EASY 30-Minute Chicken Curry

The reason why this EASY 30-minute Chicken Curry recipe is a family favorite, is because it has minimal ingredients yet a bold taste that’s perfect if you’re looking for a different way to have fun preparing chicken. Unlike many other Chicken Curry recipes, this one does not call for a long list of spices and it does not include a blender (another tool to clean up), yet it delivers magnificent taste every single time. Although authentic curry involves a lot of different spices, this Chicken Curry recipe is the closest to authentic that you can get without all of the extra ingredients yet just the right amount of the main ones that make up the distinct curry flavor.

What is Chicken Curry:

Chicken curry is an Indian dish made up of diced cooked chicken drenched in a creamy and rich curry sauce. Curry is a a name for many Indian dishes that use a great variety of herbs and spices. The most commonly used of those herbs and spices in curry are turmeric, cumin, ginger, and coriander along with many more.

What makes my recipe different:

My EASY 30-minute Chicken Curry recipe is super tasty without all of the ingredients that are usually included in other chicken curry recipes. I found that with a combination of just the right herbs and spices, this chicken curry recipe is just as delicious without the extra fuss! In my EASY 30-minute Chicken Curry recipe, the only herbs and spices that I use are the ones that give chicken curry it’s unique flavor, which include; turmeric, ginger, and parsley. I also add onion and garlic, just not in powder form. 

How to make this EASY 30-minute Chicken Curry:

Start with the chicken: Start by dicing the chicken in squares and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to a non stick skillet with a touch of flavorless oil such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil. I cook chicken on medium heat until it is cooked through and slightly brown. If you find that the chicken sticks to the pan, don’t be afraid to drizzle some more oil if needed. This will vary greatly based on the type of skillet you use. Once the chicken is cooked and slightly browned, remove the from heat and place the chicken into a separate bowl. We will add back the chicken to the curry sauce once that is complete.

Making the curry sauce: To the same skillet used to cook the chicken in, add more oil if needed, then add chopped onions. Cook the onions on medium low heat until they are soft and translucent. Once soft, add minced garlic cook for another minute or so. Be careful not to burn the the onions and garlic. Next, add the butter and once the butter has melted, add in the tablespoon of flour and whisk until you get a thick paste. Then, add in the whole milk, turmeric, parsley, ginger, salt and pepper. Let the curry sauce simmer on low heat for about 3 minutes. The mixture will thicken as it simmers and even more so as it cools. Lastly, add in the cooked chicken and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. At this point, you are ready to serve and enjoy the EASY 30-minute Chicken Curry!

Changing the consistency of the sauce:

Whenever you make a creamy sauce, even a slight variation can change in the flour to liquid ratio can alter how thick or think your curry sauce is.

To thin out the sauce: add a splash of milk. Add only one table spoon at a time until your sauce has become thinner.

To thicken the sauce: add 1 teaspoon of flour. This part is a little trickier.  Adding the flour directly in the sauce might make your sauce lumpy from the flour. To ensure a smooth curry sauce, mix in 1 teaspoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl. Once the mixture is completely smooth, add that to the sauce. This sounds counterproductive since you are also adding milk to thicken the sauce, but that is not flour to milk ratio is not enough to make your sauce runny.

Great side dishes to enjoy with chicken curry:

• rice (white or brown)
• veggies
• mashed potatoes
• orzo

Make ahead and reheating instructions: 

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs Canola oil, more if needed
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or whole milk
• 1/2 Tbs Turmeric
• 1/2 Tbs parsley
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet.
2. Dice chicken and season with salt and pepper. Then, add chicken into the skillet and cook chicken until slightly browned, about 10-13 minutes, adding oil if needed.
3. Remove chicken from skillet and place into a bowl. Then, if needed, drizzle oil in skillet then add the onions and minced garlic. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add butter and when the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk until any large clumps of flour are completely dissolved.
5. Add the heavy cream or whole milk and seasonings then mix well. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
6. Add the cooked chicken into the mixture and let it simmer in the curry sauce for about 5 minutes on low heat. The mixture will thicken while it simmers and even more so as it cools.
7. Remove from heat and enjoy warm over white rice or a side of your choice.