Best Indian Chicken Curry With Yoghurt

Best Indian Chicken Curry With Yoghurt - How to make Indian restaurant favourite, an easy chicken curry recipe at home. This curry is packed full of flavour, includes tender bone-in chicken and a deliciously more-ish rich curry base. It is ready to eat in 45 minutes and makes a great meal for the whole family. Most people love Indian food and everyone loves a good chicken curry. Lucky for you, we don’t do mediocre Chicken curry around here!

Best Indian Chicken Curry With Yoghurt

There are many chicken curry recipes on the site. If you want to try more Indian chicken recipes, check out these recipe Tawa Chicken, Chicken Handi, Patiala Chicken, Boneless Chicken Curry, Chana Dal with Chicken.

This is the best chicken curry recipe, it is ideal for beginners and comes with soft, tender & succulent pieces of chicken.

This is a recipe that we make all the time at home.

I grew up eating Chicken Curry and make endless varieties of this recipe. This particular recipe is one that anyone can make.

You can omit the yoghurt or replace it with coconut milk for a whole new flavour.

Serve it with Jeera Rice, Naan or Chapatti.

Traditional Indian Curry doesn’t generally include tinned tomatoes, chicken broth/stock, curry powder or cornflour/corn starch. I use tinned pureed plum tomatoes for ease.

What is Chicken Curry?

Chicken curry is a recipe originating from the Indian subcontinent. 

The recipe is similar to a chicken stew made up of a base of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, chilli peppers and a spices such as cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli. 

Ingredients and Notes for Indian Chicken Curry Recipe

These are the key ingredients in the recipe and potential substitutions:

Oil 

Sunflower Oil, Vegetable Oil, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil, Mustard Oil, Rapeseed Oil or Ghee. I would not recommend Olive Oil for this recipe.

Chicken 

Bone-in Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks or a whole Chicken cut into 8 - 12 pieces. 

Onions

White Onions, Yellow Onion or Red Onion. Cooked till golden for a subtle sweetness.

Garlic

Use fresh Garlic Cloves, crushed Garlic from a Jar or frozen Garlic Paste cubes.

Ginger

Use freshly crushed or grated ginger is best, crushed Ginger from a jar or frozen Ginger Paste cubes.

Green Chilli Paste

This is optional. You can also substitute with 2 fresh Chillies that have been pierced or chopped.

Tomatoes

Fresh Tomatoes or tinned Plum or Diced Tomatoes that have been pureed. 

Tomato Puree

Or tomato paste adds concentrated tomato flavour but this can be skipped.

Yoghurt

Plain or Greek Yoghurt works best.

Salt and Black Pepper

I like to add a pinch of Black Pepper but this is optional.

Curry Spices

Chilli Powder (or Cayenne Pepper), Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, 

Garam Masala

You can also use an Indian Curry Powder. Madras Curry Powder is great.

Coriander

Garnish with fresh Corinader/fresh Cilantro.

How To Make Chicken Curry 

Mariande Chicken in Salt, Chilli, some of the Garlic, some of the Ginger and Yoghurt for 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large heavy bottomed pan. 

When the oil turns hot, add chopped Onions. Cook until a deep golden brown. At least 15 minutes.

Add Garlic, Ginger and Green Chilli Paste if using. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add Tomatoes and cook covered on low for 10 minutes until the oil seperates at the sides.

Add Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Red Chilli, Salt. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes.

Add Chicken, Water and Garam Masala. Simmer on high for 5 minutes.

Cook covered on low heat for 45 minutes.

Tips for cooking Chicken Curry 

Chicken

You can make this curry with boneless skinless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs.

Just adjust the cooking time. Around 25 - 35 minutes.

Traditionally this recipe is made with a whole skinless chicken cut into 8 - 12 pieces. 

Garam Masala

The flavour for Garam Masala does vary between brands.

Essentially it is a  Spice mix that is made up of a blend of roasted whole  aromatic spices such as bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom.

I use this instead of whole spices in this recipe. If you prefer to use whole spices, add them right at the beginning before the onions.

Cook until fragrant and then add the onions and continue with the recipe.You can use Curry Powder if that is all you have.

Veg

Some people like to add Veggies to the recipe, like for example chopped red peppers.

Chickpeas or Lentils

You can add Chickpeas or make this Chicken and Chickpea recipe and Lentils to this recipe to make it more substantial. Add it at the same time as the chicken. 

How to double this recipe

You can double this recipe by doubling all the ingredients aside from onions (you will only need 1 extra, 1 inch extra Ginger and the Garlic can be increased by an additional 3 cloves).

Cook for 10 minutes longer in a much larger pot!

You can also halve the recipe!

Variations

• Swap out the chicken for Paneer to make it Vegetarian.
• You can replace the Garam Masala with an Indian Curry Powder.
• You can add Greek Yoghurt or Cashew Paste to the curry to make it thicker. Just soak 12 Cashews in water for 30 minutes and then blend to a smooth paste. Add after the tomatoes have coked.
• This recipe is best cooked slow. Some people even use make slow cooker chicken curry for super juicy chicken.
• You can blend the onions after cooking them out if you like.
• To make a creamy chicken curry with a coconut curry sauce, add a can of full-fat coconut milk or Coconut Cream.

What to serve it with

• Boiled White rice  or Jeera Rice
• Chapatti 
• Kachumber Salad
• Raita 
• Popadums
• Veg Pulao 
• Naan Bread

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, chicken curry can be made up to 2 days ahead.  Reheat in a pot over medium-high heat until the chicken is piping hot throughout.

Can I freeze Chicken Curry?

Yes, it freezes well.

Once cooled place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I tend to defrost in the fridge for a few hours and then reheat on the stove with a splash of water but you can also reheat in the microwave.

Can I make this recipe in a pressure cooker?

Yes you can make this recipe in a pressure cooker like an instant pot/ninja food or similar. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and then do a natural release.

For more Indian Curries, Check out these recipes:

Butter Chicken - Chicken Makhani

The BEST Karahi Chicken

Lamb Chops Curry

Kidney Beans Curry - Rajma Masala

Chicken Akni, One Pot Chicken and Rice

Easy Mutton Pulao - Yakhni Pulao

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