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Recipes » Ingredient » Chicken & Poultry » Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Posted on August 9, 2019 By Chef Billy Parisi

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Stop opening up a jar of imitation curry and learn how to make a delicious homemade authentic chicken curry recipe that comes together in only 1 hour.

curry chicken in tiffin boxed with rice, naan and vegetables

I’ve long wondered what was in a homemade curry and I’m so happy I’ve done the research to find out.  It’s a delicious blend of produce and spices that has tons of health benefits and has the ability to flavor food to another level.  Homemade is much simpler to make then you may have thought, so now you can bring your favorite Indian restaurant right to your kitchen.

What Are the Different Types of Curry

There are several different types of curry, but the most common ones are red, yellow and green.  Green and yellow stem from Thailand while red originated in India, which is said to be the original.

  • Green curry is said to be the spiciest amongst the 3 curries loaded with spicy green chilies, eggplant, lime leaves, ginger, garlic, basil, and turmeric.  
  • Yellow curry is extremely popular and is often associated with coconut curry since there is coconut cream in it. It is medium in spice and It’s usually served with chicken and vegetables and is obviously heavy on turmeric.
  • Red curry which stems from India is said to be the original curry is mild in spice and loaded with assorted spices and fresh produce for an extremely flavorful taste.

There are other popular ones out there which are Massaman, Panang, Madras, Korma, and Vindaloo amongst others.

What Are the Best Curries

The best curry all lies in the eyes of the beholder.  The flavor profiles of each red, yellow and green are different and have a varying level of spice.  I am a huge fan of yellow and red because they are medium in spice and just so flavorful.

I believe you cannot say you don’t like something until you’ve tried it, so be sure to be adventurous when trying different ones.

large rondeau pot of chicken curry with cilantro

What Is It Made Of

Homemade Indian curry is a blend of spices along with fresh ingredients that forms a paste-like consistency that can be used to flavor meat or vegetables.  A basic recipe includes:

  • Vegetable oil
  • Cardamom pods
  • Cloves
  • Peppercorns
  • Coriander
  • Cinnamon Sticks
  • Red Onions
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin
  • Chili Powder
  • Tomatoes
  • Salt

Yellow and green curry will have differing ingredients then this typical Indian curry.

How to Make Indian Curry

1. Grind or crack fresh whole peppercorns and whole coriander seeds.

2. Heat some cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick pieces cracked peppercorns and coriander seeds in a small amount of oil over low heat.  Doing this will help bring out more flavors from the spices.

3. Add in sliced red onions and caramelize along with the spices, which will take in between 30-40 minutes.  Take the time to do this because the more caramelized the more flavor into your curry.  Also, red onions are most commonly used in Indian cuisine.

4. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for just a few minutes while stirring.  Only use fresh garlic and ginger and be sure to finely mince.

step by step procedures on who to make homemade curry

5. Sprinkle in the turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, and chili powder and mix in completely.

6. Pour in the pureed tomatoes and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until it becomes a paste.  You can roughly chop the tomatoes, finely mince or place in a blender to rough puree, which is what I did.  You can also use canned in the off-peak season.

7. Season with salt and finish with fresh chopped cilantro.  Only finish with cilantro if using right away, if you are storing it then use the cilantro when adding it to something that will be served up immediately after cooking.

Chicken Curry Recipe

  • Once your homemade Indian curry is finished you can store in the refrigerator or freezer or use right away. Chicken curry is incredibly easy to make once the curry is finished.
  • Start by heating up some oil in a sauté pan until lightly smoking. 

step by step procedures on how to make chicken curry

  • Simply add in the cubed chicken and get a quick sear on it and until it is cooked through about 7-9 minutes. CHEF NOTE: The browning of the chicken will help bring about more flavor.
  • Finish the chicken by seasoning with salt and mix in some of the homemade Indian curry.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped

What Do You Eat Chicken Curry With

Chicken curry is commonly served up and eaten with long grain rice and some sort of bread.  In my case, I served it up in a traditional tiffin box along with long grain rice and a blend of carrots, peas, and potatoes that were tossed in butter and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Of course, what would this be without a homemade garlic naan bread?

Recipe Chef Notes + Tips

How to Reheat: To reheat the chicken curry simply place back in a pan and cook over low heat until hot.

