Chicken Curry
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Whip up a one-skillet chicken curry, brimming with vibrant peas and rich flavors, all in just 30 minutes—a weeknight winner!
If you’re anything like me, you’re always on the hunt for new recipes to spice up weeknight family dinners. Well, I’ve got just the dish for you to try: chicken curry in a hurry. Start with thinly sliced chicken breasts, give them a quick sauté, then as they simmer in a rich curry sauce, toss in some frozen peas for a pop of color and wholesome goodness. The best part? This one-skillet dish is ready in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you have to hit the kitchen running.
Keep in mind, the flavor and spice profile of the finished dish will vary depending on the brand of curry powder you select. I use McCormick curry powder, which is readily available in most supermarkets and produces a mild, kid-friendly curry. Opt for your preferred curry powder and pair the dish with fluffy basmati rice or naan for a meal that’s sure to become a weeknight family favorite.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Curry
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: A lean protein option that absorbs the curry flavors well.
- Curry Powder: A complex blend of spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, and others that gives the curry its distinctive warm, aromatic flavor.
- Onion, Garlic, Ginger: This trio adds depth and forms the foundational flavor of the curry.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the savory base of the curry sauce.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the sauce.
- Frozen Peas: Add color, texture, and sweetness to the dish, offering a nice contrast to the savory and spicy elements of the curry.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: Adds creaminess and a slight tang to the curry sauce, balancing the spices and enriching the texture.
- Cilantro: Brings a fresh flavor that complements the rich and spicy notes of the curry beautifully.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by cutting the chicken into 1/4-inch slices. The best way is to cut each breast in half lengthwise, then slice on the diagonal. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, but try to make each piece about the same size; this ensures that they cook evenly. Next, season the chicken with salt, pepper and curry powder.
Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet, then briefly sauté the chicken until it is lightly browned but still pink in spots.
Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl, then add the onions to the pan and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the ginger, garlic, and more curry powder and sauté until fragrant.
Add the chicken stock and cornstarch to the vegetables.
Cook until the sauce is thickened, then add the chicken back to the pan, along with the frozen peas and simmer until the chicken is just cooked.
Add the Greek yogurt and fresh chopped cilantro.
Stir until combined.
Serve with basmati rice and/or naan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Curry powder is a blend of various spices, and each brand has a unique combination with different flavor profiles and levels of heat. For a family-friendly option that’s not too spicy, McCormick is a reliable choice readily available in many supermarkets.
While nonfat yogurt can technically be used, a yogurt with at least 2% fat content is preferable as it adds richness and depth to the sauce. If you’re ever in a pinch and out of yogurt, sour cream can be a great substitute, ensuring the curry maintains its creamy texture and taste.
Absolutely! Just ensure any additional vegetables are pre-cooked before they’re added with the peas. If you’re substantially increasing the veggies, consider also increasing the sauce by about 25% to keep the dish balanced.
Video Tutorial
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Chicken Curry
Whip up a one-skillet chicken curry, brimming with vibrant peas and rich flavors, all in just 30 minutes—a weeknight winner!
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch strips
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (see note)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
- ¼ cup plain low fat (2%) or whole Greek yogurt (do not use nonfat)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly with ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon curry powder.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but still pink in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to the skillet and set heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger and remaining 1½ teaspoons curry powder and cook until fragrant, about a minute more.
- Whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch, then add to the skillet along with the sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce is nicely thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the peas and partially cooked chicken to the skillet, turn the heat down to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the yogurt and cilantro; then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with basmati rice.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 361
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugar: 6g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: 830mg
- Cholesterol: 93mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Wow. I tried this because I wanted something quick to cook and although for me it was not so quickly prepared it was worth every minute because it was SO delicious! Not just your typical chicken curry, I found it original and, as I already said, really delicious. My boyfriend loved it too. He was eating spoons of the sauce right out of the pan after his plate was empty.
This was sooooo good. I’m going to put it on regular rotation for dinner. Even my husband who is kind of picky enjoyed it. I was making it for 4 people, used 2 lbs of chicken, increased the ingredients, (somewhat proportionately). I added 1/2 head of cauliflower florets and cooked for 10 additional minutes. Served over basmati rice, it was very hearty.
After loosing my way with a curry recipe my husband used to make at University and wanting some bolder flavours, I found yours!
I now use it a guide for a curry we love. (I need a mild curry myself)
Once the onions are translucent, I add a diced golden delicious apple, omit the yogurt and add a heaping tbsp of raspberry jam at the very end.
Probably sounds quite strange to most but it truly is very good! We have made these sweeter curries for myself and our kids for years. My husband & kids can now handle the heat of ‘normal’ but not for me. I use 1.5 tsp mild and 1.5 tsp of medium curry powder.
We always used to let the kids scoop their curry & rice with corn tortilla chips (no silverware) Always such a huge treat for kids and I’m looking forward to my dinner!! 🤣
I’m allergic to lactose, can I use coconut milk (full fat) instead of yogurt? Thanks!
Hi T, I think you could get away with full-fat coconut milk. You could also try a dairy-free yogurt. Please LMK how it turns out!
I don’t think I understand what you mean by cutting the chicken into 1/4” slices-seems really tiny………can you explain how to prepare the chicken in a different way? Everyone else seems to get it so I’m sure it’s me not you……
Hi Sarah, I’m not quite sure how else to explain it, but basically you’re looking to get the chicken into thin slices. (It may be helpful to take a peek at some of the step-by-step pics to get a visual of the cut chicken. Please LMK if I can help in any other way and hope you enjoy the dish!
Sarah I was also a bit confused but what I think Jenn means is the slices are 1/4″ THICK. This is achieved by slicing the breast lengthwise like she has mentioned in the recipe. From the picture, after you cut on the diagonal , the actual size of the chicken pieces is greater than 1/4″.
Jenn I would be grateful if you could confirm my understanding. Thanks so much. This is a delicious curry!! Making it again tonight!! YUM.
Hi Anne, what you’ve described is accurate (and glad you like it)! 🙂
Aroma was delightful! This was my first time making a curry and using fresh ginger. I don’t know where I went wrong but the result was a not-so-thick gingery brown sauce. I was also concerned about the chicken getting thoroughly cooked, especially while eating and the peas were still a tad hard.
I will try again cutting back on the ginger and increasing the cornstarch, yogurt, and cooking time. Thank you!
This was the first recipe I made from Jenn. It was simple, easy and very flavorful. Perfect for a week night dinner. It is on my regular rotation of week night meals.
I love this recipe! It’s super fast to make and is an easy win for the entire family. Thank you, Jenn for creating such amazing recipes!
This is one of our favorite go to dinners. It is so simple but so delicious. Thank you for the amazing recipes. You never disappoint, Jen!
While this was a challenge, it paid off, excellent mild curry flavours, creamy and bright taste. The peas add a wonderful colour and it flavours the rice wonderfully. Cauliflower is an easy addition to this. I’ve done this several times now and it’s always a hit. It also photographs well.