Quick Chicken Curry is an easy, one-pan recipe that’s ready in just 15 minutes. Beautiful and bursting with flavor, it’s perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
This past weekend went by way too fast and this week is shaping up to be crazy busy.
I'm thankful to have my monthly girls group dinner on Wednesday at least. It'll be a needed break from the work-work-work grind I'm looking at for all the other hours of the days.
So let's keep it short today and get right to the good stuff - the food!
You want to know my only note when I wrote this quick chicken curry recipe down last year so I would remember to post it on this here blog sometime?
“Freaking delicious.”
That, followed by the ingredients and instructions. So there you go, folks. That’s all you need to know about this recipe. It’s freaking delicious.
It's one of my family's favorites. We love some Indian flavors and cuisine, and this is a super simple, shortcut version to make at home.
I’m also a tad bit obsessed with my curried brown rice salad and may or may not make it on repeat and devour it all for myself.
And we all adore easy chicken tikka masala and healthy butter chicken - the sauces in those recipes are killer!
But you know me, it’s gotta be easy. And fast. And this quick chicken curry absolutely is. I mean, it’s ready in 15 minutes, friends.
But let me just say - this is not exactly traditional and maybe not super authentic.
And you know what? I’m OK with a few shortcuts that get dinner on the table and still have ALL the great flavor!
So let's get cooking.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make quick chicken curry. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
(You can also check out my Google web story for this chicken curry recipe.)
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken - The recipe calls for cooked chicken, such as from a rotisserie chicken. Please plan accordingly. Or...
- Raw chicken breasts - If this is what you have and need to use for this recipe, here's what to do: Chop the chicken into ½ inch cubes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan after the onion and garlic has softened (after step #2 in the instructions) and cook, stirring occasionally, until it's completely cooked through. It should take about 7-8 minutes. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Diced tomatoes - I like using the fire-roasted diced tomatoes for some extra oomph, but regular diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes would be fine to use as well.
- Chicken broth - Low sodium chicken broth has become my go-to for this recipe, which originally called for milk. Using broth helps avoid any curdling issues.
- Greek yogurt - Any plain Greek yogurt will do, whether it's non-fat, 2% or 5%. The higher the fat content, the less likely it will be to curdle.
Now, let's get ready to eat!
Serving Ideas:
- I usually serve this with my steamed brown rice mixed with ½ cup golden raisins, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper (for 4 servings). It all just works really well together.
- White rice or basmati rice would work well, too.
- I even think curry goes great with potatoes. You could add some roasted potatoes on the side or serve this over a fluffy baked potatoes. (I'm a serious cheater and I always make microwaved baked potatoes.)
- The fresh chopped parsley or cilantro on top of the curry chicken is key, too. Gives a hit of freshness and brightness.
- I also like sprinkling on some chopped peanuts when serving this up. They give it a good crunch and add some richness too.
For a veggie side, I typically just warm up some frozen peas, stir in a pat of butter and season them with salt and pepper. Deliciousness all around!
Steamed broccoli or a side salad would work, too.
If you’re going low-carb, or just want more veggies, you could also serve this over some cauliflower rice.
Last thing, let's talk about what to do with any leftovers.
Leftover chicken curry, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot.
I hope you’ll give this quick chicken curry a try the next time you’re craving Indian for dinner but are short on time.
And if you are looking for a vegetarian version, I've got you covered. My quick and easy vegetarian curry is light but filling and ready in 15 minutes too!
Or check out my 20-minute coconut chicken curry. Yum!
Happy cooking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Quick Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
- ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth, see notes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken, chopped (from a rotisserie or leftover, see notes)
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, non-fat, 2% or 5% fat are all OK
For serving:
- Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- Chopped peanuts, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
- Stir in curry powder, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using.
- Bring to a low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in chicken until warmed through, 1-2 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Greek yogurt until just combined.
- Serve hot with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Hannah
I found this recipe a few years back and it is one of my favourite quick go-to recipes! I love it because I can use coconut cream/milk instead of the yoghurt and add veggies or tofu if I need to make it vegan. Every time I make it, no matter how I make it, it is a hit!
Thanks for the great recipe! ☺️
Kathryn Doherty
Oh I'm so happy to hear you love this! And yay for a staple recipe that you can adapt and make work with what you have on hand, that's so great! Thanks so much for sharing!
JP
I was wondering what can u use instead of Greek yogurt if you don't have any on hand.
Kathryn Doherty
You could substitute sour cream. You could also probably try it with heavy cream or half and half for a richer finish, but I haven't tested it that way.
Hannah
Or you can use Mayo equal amount to Greek yoghurt- I did it tonight as started it then realised no yoghurt in the fridge!
Richard
Just finished making this recipe. First time making curry. Very easy. I used heavy cream instead of yogurt. It added a smoothness to the sauce, along with some sweetness.
Kathryn Doherty
Oh that's great to hear Richard! So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Tom
Really easy and good tasting recipe for a quick, simple chicken curry. You may want to try frozen peas rather than a tin of tomatoes. Peas are often used in these types of Indian curry recipes and it makes a great improvement over the tomatoes, in my opinion. I'll be making this routinely!