How to Store: It will hold in the refrigerator covered up for up to 4 days.  It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months.  Simply pull it out as you need it.

curry chicken in container next to rice and veggies

More Chicken Recipes

  • Authentic Chicken Cacciatore Recipe
  • Chicken Fricassee
  • Chicken Milanese
  • Fried Chicken
  • Smoked Chicken

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

Video

curry chicken in tiffin boxed with rice, naan and vegetables
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Authentic Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

Stop opening up a jar of imitation curry and learn how to make a delicious homemade authentic chicken curry recipe that comes together in only 1 hour.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 5 mins
Course: Main, sauce
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

For the Curry:

  • 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 8-10 cardamom pods
  • 3 broken pieces of cinnamon stick
  • 2 tablespoons cracked coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cloves
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 peeled thinly sliced red onions
  • 8 finely minced garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ tablespoons turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
  • 8 roughly chopped vine-ripe tomatoes or 6 cups roughly pureed
  • sea salt to taste

For the Chicken:

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 pounds of cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • sea salt to taste
  • ¼ cup finely minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Curry: Add the oil to a saucepot over medium-low heat and add in the cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and peppercorns and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to bring out some aromatics and flavor.
  • Next, add in the onions and caramelize until soft and dark brown, about 30 minutes.
  • Next, add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 to 3 minutes just until you smell it.
  • Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cumin and chili powder and cook for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
  • Pour in the tomatoes and stew over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until it becomes thick like a paste. Finish with salt.
  • Chicken: Add the oil to a large frying pan over high heat. Once lightly smoking add in the chicken and cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
  • Season with salt and add in 1 ½ cups of the homemade curry in stir to combine over medium heat.
  • Finish with cilantro and serve with optional cooked long-grain white rice, steamed peas, carrots and potatoes, and naan bread.

Notes

Chef Notes:
  • Cook the spices at the beginning will help bring out more flavors from the spices.
 
  • Take the time to caramelize the onions because the more caramelized the more flavor into your curry. Also, red onions are most commonly used in Indian cuisine.
 
  • You can roughly chop the tomatoes, finely mince or place in a blender to rough puree, which is what I did. You can also use canned in the off-peak season.
 
  • Only finish with cilantro if using right away, if you are storing it then use the cilantro when adding it to something that will be served up immediately after cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 1127mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1579IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg
Indian Chicken Curry Recipe was last modified: March 13th, 2020 by Chef Billy Parisi

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mimi says

    November 11, 2020 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe to kick up our pallet. It was delicious. However, next time I’m using ground cinnamon and clove. I used whole cloves because one Tablespoon of ground seemed like a lot. And I brock up cinnamon sticks. In the end, everytime I bit into a clove, my tongue went numb. I’ll probably dry roast the spices because they burned when the onions cooked down and were bitter. But the dish was delicious! My husband loved it. Will definetely try again with the above mention changes. Thanks

    Reply
  2. L says

    October 13, 2020 at 1:21 am

    Hi Billy
    Can we use Kashmiri chilli or regular chili powder we use to make chilli.
    Kashmiri is deadly, Ive got tons of that and some of the other stuff
    Please let me know
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      October 13, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      yes you can.

      Reply
  3. Adam Lott says

    July 08, 2020 at 7:47 am

    5 stars
    I’ve noticed a lot of curry recipes use garam masala. What is your take on that? Is there a specific reason why you didn’t include that in this recipe? Do the spices that you toast at the beginning act as a substitute for garam masala? Thanks!

    Reply
  4. April says

    June 29, 2020 at 6:59 pm

    Is it chili powder as in what we put in American chili or chili powder as in something like cayenne ?

    Reply
    • Chef Billy Parisi says

      June 29, 2020 at 8:18 pm

      American chili powder, which is a blend of dried chiles that are ground up.

      Reply
  5. Julia Frey says

    August 09, 2019 at 9:45 am

    5 stars
    Indian curries could be so intimidating to make at home but your videos are so helpful to overcome that fear. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
  6. Kristyn says

    August 09, 2019 at 9:30 am

    5 stars
    This dish is so tasty! I love it! Love chicken curry.

    Reply
  7. Suzy says

    August 09, 2019 at 9:00 am

    5 stars
    I have many curry dishes in my time but this is hands down the best! The flavor is delicious!

    Reply
  8. Jen says

    August 09, 2019 at 8:41 am

    5 stars
    I love how you broke down the whole process. So easy to follow without feeling intimidated. Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Katie Wyllie says

    August 09, 2019 at 7:02 am

    5 stars
    So many delicious flavors in one dish! I love adding Jasmine Rice to complete my meal!

    Reply

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ABOUT ME

I’m Billy Parisi and thanks for checking out my site! I’m a culinary school grad that spent 15 years in the restaurant industry as a line cook, sous chef and executive chef. Now I write recipes, take pictures of’em, shoot some video, occasionally hosting on TV, checking out the latest fashion, hangin with my wife and daughter and watching a whole bunch of college sports. Hope you enjoy my twists on classics as well as new innovations! Read More…

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