Simple CURRY CHICKEN
CURRY CHICKEN is a spicy and delicious dish typical of Indian cuisine made with chicken breast chunks, spices, and coconut milk stewed in a saucepan.
A real treat that allows you to enjoy chicken in a different way than usual, usually accompanied by basmati rice to become a complete dish.
The recipe I propose today is for simple CURRY CHICKEN, a variant of what we are used to preparing, but actually, the classic Indian recipe, much more aromatic, fragrant, spicy, and flavorful, which unlike what you might think, is very quick.
This version was, so to speak, gifted to me by Nisha, a sweet Indian girl I met who honored me by coming directly to my house to prepare it for me, showing me the procedure in detail: an easy and quick preparation that can be reproduced at home without difficulty!
Nisha’s simple CURRY CHICKEN recipe involves the use of other spices, besides curry, such as red chili powder, turmeric, ground coriander, and fresh ginger, as well as the addition of peeled tomatoes, coconut milk, and potatoes: an important, fragrant, and delicious dish.
The recipe is really simple; you just need to get all the spices, which you can find in oriental or organic shops, large supermarket chains, or online, and you will achieve the real intense-flavored Indian curry sauce. If you can’t find all the spices, don’t worry, and choose a high-quality Indian curry, available in both spicy and milder versions.
Then the real secret to achieving perfect and tender curry chicken is gentle and not excessive cooking and the addition of coconut milk, which will give the right creaminess to the dish.
Perfect both as a main course and as a complete dish accompanied by simply steamed basmati rice or with Naan Bread, just like Indian tradition, suitable for all occasions from a dinner with friends to a family evening.
If you like spicy dishes, you might also like these recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Energy 274.21 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.96 (g) of which sugars 3.67 (g)
- Proteins 31.61 (g)
- Fat 11.46 (g) of which saturated 2.06 (g)of which unsaturated 1.20 (g)
- Fibers 3.74 (g)
- Sodium 575.96 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 200 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs chicken breast
- 8 cherry tomatoes
- 2 potatoes (medium size)
- onion (1 medium)
- garlic (1 clove)
- fresh ginger (a small piece)
- 1/2 teaspoon curry (powdered)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 tablespoons coconut milk (or cow milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or paprika)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- coriander (or fresh parsley)
Tools
- Skillet
Steps
First, prepare the ingredients. Then take the chicken breast, cut it into strips, and then reduce it into bites of about 1 inch, all possibly of the same size. Clean the onion and slice it thinly; peel the ginger and grate it with a small-hole grater; also grate the garlic and add it to the fresh ginger. Rinse the cherry tomatoes under water and cut them into wedges. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes of about 3/4 inch.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of grated ginger and garlic. Next, add the onion, let it slightly brown, then add the cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring for about 2-3 minutes. At this point, add the cut chicken and stir. After 2 minutes, add the spices: curry, turmeric, coriander, and chili, continuing to stir.
Let it season and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Finally, add the potatoes to the skillet, cover with a lid, lower the heat, and let cook for another 10/12 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Check them with a fork. Taste, adjust the salt, and add the coconut milk. Stir and in a few seconds, you will have a creamy and enveloping sauce that is not too liquid.
Serve your Curry Chicken hot, with a sprinkle of fresh coriander or parsley, accompanied by basmati rice.
NOTES
If you want to increase the creaminess of the dish, sauté the chicken in a generous knob of butter. Alternatively, you can mix the curry with a little fresh liquid cream or some tablespoons of Greek yogurt instead of coconut milk for a smoother result.
There are different schools of thought regarding when to add curry and other spices during the preparation to enhance the chicken’s flavor. Some marinate the chicken in the spice mix before cooking, while others add them, like in our case, during cooking. In reality, there is no right or wrong version, the important thing is to dose the spices according to our tastes: try different versions starting from the basic recipe, adding or decreasing quantities to find the mix suitable for our palate.
The ideal accompaniment for simple CURRY CHICKEN is steamed basmati rice, a very fragrant variety with long and thin grains that goes perfectly with this preparation.
STORAGE
Once ready, simple CURRY CHICKEN can be stored, closed in a container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Before consuming, I recommend heating it in a skillet with 1 – 2 tablespoons of cow milk.
