Chicken Curry
Quick answer
Chicken curry is one of the world's most universal dishes, adapted as it traveled from the Indian subcontinent through Japan and into Korea, each culture reshaping it to...
What makes this special
- Deep-browned onions and curry powder build the layered base of this coconut milk chicken curry.
- Onions sweated 6 to 8 minutes first build natural sweetness before layering other vegetables
- Adding roux off heat prevents lumps and creates smooth, evenly thickened sauce
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut 500g chicken thigh into 3cm bite-size pieces, season with 1/2 tsp salt a...
- 2 Cut 2 onions into 2cm half-moon slices, and chop 2 potatoes and 1 carrot into 3-4cm chunks.
- 3 Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pot over medium-high heat, sear the chicken for...
Chicken curry is one of the world's most universal dishes, adapted as it traveled from the Indian subcontinent through Japan and into Korea, each culture reshaping it to local taste. The Japanese-style version uses a flour-and-butter roux for a thick, mild sauce, while Indian preparations build complexity by browning onions deeply and layering whole and ground spices with tomato. Chicken, potato, carrot, and onion simmer together until the vegetables release their starch and sweetness into the sauce, creating a velvety body. The essential pleasure is spooning the curry over steamed rice and watching it seep between the grains. Leftover curry reheated the next day tastes notably deeper - the Japanese call this nikkame no curry (second-day curry) and many prefer it to the fresh pot, as the spice compounds have had time to meld and the starches further thicken the sauce. Despite the simplicity of its core ingredients, the virtually limitless variation in spice blending is what makes this dish endlessly compelling across cultures.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Cut 500g chicken thigh into 3cm bite-size pieces, season with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper, and marinate for 10 minutes.
- 2Prep
Cut 2 onions into 2cm half-moon slices, and chop 2 potatoes and 1 carrot into 3-4cm chunks.
- 3Control
Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a pot over medium-high heat, sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden on the outside, then remove.
- 4Control
Reduce heat to medium, cook onions in the same pot for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned and sweet, then add potato and carrot and stir-fry for 2 more minutes.
- 5Control
Pour in 900ml water, return the chicken, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 6Control
Turn off heat, stir 3 tbsp curry powder into 400ml coconut milk until dissolved, add to the pot, then simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thickened.
- 7Season
Season with 1 tsp salt, taste and adjust, then ladle the glossy curry generously over freshly cooked white rice.
After the steps
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