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.
Tammy
Hi kathryn,
As there are several comments regarding the curdling of the yogurt and milk, may I suggest you mention that in your directions for making this recipe. I just made this recipe and it did indeed curdle and I should know better as this has happened to me before in other recipes. I think if it was written right in the directions it would help me and others remember to be mindful of the temperature before adding the dairy. I will save this recipe to my files but hope you can add the note on curdling. Thanks so much.
Kathryn
Thanks so much for the feedback Tammy! I'm happy to include a note in the recipe card about this.
Sonie
Had an issue with the yogurt curdling. Besides that it tasted good.
Kathryn
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've added a note to the recipe about lowering the heat or moving the pan off the burner before adding the milk and yogurt, to try and help prevent curdling. Hope that helps!
Angie ykeda
Hi can I substitute chicken to pork ?? Im going to cook this now for lunch
Kathryn
Hi, I've never used pork for this recipe, but would love to hear if you try it!
Angie
I tried and it was amazing they repeat twice until gone haha it's was so yummy thanks for share the recipe
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy you loved this Angie! 😊
Erika
How much milk do you add?
Ray Garcia
Hi Kathryn, I'd like to try this dish but, like many others, I am lactose intolerant. Is there an alternative to the dairy in this dish?
Kathryn
Hi Ray! You can substitute full-fat coconut milk in place of the Greek yogurt and a non-dairy milk in place of the milk to make this dairy-free. (Or try my 20-minute coconut chicken curry - https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/20-minute-coconut-chicken-curry/) I hope that helps!
Karin B
Yes curdled instantly and now hungry family is staring at it wondering if it's ok to eat.
Luke
Take a couple of spoonfuls of the curry and mix it in a bowl with the yogurt, then add it back to the main pot, this will greatly reduce the chance of curdling.
Dana
Don’t use the yogurt.... it just curdles 🙁
Kathryn
I'm sorry you had a problem Dana. I've never had this curry curdle on me but there are some tips in the post and recipe about how to reduce that chance. Or, as you say, you could try it without the yogurt.
Djdale3
You may want to put that curdling note During the step not after the recipe. Not really helpful at that point 😭
Kathryn
Oh no, I'm sorry you didn't see it! I'll make a note higher up about that.
Lauren
This was amazing and super easy!! I’ve never made chicken curry. Did it all gluten free. I cooked chicken first, and added red pepper flakes for some spice. Will definitely make again!
Kathryn
I'm so happy to hear you loved it Lauren! Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Marie
Hi!
I would like to give it a try but I don't have any chicken leftover. So when do I add my raw chicken, just after the onion?
Thanks,
Kathryn
Hi Marie! I would chop your chicken breasts into 1/2-inch cubes or so, to help it cook more quickly. Then I would start it before the onion and cook it for 4-5 minutes (in the olive oil over medium heat). Then add the onion and proceed with the recipe as written above. I hope that helps!
Marie
Yes, thank you so much!
Katie Inlow
This is so yummy! And so easy to make! The ingredients are cheap and things you generally have on hand. This will be a staple in our house from now on!!
Thank you for sharing this treasure with us!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you loved it Katie! Thank you so much for sharing! 😊
Ria
This is a delicious chicken curry! Thanks for sharing.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy you enjoyed it! 😊
Lin Austin
I'm looking forward to trying this - I just wondered, can you freeze this? Thanks Lin
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Lin! Normally, I'm ALL about freezing leftovers of all varieties and it usually works out. I haven't frozen this, however, and I'm not sure the sauce would do well, given that it has the Greek yogurt in it. Would love to hear if you try it though.
Amy
I wanted to love this recipe because I love curry and it's so quick! But it just had no flavor at all 🙁 I added a bunch more curry powder and some red curry powder and it just didn't taste good. It also curdled right when I put it in the pan and I had removed it from the heat for a minute to let the pan cool a bit like the notes said. I think the greek yogurt is a mistake, unless you're using whole milk greek yogurt (I used 2%). I'll try other recipes though!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Amy, I'm sorry this didn't work out for you; I know that's disappointing. I hope you find another version that's more to your tastes. 😊
Sylvie
It took me way too long to just get to the recipe, i gave up! Sorry :-/
Dan
So chunks of tomato are not usually in curry, they are usually cooked down or blended down to make up the base, and adding yogurt in at the end like that just makes it so when the dish cools even slightly you’re rice and chicken just tastes like yogurt, not much flavor with this recipe at all. Some things just aren’t meant to be made in 15 minutes.
