It’s no secret that I love a curry for a simple and warming weeknight dinner – be it a vegetarian curry with chickpeas and kale or a Thai-style prawn curry. However, this chicken curry may be one of the simplest I’ve ever developed.
A Western-style Indian curry, it doesn’t use coconut milk like many similar styles do and it’s made entirely in one pot. The recipe makes a lot, but it also freezes well, so it’s worth cooking the whole batch even if you’re only feeding a couple of people!
How to Make a Chicken Curry Without Using Coconut Milk
We’ll start by browning the chicken. I like using chicken thighs because they stand up to simmering in the curry better than breasts do.
Add some oil to a large pot or Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and, once the oil is shimmering, add them to the pan. So as not to overcrowd, it’s likely you’ll have to work in batches.
Brown the chicken on one side until it’s golden before flipping and cooking on the other side – this will take about 3-5 minutes per side.
Set the chicken on a plate and set aside for later. Note that the chicken isn’t completely cooked through at this point – it will continue cooking in the curry later.
Now onto the curry base. In the same pot you browned the chicken in, add some whole cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and whole fennel seeds. Cook these until they’re super fragrant – only about 30 seconds before adding in a diced yellow onion.
Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it’s softened and beginning to brown around the edges – about 10 minutes.
Then, add in a minced green chili (such as a jalapeño or a serrano), some minced ginger, garlic and tomato paste.
If you want to curb the heat of the curry, go ahead and remove some or all of the ribs and seeds from the chili.
Keep cooking all of this for a few more minutes before adding in some curry powder. Cook this until just fragrant before adding in some diced fresh tomatoes.
Cook the tomatoes for a few more minutes – just until they’re softened, releasing their moisture and beginning to break down.
In the meantime, cut the browned chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and add them.
Once the tomatoes have cooked down, add the chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Pour over a bit of chicken stock (I always use unsalted chicken stock) and bring everything up to a simmer.
Let the curry bubble away for about 20 minutes – this allows all of the flavours to come together and the chicken to cook completely through.
Then, at the end of cooking, go ahead and stir in a bit of cream to add a luscious, creamy texture.
Taste the curry to adjust for seasoning and then serve – it’s perfect with a side of basmati rice or a warmed roti or naan.
Chicken Curry without Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1½ tsp whole cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 15 g ginger finely minced or grated
- 1-2 jalapeños finely minced (see note 1)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tsp madras curry powder
- 3 medium tomatoes diced
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) chicken stock
- 60 ml (¼ cup) cream
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsp neutral oil to a large saucepan or Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once shimmering, add half of the chicken thighs and cook until golden – about 3-5 minutes – before flipping and cooking on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken and set aside.
- Add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and fennel seeds to the pan. Cook until fragrant, only about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the onion along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook until softened and beginning to brown around the edges – 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeños and tomato paste. Cook until very fragrant and the tomato paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan – about 3 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook until they begin to break down and release a lot of their moisture, about 3-5 minutes.
- Cut the browned chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and add them, along with any accumulated juices, to the pot. Pour over the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, just to allow the chicken to completely cook and the flavours to meld together.
- Stir in the cream. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding salt and pepper where necessary. Serve alongside rice, roti or naan.
Notes
- For less heat, remove some or all of the ribs and seeds from the chili.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This easy chicken curry is great for a weeknight and is absolutely packed with flavour. It’s super hearty and warming – perfect for any night of the week.
Are you after a great chicken curry that doesn’t use coconut milk? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
