Chicken Curry
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Whip up a one-skillet chicken curry, brimming with vibrant peas and rich flavors, all in just 30 minutes—a weeknight winner!
If you’re looking to shake up your weeknight dinner routine, this chicken curry is a great place to start. It’s made with thinly sliced chicken breasts that are quickly sautéed, then simmered in a rich, flavorful curry sauce. A handful of frozen peas goes in at the end for a pop of color and a little extra goodness. Best of all, this one-skillet meal comes together in just 30 minutes—perfect for busy nights when you have to hit the kitchen running.
Keep in mind, the flavor and heat level will vary depending on the curry powder you use. I use McCormick, which is easy to find in most supermarkets and makes a mild, kid-friendly curry. Feel free to use your favorite brand—just taste and adjust as needed. Serve the chicken curry with fluffy basmati rice or naan for a weeknight meal everyone will love.
“Delicious. My 5 year old told me ‘Never forget this recipe!’”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Curry
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Lean and quick-cooking, they soak up the curry flavors beautifully and stay tender when cooked properly.
- Curry powder – A blend of spices including turmeric, cumin, coriander, and others that gives the curry its distinctive warm, aromatic flavor.
- Onion, garlic, and ginger – The trio that forms the flavorful base of the dish, adding savory depth, a little sweetness, and a gentle kick.
- Chicken broth and cornstarch – The broth gives the sauce its savory backbone, while the cornstarch thickens it into a smooth, silky curry.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Adds creaminess and a subtle tang that balances the spices and gives the sauce a rich finish. I recommend using yogurt with at least 2% fat—it adds more depth and body to the sauce. If you’re ever out of yogurt, sour cream makes a good substitute.
- Frozen peas – Stirred in at the end, they bring a pop of color and a touch of natural sweetness that rounds everything out.
- Cilantro – A handful on top just before serving adds freshness and a bright herbal note that brings the whole dish to life. Feel free to leave it out or substitute parsley if you’re not a fan.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep and season the chicken. Cut the chicken into ¼-inch slices. The easiest way is to cut each breast in half lengthwise, then slice on the diagonal. No need to be exact, but try to keep the pieces roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Once sliced, season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of curry powder.
Step 2: Sauté the chicken. Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet, then briefly sauté the chicken until it is lightly browned but still pink in spots. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl.
Step 3: Cook the aromatics. Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft and translucent, then add the ginger, garlic, and more curry powder and sauté until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the liquid. Whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the skillet along with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer until the sauce thickens up nicely, about 5 minutes.
Pro tip: Always mix cornstarch with a cold or room temperature liquid—if you add it straight to something hot, it’ll clump.
Step 5: Add the chicken and peas. Return the chicken to the pan along with the frozen peas, and simmer just until the chicken is cooked through.
Pro tip: If you want to add more veggies, feel free—just cook them separately first, then stir them in with the peas. And if you’re adding a lot, consider bumping up the sauce by about 25% to keep things nicely coated.
Step 6: Finish the dish. Add the Greek yogurt and fresh chopped cilantro and stir until combined. Serve and enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-in (6-mm) strips
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (see note)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, best quality such as Swanson
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
- ¼ cup plain low fat (2%) or whole Greek yogurt (do not use nonfat)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly with ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon curry powder.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a 12-in (30-cm) skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned but still pink in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to the skillet and set heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger and remaining 1½ teaspoons curry powder and cook until fragrant, about a minute more.
- Whisk the chicken broth and cornstarch together to dissolve the cornstarch, then add to the skillet along with the sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce is nicely thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the peas and partially cooked chicken to the skillet, turn the heat down to low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, a few minutes. Off the heat, stir in the yogurt and cilantro; then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with basmati rice.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This came out great, I made it exactly as directed and with basmati rice and the curry roasted carrots. This is the 4th recipe I’ve made of Jenn’s and every single one has been awesome. I’m definitely a devotee now!
This was so easy and so good!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Quick and easy and full of flavor!
