Quick Chicken Curry – just 6 ingredients
This Quick chicken curry uses just 6 main ingredients and can be made in 20 minutes. This simple, easy and effortless recipe will give you an easy chicken recipe for dinner with few ingredients. Have you ever wanted to make a quick, simple or non-spicy chicken curry? It is a perfect meal on its own over white rice or with Indian Chapati or naan. My kids even love it with crusty bread.
Quick Chicken Curry – Just six ingredients
Have you ever wanted to make a simple chicken curry? Easy chicken curry? Quick chicken curry? Or maybe you want quick Indian dinner recipes but presume it’s either too much work or too many ingredients or too difficult?
What if I told you, you could make a chicken curry in 20 minutes? I know!! My friend doesn’t believe it either. Most people just assume making Indian food default takes forever. But trust me, there are plenty of Indian food recipes that are quick, simple and easy too. There are many Indian recipes that take long to prepare and are difficult. And yet, today we aren’t discussing those. We want a simple chicken recipe with few ingredients.
Doesn’t that look delicious?
Guess what – it took only about 20 minutes to make and I used only six main ingredients (the others are standard). Also, I made steamed white rice at the same time too! Since steamed rice takes 15 mins to make, it means I actually have a delicious Indian chicken curry with rice in less than 30 mins! If you are a busy mom like me, you know how awesome that is! To put delicious food on the table in less than 30 mins.
Quick Chicken Curry – Just six ingredients – easy chicken curry with few ingredients
About the Indian Spices
What is Curry powder?
This recipe uses curry powder which is very commonly found in almost all grocery stores. You don’t even have to go to an Indian grocery store to find curry powder. Just have a look in your supermarket spice rack and you are bound to find one.
The most common ingredients found in curry powder are coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, chilly powder, and paprika.
If you love Indian food and plan to make it often, I highly recommend you try my recipe for homemade curry powder spice mix. It’s one you will love and always keep coming back for more. And yet, you don’t have to. You can buy a ready-made curry powder.
Since there are so many different curry powder brands in the market, each one has their own recipe for making this mix of spices. Each uses more or less of a certain ingredient and that can make a huge difference. For example, extra cardamon and cumin can make the curry powder very hot – not spicy but very hot. Not everybody can handle that. Also, in my opinion, cinnamon does not belong in curry powder because it’s used in garam masala.
Therefore, my humble advice to you when choosing curry powder is – if you don’t like one brand try a different brand but don’t give up on making chicken curry. Because most often it’s not that you don’t like curry powder but rather that brand of curry powder does not suit your taste buds.
Garam masala
If you love warm spices like gingerbread and pumpkin spice then you will love garam masala. A little goes a long way. The spice is meant to add flavor – but often people use it like curry powder in large amount which makes the dish really hot, not spicy! If you’ve ever eaten a dish that makes you red in the face though it’s not spicy, the culprit often is too much garam masala. Whether you use a commercial brand or my homemade garam masala recipe – use it with caution. If you can’t handle hot – omit it and your dish will still be very much Indian.
Quick Chicken Curry – Just six ingredients
Spicy or non-spicy curry powder
Oh you do get curry powderthat have various different degrees of heat and spice. Some that are mild, spicy and hot. Usually, it refers to the amount of chilly added in – watch for that. Buy something you can handle. A little tip – if you ever add a bit extra curry powder and it turns spicy- add a cup of chopped and boiled potato. That usually help absorb some of the heat.
Quick Chicken Curry – Just six ingredients – Easy Chicken Curry with few ingredients
Let’s talk ingredients and Substitutes for our Quick Chicken Curry – (Save/Pin)
- Chicken – I love using chicken thighs because I think it absorbs more flavor. But chicken breast works just as well. So use whatever chicken meat you have on hand. Also, turkey breast would work beautifully in this recipe too!
- Onion – I can’t think of chicken curry without onions. Most of all, nicely sauteed onions. So don’t skimp on cooking those until they are nicely translucent.
- Ginger and Garlic – I always say the basic ingredients for good Indian food are three main ingredients: onion, ginger, and garlic! I call them the holy trinity of Indian cooking. These do justice to the wonderful Indian spices you add. Having said that, I highly recommend you either grate or make a paste of them because then they really dissolve and add flavor to the sauce. If you just cut them they become soft while still can be tasted in the sauce. No one likes to bite into a piece of ginger or garlic. Right? So grate it and let is saute well.
- Yogurt – You want to use plain yogurt – not the sweet variety. If possible, use the bio yogurt that is a tad bit sour!! Also, you can definitely use a homemade yogurt which I do very often. Yogurt really tenderizes the meat and adds that creaminess but if you don’t like to add dairy or yogurt to your meat – you can add coconut milk.
