Go Back
–+ servings

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry Meal Prep

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Calories: 735.2kcal
Servings: 5 People
Metric - Imperial

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