Hi from Canada – I was referred to your website by a friend and tried this curry chicken today to drop off for dinner tonight to a new mom and dad. It’s fabulous!! So easy, your instructions are very helpful, and the photographs are a great added touch. I’m so excited to try many more of your recipes. Thank you!
Hi Jenn! Thanks so much for sharing your curry recipe with us. I don’t mean any disrespect to you as a cook (in fact I think you’re actually fantastic!) but I’m afraid to say that this recipe is not authentic and does not reflect the rich and complex flavor profiles of Indian cuisine. If you’re interested in learning how to make an authentic chicken curry, YouTube has some fantastic videos with instructions and tips provided at every step of the multi-stage cooking process. BharatzKitchen-HINDI is probably my favorite YouTube channel for all kinds of Indian recipes! You’ll probably notice while watching these videos, that none of these cooks use “curry powder” – it’s an anomaly in India! Curry is not a flavor by itself but rather a type of dish. There are hundreds of types of chicken curries in India and they all taste so different! I hope my comment doesn’t hurt your feelings. My intention is to be helpful in your culinary journey across India! 🙂
It doesn’t hurt my feelings at all – I appreciate the honest feedback!
I made it, and thought it was great….tasting. Don’t really care if it’s authentic.
Linda
Hi Rebecca.
I Totally agree with your comments regarding curry powder. It’s a shite ingredient and should be thrown in the bin. Plus anything made with curry powder is going to toast like super noodles.
I am however struggling with your recommendation on the BharatzKitchen-HINDI YouTube channel as none of the videos appear to be in English, and neither are the instructions. My Hindi is rubbish so just wondered if you had any other you tube channel suggestions? As the food looks amazing.
Stu x
I would agree if it were going to be an Indian meal. However, if you’re trying to get dinner on the table and NOT being ethnically authentic, it’s a great, fast, tasty, go-to recipe! In this age of ghost restaurants and food delivery, it’s really nice to have recipes like this in your back pocket.
Well, I for one am glad this recipe is posted, because it is exactly what I was looking for!
So thank you for posting, not everything has to be “authentic” and I read the title for what it was. Curry flavored chicken…which is what I love!
Wow. You rated this poorly purely because you disagree with the ingredients and NOT because you made it. NOT COOL.
Nothing in the recipe or the instructions claim that this is an Indian recipe, only that it’s fast and easy. So many cultures incorporate curry into their cuisines (Indian, Thai, Burmese, Japanese…), so I think it’s odd that we’re assuming that this is meant to be authentic to Indian or any other culture.
Anyway, I made this, it’s not my favorite of Jenn’s recipes (it’s a little bland), but I make some version of this all the time. I frequently work 16 hour days, and time is valuable. Recipes like this help me hone my dinner-in-a-hurry game. Thanks for the recipe, Jenn!
Rebecca – I am a Desi person. While Jen is being open minded to your feedback, Nowhere in this recipe is she claiming that this is an Indian dish, let alone an authentic Indian Dish. Chicken Curry does not automatically mean Indian. Chicken Curries are made in all different cultures , not just Indian. She is creating her own version of these recipes and there is nothing wrong with that. This is her website, her recipes, she can do whatever she wants- she is not hurting anyone.
Just made this for my family and I. Total hit and couldn’t be easier to make. Thanks for the awesome recipe Jenn!
Absolutely delicious! The only substitute i made was I used sour cream rather than yogurt only because I didn’t have any but it was the first curry dish I’ve ever tried in all my 58 years and it was fabulous. I should have done this a long time ago!
I have made this recipe a few times and I absolutely love it! Wonderful recipe!
Hi Jenn, do you think this recipe would work with leftover lamb from Easter?
Sure (but if it’s already cooked, you’ll just need to heat it up). Hope you enjoy!
This dish is permanently in our rotation. It is absolutely delicious! I have now made it three times and my family loves it and looks forward to it! (In fact the other night when my son asked what I was making for dinner, I got a fist pump and a “YES!”) The only change I make is I substitute edamame for peas since my boys don’t like peas. Thank you!
Made this today, followed the recipe to the letter and the result was absolutely delicious. I did forget to add the yogurt though, but put it some sour cream after it was on the table. Still delicious.