Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry

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4.56000 from 9 votes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Marinating (Optional): 30

Total Time: 1 25

Calories: 787.9kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry

1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Sliced
4 Garlic Cloves Grated
25 g Ginger Peeled & Grated
30 g Coconut Oil
750 g Chicken Thigh Boneless & Skinless
12 g Ground Cumin
8 g Ground Coriander
2 g Ground Cloves
8 g Smoked Paprika
6 g Ground Turmeric
4 Green Cardamom Pods
180 ml Chicken Stock
12 g Desiccated Coconut Optional
500 ml Coconut Milk
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Garnish

Roasted Cashew Nuts Chopped
1 - Spring Onion (Scallion) Sliced
1 - Long Red or Birdseye Chilli Sliced
Coriander (Cilantro)

Rice

200 g Basmati Rice Washed
400 ml Cold Water
2 Lime Leaves Optional
Salt To Taste

Method

Sri Lankan Coconut Chicken Curry

In a large bowl, add the chicken thigh, sliced onion, minced garlic and ginger, and 1 tsp of the coconut oil. Mix to combine. Cover and marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut oil in a large high-rimmed pan or pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thigh, leaving the remaining ingredients in the marinating bowl, and sear for 3 minutes on both sides until golden. Remove and place on a plate to rest. Cook in batches if needed.
In the same pan or pot, add the remaining marinating ingredients along with the ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cloves, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cardamom pods. Sauté for 3 minutes, mixing regularly.
Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, and desiccated coconut (optional). Mix to combine and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the seared chicken along with any resting juices and mix to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is well past the safe internal temperature of 74°C (165°F).
After 25 minutes, check the curry for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and remove from the heat. Serve with the rice and garnish with cashew nuts, spring onion, coriander, and chilli. Dig in.

Rice

Place a large saucepan over high heat. Add the rice, cold water, lime leaves, and sea salt flakes, and mix to combine. 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 further 4 minutes. Remove the lid, discard the lime leaves, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve with the curry.

Chef's Tips

Sear the chicken in batches if your pan isn't large enough — overcrowding drops the pan's temperature and steams the chicken instead of browning it.

Let the spices sauté the full 3 minutes with the onion, garlic, and ginger before adding the liquid — this blooms them properly and stops the curry tasting raw or dusty.

Toast the desiccated coconut lightly in a dry pan before adding it, if you have the time — it deepens the coconut flavour rather than leaving it tasting flat.

Storage & Reheating

This will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months, in an airtight container. Coconut milk-based curries 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.

Serving 500gCalories 787.9kcalCarbohydrates 58.9gProtein 44.6gFat 41.9gSaturated Fat 29.5gPolyunsaturated Fat 2.8gMonounsaturated Fat 5.67gCholesterol 177.6mgSodium 380.9mgPotassium 950.8mgFiber 4.8gSugar 4.8gVitamin A 241.63IUVitamin C 27.92mgCalcium 108.6mgIron 8.1mg