Sri Lankan Style Chicken Curry Meal Prep
Most, if not all, curries are delicious, and this Sri Lankan chicken curry is just that. This recipe has been adjusted and slightly modified from my original Sri Lankan chicken curry to be the suitable size for five even-sized meal prep portions. It’s straightforward to make and tastes fantastic.
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry Meal Prep
Ingredients
Curry Powder
- 15 g Coriander Seeds
- 10 g Cumin Seeds
- 5 g Fennel Seeds
- 3 g Fenugreek Seeds
- 4 Green Cardamom Pods
- 5 Whole Cloves
- 4.5 g Ground Turmeric
- 1.5 g Dried Chilli Flakes Optional
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
Chicken & Gravy (Sauce)
- 28 g Coconut Oil Divided
- 1.2 kg Chicken Thigh, Boneless & Skinless Diced
- 2 Brown (Yellow) Onions Sliced
- 4 Garlic Cloves Grated
- 35 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
- 2 Diced or Crushed Tomatoes
- 250 ml Coconut Milk
- Salt To Taste
Basmati Rice
- 300 g Basmati Rice Washed
- 600 ml Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
Optional Extras
- Chilli Sliced
- Cashew Nuts Crushed
- Coriander (Cilantro)
- Naan
Method
- Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until lightly golden and just starting to crackle.
- Place all the curry powder ingredients — the toasted seeds, cardamom pods, whole cloves, ground turmeric, dried chilli flakes (if using), and cinnamon stick — into a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind into a fine powder. Set aside.
- Heat half the coconut oil in a large pan or pot over medium-high heat and sear the chicken in batches for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- Add the remaining coconut oil to the same pan along with the onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 6 minutes, or until lightly golden and soft. Add the curry powder and fry for 3 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the diced tomatoes, season to taste, mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Place the chicken back into the sauce along with any juices from the resting bowl. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently — by this point the chicken will be well past the safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
- In the meantime, place the washed rice into a saucepan over high heat, add the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and steam for 14 minutes. Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and let it sit for 4 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- After the 30 minutes is up, stir the coconut milk through the curry sauce, taste for seasoning, and simmer for a final 2 minutes.
- Portion into 5 (750ml) meal prep containers and garnish with cashew nuts (optional), coriander, sliced chilli and naan bread.
Chef's Tips
Sear the chicken in batches rather than all at once — crowding the pan drops the temperature and steams the chicken instead of browning it, and you lose the flavour that builds into the sauce.Toast the whole seeds just until they crackle and turn a shade darker — pushing past that point makes the ground curry powder taste bitter.Give the curry powder its full 3 minutes in the pan before the tomatoes go in — this cooks out the raw, dusty taste of the spices and lets their oils release properly.
Storage & Reheating
This curry keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and freezes well for up to 3 months. Coconut milk-based sauces can separate slightly once thawed, so give it a good stir while reheating to bring it back together. Reheat gently in a pot over low-medium heat, or in the microwave, until piping hot throughout. The rice is best made fresh, but can be reheated alongside the curry with a splash of water to loosen it up.
Serving 700gCalories 735.2kcalCarbohydrates 68.4gProtein 55.3gFat 26.8gSaturated Fat 15.3gPolyunsaturated Fat 2.98gMonounsaturated Fat 5.48gTrans Fat 0.1gCholesterol 225.6mgSodium 417.7mgPotassium 1175.9mgFiber 6.9gSugar 6.8gVitamin A 104.3IUVitamin C 16.8mgCalcium 165.2mgIron 9.1mg
The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion.
Recipe Notes
Chicken Curry Meal Prep Storage Instructions
To store, place in the fridge for up to five days and in the freezer for six months, both held in airtight containers. Place in the freezer if not eaten within three days for best results. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Chicken Curry Meal Prep Reheating Instructions
To reheat, place in a pan over medium-high and heat gently until hot. You can add the rice to the curry if you wish. It can also be reheated separately. Alternatively, this meal prep reheats very well in the microwave in batches.
Watch How To Make The Recipe
Did You Like This Recipe?
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This meal was very nice. Great curry flavour though I’d turn down on the heat the next time. It’s strange as I love hot food but I think this type of curry, like tikka masala, would work better on the milder side.
The only issue I had with the recipe was with the rice cooking method in the oven. I’ve got an extra thermometer in there to ensure it’s at the right temp and it was, but for some reason the rice was under cooked. Even from after doubling the time it still was perfect. Next time I’ll just use a rice cooker like I normally do.
I’d make the curry again. Thanks for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it. All ovens are different, and it also depends if you used fan forced or not. Even with a thermometer in the oven displaying the temp, the ovens speed could be weakened. Happy to hear you enjoyed the curry.
i have every recipe in my cabinet wow! guess i’m eating like a queen tonight haha
Amazing! Please enjoy.