- Indian spices – curry powder and garam masala – Now I already said everything I had to say about curry powder and garam masala above but here is my recipe for homemade curry powder spice mix and homemade garam masala spice mix and yes, you will love these.
Did you believe Chicken Curry can be ready in just 20 minutes? Well, you are going to love this one.
Quick Chicken Curry Just Six Ingredients, Easy Chicken curry with few ingredients
Recipe – Quick Chicken Curry – Just 6 ingredients (Save/Pin for later)
Tools
Ingredients
For the Chicken Curry
- Chicken – 800 grams boneless
- Onion – 1/2 cup chopped
- Ginger – 1 tbsp grated
- Garlic – 1 tbsp minced
- Curry powder – 2 tbsp (commercial or homemade)
- Yogurt – 120 ml (1/2 cup)
Extra – which I didn’t count as the main ingredients
- Canola or cooking oil – 2 tbsp
- Fresh herbs – 1/2 cup chopped (cilantro or parsley)
- Water – 250 ml (1 cup)
- Lemon juice – 1 tbsp (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garam masala – 1/4 tsp (commercial or homemade)
Method
- Clean and cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Saute onion, ginger, and garlic in oil until onions are nicely translucent.
- Add curry powder and a few tbsp of water to help the spices saute’.
- Cook the spices on low adding a few tablespoons water until fragrant (30 secs).
- Add chicken and cook another minutes or two.
- Then add the yogurt, lemon juice, and fresh herbs – stir well to combine.
- Lastly, add water – stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Let come to a boil – cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes check if the chicken is cooked and adjust seasoning.
- Check consistency – add more water if needed. Let come to a boil again.
- Once the chicken is cooked and you have the gravy you need – remove from heat.
- I love to have this over white rice or chapati
- Enjoy!
Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Quick Chicken Curry just 6 ingredients aka Easy chicken curry with few ingredients
Quick Chicken Curry with Just 6 Ingredients
Ingredients
For the Chicken Curry
- 800 grams Chicken boneless
- 1/2 cup Onion chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger grated
- 1 tbsp Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Curry powder
- 120 ml Yogurt
Extra - which I didn't count as an ingredient
- 2 tbsp Canola or cooking oil
- 1/2 cup Fresh herbs chopped cilantro or parsley
- 250 ml Water
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice optional
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Garam masala (optional)
Instructions
- Clean and cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Saute onion, ginger, and garlic in oil until onions are nicely translucent.
- Add curry powder and a few tbsp of water to help the spices saute'.
- Cook the spices on low adding a few tablespoons water until fragrant (30 secs).
- Add chicken and cook another minutes or two.
- Then add the yogurt, lemon juice, and fresh herbs - stir well to combine.
- Lastly, add water - stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Add the garam masala now if you using it. - Let come to a boil - cover the pan and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes check if the chicken is cooked and adjust seasoning.
- Check consistency - add more water if needed. Let come to a boil again.
- Once the chicken is cooked and you have the gravy you need - remove from heat.
- I love to have this over white rice or chapati.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Nutrition Information
Do you love Indian Food?
Well then you must check out some of my other Indian recipes from slow-cooked curries to quick and easy as well as Indian Biryani and desserts
A Collection of Modern Indian Recipes by Veena Azmanov
Bronn
Thank you for this recipe. I love chicken curry but made it at home for the first time. This was so delicious. My whole family loved it so much. Definitely making this again.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Bronn. I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe. Yeey on your first homemade Indian Chicken Curry. I think now you can try a few more. This sure was so easy. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much. Love to hear from people who try my recipes…
Platter Talk
I’m seeing more and more curry on the threads. Love it and learning more every day. Your recipe looks superb!!!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Danzehr – yes curry is sure becoming more popular these days
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I love curry and have at least 4 different varieties of curry powder in my pantry. My favorite is from the Caribbean!
Veena Azmanov
Yeah that’s sometime confusing to people. Which curry powder to use.. Most often the basic is the same lol. I love the heat. Thanks Lisa
Daniela Anderson
Who doesn’t like a good curry?! I don’t eat that much meat, but when l do, chicken is by far my favourite. Your dish looks tasty and l would gladly have some portions! ?
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Daniela – Yes we love more chicken too!
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes
I love quick Indian curries!!! This is fabulous!
Veena Azmanov
Me too Sarah. Thanks
Debi at Life Currents
I know more than a few people who will absolutely love this recipe. I can’t wait to make it for them. Thanks!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Debi !So happy to hear that.
Simon
Hello,
Thank you for sharing this Quick recipe. If you want to be sure about the heat you can always put together your own curry powder mix too. I did a post about it some time ago tgat could be interesting if you would like to try making your own.
Grtz simon
Veena Azmanov
Yes of course you can make your own curry powder anytime. Thanks Simon