamy.
  • Let the spices cook for a full minute in the oil before adding liquid so they release their oils and don't taste raw.
  • If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water or broth instead of more cream to keep it from becoming heavy.
03 -
  • Toast your ground spices in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to intensify their flavor and aroma.
  • Use full fat yogurt and cream for the best texture, low fat versions can make the sauce thinner and less satisfying.
  • If you want more heat, add a sliced green chili with the garlic and ginger instead of relying only on chili powder.
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