Patti
I followed this to the letter but it was so dry I had to add some coconut milk. Kind of disappointing.
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Patti, I'm sorry to hear that. This is a really saucy dish, so I'm not sure what went wrong that it turned out dry for you.
Sandi Thomas
Hi, just wondering how you oven roast tomatoes? Thanks for this, it’s exactly what I was looking for!
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Sandi! You don't need to roast tomatoes for this recipe. It calls for a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Hunts and several others make this kind of canned tomato that you can get at the store. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy this curry!
Jess
My husband is a curry snob, and he said this recipe makes restaurant curry taste bland. I don't know how these other people cooked their's, but mine came out divine. Thank you for sharing!
Kathryn Doherty
Oh yay! I'm so happy to hear you guys loved this Jess! (It's one of my husband's favorites, too.) Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
John-Paul DeRosa
I love this recipe. I have made it with left-over pork roast rather than chicken, adding some fresh mushrooms. I have had to substitute sour cream when there is no yoghurt around with no ill effects. Using leftover meat I include some of the gravy from the original cooking. I would proudly serve this meal to friends or be delighted to eat it in a restaurant. I would like to try it with haddock.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy to hear you love this dish! And thanks so much for sharing your substitutions, too - that's so helpful! 😊
etm567
I apologize for being so bad tempered, but do you honestly believe that people who are looking for recipes want to read your long story before they read the recipe? Look in a cookbook.
Kathryn Doherty
Please do feel free to buy a cookbook and get your recipes there, instead of using my completely free recipes online and having to suffer through a bit of scrolling. And next time, don't apologize, just don't leave a rude comment!
Wendy Cramer
I was excited about this until… I added the yogurt and it curled. I feel like I need to pick the chicken out and start over. I took the pan off, added the yogurt and now it’s just not appetizing. I may grab a can of coconut milk to try and salvage this but it should be a big warning at the top. 🙁
Wendy Cramer
My own edit: I have now rinsed the chicken and the tomatoes and I will try again with coconut milk. I will post the results here for everyone’s info. Also, as an aside- I wouldn’t personally drain the tomatoes (recipe step) as there is so much flavor in the juice. But now I’m just being picky. 😉
Elyse
Can I use thickened cream?
Kathryn Doherty
I haven't tested this recipe that way, so I'm not sure. Would love to hear if you try it!
Linda
My mum has severe Alzheimer's and is extremely picky. Imagine my absolute delight when she ate it all and nearly licked the plate! The only suggestions I would make though is swap the yoghurt for light cream cheese because it won't curdle and makes it lovely and creamy. And I swapped the Cayenne for Garam Masala. Now it's absolutely perfect and I think I'll make it again tonight. Will certainly be a regular at least once a week from here on.
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy your mum loved this recipe, Linda! And thanks so much for sharing those swaps - so helpful! 😊
Emily
After reading some comments I swapped the Greek yogurt for 2/3 cups coconut milk. I also puréed the tomatoes because I have littles who can’t eat the big chunks. Added a tsp of fresh minced ginger with the garlic for a little extra. Not knock your socks off best I’ve ever had curry, but for coming together in 15 minutes I think it’s great! For a mama with 2 under 3 at her feet while she preps dinner, this was a total win! Thank you!
Kathryn Doherty
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Emily! Yes, it's a great quick version of curry when you need a fast dinner. (Pretty sure I developed it when my two kiddos were little and underfoot at dinner - and the rest of the day, too 🤪) Here are my other 15-minute chicken dinners if you need more ideas: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/category/chicken-recipes-under-15-minutes/
Ray lyn
Im so excited to try this!
Cindy Lunden
I was wondering if you could include the original recipe ingredients and measurements somewhere. I tried this recipe tonight and the flavor was very good but there was very little sauce which made it quite dry and it was not creamy at all. I'd like to try it with the milk and see if I could get a creamy sauce to go with the lovely flavor.
Kathryn Doherty
Hi Cindy! The original recipe used 1/3 cup of milk instead of broth. So you could swap that back out or try it with some of both if you need more liquid. It should definitely not be dry! Hope that helps!