Indian inspired chicken curry with ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and turmeric. Thanks to yoghurt and cream, this rich and creamy curry is pure indulgence. It is perfect for serving with basmati rice or naan.
Related: We love this Coconut Ginger Vegetable Curry.
Prepare this chicken curry
One of my earliest dining memories is of dining with my mom and dad at a local Indian restaurant. Since then I have been in love with the aromas, flavors and colors of Indian cuisine. This intensely flavored chicken with yogurt and cream is our attempt to bring some of those flavors and aromas into our own kitchen.
If you love these flavors and want to learn more about Indian cuisine, we strongly encourage you to spend some time exploring recipes from Madhur Jaffrey, Pushpesh Pant, Chitra Agrawal and Nick Sharma.
Another curry recipe: This Coconut Ginger Vegetable Curry is light, flavorful and easy to make.
We prepare our Indian-inspired chicken curry
Let’s talk about this curry recipe, shall we? It’s rich, creamy, flavorful and extremely aromatic. You’ll want to enjoy this with something that will soak up all of the sauce, like rice or naan (this soft and fluffy flatbread would work, too).
In our video, we use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but bone-in chicken breasts or chicken pieces will also work. If you are using bone-in chicken pieces, you should not need to adjust the recipe as the cooking time should still be enough to cook the chicken tenderly. However, you can always add an additional 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time if you feel the chicken needs it.
The taste and aroma of this chicken curry is incredible. In addition to fresh garlic and fresh ginger, we use the spices that we use below. We call for ground spices in the recipe as they are readily available to most of us. If you have whole spices, simply grind them up with a spice grinder or small coffee grinder before adding them.
- Cumin – Tastes warm and earthy.
- Coriander – Tastes warm, floral and sweet.
- Turmeric – Adds incredible color and tastes earthy with some bitterness.
- salt and black pepper
- Garam Masala – A warm, sweet blend of spices that varies regionally and from house to house. (The mixture usually includes cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.) Garam masala is added toward the end of the cooking process. You can buy the mix or make it yourself. We especially like this one from The Spice House.
If you don’t have any of the spices listed above, we highly recommend stocking them in your spice cabinet. Once you taste this curry you will want to make it again. We also use them all in other Inspired Taste recipes. Here are some to bookmark for future reference:
We use cumin to make our homemade hummus and our homemade enchilada sauce. I love the use of cilantro in these Easy Chili Butter Shrimp Tacos and in this Grilled Swordfish recipe. As for the turmeric, we use it in my favorite soup recipe, this Turmeric Lemon Lentil Soup.
Our tips for successful recipes
marinate chicken. In the recipe we ask that you marinate the chicken in spices for at least 20 minutes before preparing the curry. However, we recommend you marinate longer if you have the time. The chicken can be left at room temperature for about an hour. If you want to marinate longer, cover and place in the fridge. The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but after 8 to 12 hours it won’t provide much additional benefit.
Use fresh garlic and fresh ginger. We do not recommend substituting dried garlic and ginger for fresh garlic in this recipe. Fresh ginger will keep in the fridge for at least a week, so don’t worry about wasting it. We love juicing leftover ginger (like in these Ginger Shots) or using it to make this flavorful Garlic Ginger Edamame!
Use full-fat yogurt and don’t skip the cream. This recipe is not suitable for fluffing up with low-fat yoghurt or milk. Simple whole yoghurt and cream make this curry’s sauce perfectly rich and delicious. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and, along with the heavy cream, balances out all of the seasoning. I use unsweetened plain yogurt.
Add the yoghurt one tablespoon at a time. In the recipe we ask that you stir in the yoghurt by the spoonful. This adds a minute to the time, but prevents the yogurt from loosening or curdling. Using full-fat yogurt also helps prevent clotting.
Irresistible chicken curry
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PREPARATION
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COOK
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IN TOTAL
This Indian-inspired chicken curry is rich, creamy and savory. Serve with rice (try coconut rice) or naan bread so you can soak up all the creamy sauce. We do not recommend substituting yogurt or heavy cream in this recipe as they add richness and flavor to the sauce.
Makes 4 servings
Watch as we prepare the recipe
you will need
1 to 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional for spiciness, add another 1/4 teaspoon for medium hot
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
One 1-inch cube of fresh ginger, peeled
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups water
Use 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons unsweetened full-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala, see notes
3 tablespoons cream
A handful of coriander leaves, chopped, optional for serving
directions
- Marinate the chicken
1Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces, then place in a bowl. If you want to leave the chicken uncut or are using bone-in chicken pieces, you can leave the chicken whole.
2Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper over the chicken. Stir well and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
3Go ahead: The chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours, then store covered in the fridge.
- Make curry
1Place the garlic, ginger, onion and 1/2 cup water in a blender or food processor. Mix until mostly smooth. Alternatively, you can use a hand blender with a cup attachment.
2Heat the oil or ghee in a wide skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Place the marinated chicken in the pan so that it forms a layer and browns on both sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and place the pan back on the stove.
3Add the onion and ginger mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until all the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
4Stir the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric over the onion and ginger mixture and cook for about 20 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, reduce the heat to medium-low, then cook for another minute.
5Add the yogurt one tablespoon at a time and stir into the sauce before adding other ingredients.
6Return the chicken pieces and any collected juices to the pan along with the remaining cup of water and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, bring the heat up to a simmer, then cover with a lid. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
7Remove the lid and stir in the garam masala and heavy cream. Taste the sauce, adding the last 1/4 teaspoon of salt if you feel you need it (we almost always add it).
8thIncrease the heat back to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, gently, until the sauce has thickened and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.
Adam and Joanne’s tips
- Bone-in chicken can also be used in the recipe. Use about 3 pounds. There is no need to debone or slice the chicken. You can make the chicken from whole chicken pieces and don’t need to adjust the recipe as the cooking time should still be enough to cook the chicken tenderly.
- Garam Masala is a warm, sweet blend of spices that varies regionally and from house to house. The blend typically includes cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The garam masala is added towards the end of the cooking process to allow the spices to perfume every bite. You can buy the mix or make it yourself. We especially like this one from The Spice House.
- Ghee is a type of clarified butter popular in Indian cuisine. Butter is boiled until the milk solids separate and become toast brown. Then the butter is strained. Because milk solids and moisture have been removed, ghee has a higher smoke point and longer shelf life compared to regular butter. You can make ghee at home or buy it.
- A few tips beforehand: The chicken can be marinated in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Store leftover curry in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Recipe inspired by Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe for Malai Wali Murghi (Chicken with Cream)
- Nutritional Information: The nutritional information below is an estimate. We used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag it with the hashtag #inspiredtaste – we love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
Nutritional value per serving
serving size
1/4 of the recipe
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calories
330
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total fat
19.2g
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Saturated Fatty Acids
11.6g
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cholesterol
141.8 mg
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sodium
1022.8 mg
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carbohydrate
7.8g
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fiber
1.2g
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total sugar
3.2g
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protein
30.8g