African Chicken Curry
This one takes a bit of time, but almost all of it is hands-off. The chicken marinates in a blended paste of chilli, garlic, shallot, ginger, and warm spices, then gets seared and slow-braised until it falls apart.
Searing the chicken before it goes into the braise makes a real difference here. It builds a depth of flavour that just simmering it from raw won’t get you, even over an hour and twenty minutes.
Serve it over fragrant rice cooked with whole spices, and finish with a spoon of citrus yogurt if you want a bit of freshness against the rich curry.
African Chicken Curry
CHICKEN · DINNER · MEDIUM
Deep Flavour Built in Layers
The curry paste goes into the blender fresh rather than out of a jar, so you get real depth from the chilli, ginger, and garlic rather than something that tastes flat.
Marinating the chicken in the paste before it's even cooked, then searing and braising it in the same flavours, means the chicken is seasoned all the way through, not just coated at the end.
And the citrus yogurt at the end cuts through the richness perfectly, it's a small addition that makes a big difference.
African Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 2 Long Red Chillies Chopped
- 1 bunch Coriander (Cilantro) Roots & Stems Chopped
- 8 Garlic Cloves Crushed
- 5 Shallots Chopped
- 20 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
- 1 Lemon Zest & Juice
- 22.5 ml Olive Oil
- 12 g Garam Masala
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 4 g Ground Allspice
- 6 g Ground Turmeric
- 5 g Salt
Chicken & Gravy
- 15 ml Canola, Sunflower or Olive Oil
- 1.2 kg Chicken Thigh Boneless & Skinless
- 500 ml Chicken Stock
- 800 g Diced Tomatoes Canned
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Rice
- 200 g Basmati Rice Washed
- 400 ml Cold Water
- 1 Star Anise Optional
- 4 Cloves Optional
- 4 Green Cardamom Pods Optional
- 4 Dried Bay Leaves Optional
- ½ Cinnamon Stick Optional
Citrus Yogurt (Optional)
- 200 g Natural Greek Yogurt
- 1 Garlic Clove Minced
- ½ Lime Zest & Juice
- 1 g Chilli Powder
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Garnish
- Coriander (Cilantro)
- Fresh Chilli Optional
Method
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 smooth paste.
- Combine the chicken thighs and curry paste in a mixing bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour, up to 48 hours.
- Place a large high-rimmed pan or pot over medium-high heat, add the oil, and 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 to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce the heat, and cook for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid, mix well, check the seasoning and adjust accordingly, and cook uncovered for a final 20 minutes — by this point the chicken will be well past the safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
- Place a large saucepan over high heat and add 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. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for a final 4 minutes. Remove the lid, discard the whole spices if used, and fluff with a fork.
- Serve the curry over the fluffy rice and garnish with the citrus yogurt, coriander, and chilli. Dig in.
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.