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Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

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5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Calories: 763kcal
Servings: 4 People
Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 30 ml Sunflower Oil or Coconut Oil
  • 1 kg Chicken Thigh Boneless & Skinless
  • 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Sliced
  • 3 Garlic Cloves Grated
  • 30 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
  • 4 g Ground Turmeric
  • 800 g Diced Tomatoes Canned
  • 200 ml Coconut Milk
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste

Curry Powder

  • 12.5 g Coriander Seeds
  • 7 g Cumin Seeds
  • 3 g Fennel Seeds
  • 1.5 g Fenugreek Seeds
  • 4 Whole Cloves
  • 3 Green Cardamom Pods
  • 8 Curry Leaves Optional
  • 2 cm Cinnamon Stick
  • 1 Dried Red Chilli Optional

Rice

  • 200 g Basmati Rice Washed
  • 400 g Cold Water

Garnish & Serving

  • Cashew Nuts Optional
  • Coriander (Cilantro) Optional
  • Long Red Chilli Optional
  • Naan To Serve

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 of the curry powder ingredients into a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder. Set aside.
  • Heat the sunflower oil or coconut oil in a large pan or pot. Sear the chicken in batches for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown all over. Remove and place into a bowl for the time being.
  • To the same pan or pot, add the onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric. 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 the chicken in the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an 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, place on a lid, reduce the heat to low, and steam for 14 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave the lid on, and let sit for 4 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
  • After 30 minutes, stir the coconut milk through the curry sauce, taste for seasoning, and simmer for a final 2 minutes.
  • Serve over the fluffy rice and garnish with cashew nuts (optional), coriander, chilli and naan.
Chef's Tips
Toast the seeds just until they start to crackle and turn fragrant — go too far and the curry powder will taste bitter and burnt rather than warm and aromatic.
Sauté the curry powder in the pan for the full 3 minutes once it's added — this "blooms" the spices in the oil and is what gives the curry its depth, rather than tasting raw and dusty.
Stir the curry frequently during the 30-minute simmer — the sauce thickens as it cooks, and can catch and stick to the bottom of the pan if left unattended.
Storage & Reheating
Will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container, or in the freezer for up to 3 months — coconut milk-based curries hold up well to freezing, though the sauce may need a good stir once reheated to bring it back together. Reheat gently in a pot over low-medium heat, or in the microwave, until piping hot.
Serving 700gCalories 763kcalCarbohydrates 66.2gProtein 58gFat 31.5gSaturated Fat 12gPolyunsaturated Fat 8.1gMonounsaturated Fat 8.1gTrans Fat 0.1gCholesterol 235.1mgSodium 224.47mgPotassium 1390mgFiber 9.5gSugar 8.5gVitamin A 329IUVitamin C 45.88mgCalcium 202.1mgIron 9.1mg