Simple Indian Chicken Curry

Loaded with flavor and yet, surprisingly easy to put together- this Indian chicken curry is one you can never go wrong with! 

What Goes into the Simple Indian Chicken Curry?

India is known for its flavorful curries, and while a lot of them can take quite a bit of time and effort to whip up, this simple Indian chicken curry does not. 

Jump to:

• What Goes into the Simple Indian Chicken Curry?
• Ingredients For the Simple Indian Chicken Curry
• How to Make the Curry
• Simple Indian Chicken Curry

Ingredients For the Simple Indian Chicken Curry

To make the Indian curry, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients. You probably have all of these in your pantry. 

For the chicken marination

• Curd: 1 cup
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tbsp 
• Red chili powder: 1 tsp
• Chicken: 500 grams

For the curry paste

• Onion (roughly chopped): 2 large
• Tomatoes (roughly chopped): 1 large
• Ginger (roughly chopped): 1 tbsp
• Garlic: 6-8 cloves
• Green chilies: 2-3

For the chicken curry

• Chicken (boneless and cubed): 500 grams
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Prepared curry paste
• Marinated chicken
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Red chili powder: 1 tsp
• Chicken masala: 3 tbsps
• Salt: As per taste
• Coriander leaves (chopped): For garnish

Why This Chicken Curry Works

This classic chicken curry is surprisingly easy to make. You can just follow a few simple steps and get it ready in no time. Another reason why this curry works is the fact that it has really versatile flavors, which offer you a lot of options to pair it with. 

Think of this as a curry recipe for beginners. If you’re dabbling your hands at Indian food, this might be a good recipe to try out. 

How to Make the Curry

Ready to make this flavorful Indian chicken curry? Follow this step-by-step process to do it right. 

Marinate the chicken using the ingredients mentioned under marination. Keep it aside for at least 15 minutes.

Next, prepare the curry paste by blending the ingredients into a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle. 

Next, add the marinated chicken and saute for 8-10 minutes. 

Add the curry paste next and mix well. Saute for 3-4 minutes. 

Next, add the spices and mix well. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Once the chicken looks 90% done, add two cups of water and mix well. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. 

Adjust salt and mix well. 

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or warm rotis. 

What Else Can I Add In?

This curry is super versatile, which means you can experiment a lot with the ingredients. While it is a chicken curry in its essence, you can still add in some veggies to make it healthier. 

Bell peppers, carrots, baby corn, broccoli, zucchini, bok choy, and potatoes are all excellent choices. 

How Do I Store the Leftovers?

This Indian chicken curry is freezer-friendly, which makes it an excellent meal to whip up on the weekend and store for later if you want to have it the next week. 

Batch make some of this flavorful curry and allow it to cool down completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it if you plan to have it within 3 days, or freeze it if you want it to last for up to a month. 

You can also make the curry paste and store it in a glass jar. This paste can add so much flavor and oomph to your other culinary creations too. 

Tips & Tricks to Make the Simple Indian Chicken Curry

With a recipe this simple, you just can’t go wrong. But of course, a few tips and tricks can always help. 

• If you can, allow the chicken to marinate overnight. This will allow the flavors to get soaked deep within the chicken, and the chicken will also turn out more flavorful and soft.  
• The recipe calls for the use of chicken masala, which is basically a curry masala that you’d find at any local supermarket. If you don’t have that, you can add in half a teaspoon of garam masala instead to let the flavors of the curry intensify. 
• To cut down on the cooking time and effort you need to put in for this recipe, you can swap the chopped tomatoes for canned tomato puree instead. 
• To make give this curry a creamy taste, you can also add in a few tablespoons of heavy cream or cashew paste. 
• Another trick to make the curry more flavorful is to swap the water you’re using to loosen the curry with broth. If you don’t have broth, you can also throw in a stock cube. Just remember that most stock cubes tend to have some salt added in, so you might want to reduce the amount of additional salt you’re adding into the curry. 
• You can also make this curry using chicken with the bone. This will make your curry have a lot more flavor. 
• Make sure that the curd you’re using for this recipe is thick. Use home set curd for best results. You can then drain the excess water off the curd by straining it through a muslin cloth. 
• You can also thicken the curry by adding in some coconut milk. This will again, give your curry a more creamy flavor. 

Serving Ideas & Suggestions

This classic Indian chicken curry is incredibly versatile, which means, you don’t need to put in a lot of effort and thought into serving it. Here are a few ideas and suggestions to get you going. 

• Pair the chicken curry with some piping hot rotis or some homemade naan. 
• If you prefer rice, some steamed basmati rice can go really well along with this classic curry. 
• Indian curries are incomplete without a side salad of onions and cucumber, and of course, some raita if you really want to go the extra mile. 
• To balance out the spiciness of the curry, you can serve a glass of fresh mango lassi on the side. 

Loved how this curry turned out? You can also try making some Madras chicken curry. It is again, an excellent curry that packs in a ton of Indian flavors.