Quick Chicken Curry – just 6 ingredients

Quick Chicken Curry – just 6 ingredients

Making Indian curry has never been simpler. This Quick chicken curry uses just 6 main ingredients and can be made in 20 minutes. A mild yet creamy curry spiced with Indian curry spice, aromatic ginger and garlic. It is a perfect meal on its own over white rice or with Indian Chapati or naan.

Have you ever wanted to make 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 chicken curry in 20 minutes? I know!! My friend doesn’t believe it either. Most people just assume making Indian food takes forever. But trust me, there are plenty of Indian food recipes that are quick, simple and easy too. There are also 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 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.

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 ready-made curry powder.

Since there are so many different curry powder brands in the market, each one has its 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. This 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.

Spicy or non-spicy curry powder

Oh, you do get curry powders that 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.

Let’s talk ingredients and Substitutes (Save/Pin)

• Chicken – I love using chicken thighs because I think it absorbs more flavor. And yet, chicken breast works just as well. So, use whatever chicken meat you have on hand. Also, turkey breast would also work beautifully in this recipe.
• 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 these three: 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 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 also add coconut milk.
• Indian spices – Curry powder and garam masala – I already said everything I had to say about curry powder and garam masala above, and here is my recipe for homemade curry powder spice mix and homemade garam masala spice mix, and yes, you will love these.

Useful Tips & Tools

• Use a heavy bottom pot when cooking with spices this helps prevent the spices from burning. Spices need to be cooked well in a little water and the heavy bottom skillet also works best to maintain even heat. 
• A sharp knife and chopping board for cutting the chicken. Always use a separate chopping board for just for meat or poultry and a different one vegetables. 
• Also, a wooden spoon works best to stir curries, and yet avoid using your favorite wooden spoon as some spices may lend their natural dye to the wooden spoons. Wooden spoons are porous. 

How to make a quick chicken curry (6 ingredients) (Save/Pin)

Ingredients can be found in the recipe card below with unit conversions.

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!

Frequently asked questions

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Quick Chicken Curry with Just 6 Ingredients

Author: Veena Azmanov

Making Indian curry has never been simpler. This Quick chicken curry uses just 6 main ingredients and can be made in 20 minutes. A mild yet creamy curry spiced with Indian curry spice, aromatic ginger, and garlic. It is a perfect meal on its own over white rice or with Indian Chapati or naan.

3.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: 6 ingredient chicken curry, 6 ingredients, chicken, Chicken curry, curry, Quick chicken curry

Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings

Calories: 171kcal

$20

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 17 mins

Equipment /Tools

• Saute pan 5 quarts (Calphalon)
• Wooden Spoon
• Cutting boards
• Chef Knife

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)

Metric – US customary

Conversions – Please switch between Metric & US for more measurement options

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

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Nutrition Information

Serving: 130g | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.8g | Protein: 23.4g | Fat: 6.9g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1.1g | Vitamin A: 0% | Vitamin C: 0% | Calcium: 0% | Iron: 0%

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it was.Mention @veenaazmanov or tag me on Instagram #veenaazmanov

What do you serve with Indian Chicken Curry?

This curry goes well with any Indian bread, such as chapati or naan. Our family favorite is garlic butter naan or vegetable pilaf. And when I’m looking for a low carb option, I eat cauliflower rice. Since the no-fuss cauliflower rice works great for me in place of steamed rice. My kids also love the turmeric cauliflower rice or my mustard dill cauliflower rice. 

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