This Delicious African Chicken Curry Will Leave You Wanting More!
This African chicken curry is bursting with incredible flavour and fantastic fragrance. It’s easy to make and relatively cheap, and you should already have most of the ingredients (dry spices) at home, which is the perfect way to use up those spices sitting in your cupboard.
This curry is a hybrid of northern and western African countries and regions. Traditional methods are used in creating the curry paste, which uses fresh and fragrant ingredients. There’s no specific place that this is from. I’ve taken flavours from all over the continent to create this recipe.
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 2 - Long Red Chillies, Roughly Chopped (Optional)
- 1 Bunch - Coriander (Cilantro) Stems & Roots, Roughly Chopped
- 8 - Garlic Cloves
- 5 - Shallots, Peeled or 2 Brown (Yellow) Onions
- 20g (0.7oz) - Ginger, Peeled & Minced
- 1 - Whole Lemon, Juice & Zest
- 1 ½ Tbsp (30ml) - Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp (8g) - Garam Masala
- 2 tsp (5g) - Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp (2.5g) - Ground Allspice
- 2 tsp (5g) - Ground Turmeric
- 1 tsp (5g) - Sea Salt Flakes
Chicken & Gravy
- 1 Tbsp (20ml) - Canola, Sunflower Or Olive Oil
- 1.2kg (2.6lbs) - Boneless & Skinless Chicken Thigh
- 2 Cups (500ml) - Chicken Stock
- 2 Cans (800g - 1.76lbs) - Diced Tomatoes
- Seasoning To Taste
Rice
- 1 Cup (200g) - Basmati Rice, Washed
- 2 Cups (500ml) - Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
- 1 - Star Anise (Optional)
- 4 - Cloves (Optional)
- 4 - Green Cardamom Pods (Optional)
- 4 - Dried Bay Leaves (Optional)
- ½ - Cinnamon Stick (Optional)
Citrus Yogurt (Optional)
- 200g (7.05oz) - Natural Greek Yogurt
- 1 - Garlic Clove, Minced
- ½ - Lime, Juice & Zest
- ¼ tsp (0.2g) - Red Chilli Powder
- Seasoning To Taste
Instructions
Citrus Yogurt
- Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well to combine. Season to taste. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
African Chicken Curry
- Add all of the curry paste ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend on high speed to create a paste.
- Combine the chicken thighs and curry paste in a mixing bowl. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, up to 48 hours.
- Place a large high-rimmed pan or pot over medium-high heat, add in the olive oil & sear the chicken for 4 minutes on each side, reserving the marinade in the bowl.
- Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, seared chicken, reserved marinade and seasoning to taste into the pan or pot. Mix well, bring it to a boil, place on a lid, reduce the heat, and cook for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid, mix well, check seasoning levels, adjust accordingly and cook, uncovered for a final 20 minutes.
- Place a large saucepan over high heat, and add in the rice, water, salt and additional spices if using. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 14 minutes, undisturbed. 14 minutes later, turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a final 4 minutes then remove, fluff with a fork and serve.
- Serve the curry over the fluffy rice and garnish with the citrus yogurt, coriander and chilli. Dig in.
Nutrition Guide
The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion.
Recipe Notes
African Chicken Curry Storage Instructions
To store, place the curry into the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 5 months, both held in an airtight container. If you wish to store the rice, it will also last up to 4 days in the fridge, stored in airtight containers.
African Chicken Curry Reheating Instructions
To reheat, it’s best to do so in a pan over medium heat, mixing gently until hot throughout. Alternatively, it can be reheated in a microwave in bursts until hot. Reheat the rice in bursts in the microwave until very hot throughout. Stir between each burst.
Watch How To Make The Recipe
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FYI. The printed recipe says 4 minutes each side for the chicken but the video says 2 each side ??
It’s 2-4 minutes on each side depending on a few factors; pan size, chicken size, pan material, etc. Sear the chicken for the required amount of time until it has achieved a good sear colour.