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
This savory chicken curry is full of flavor, family-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¼-inch strips
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2½ teaspoons curry powder, divided
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, 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-inch 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.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 361
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugar: 6g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: 830mg
- Cholesterol: 93mg
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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I like to use sesame oil, which is readily available at Middle Eastern groceries.
I also add a heaping teaspoon of powdered turmeric as a flavor enhancer.
My favorite brand of yellow curry is Shah’s Deer, also available at Arab or Persian grocers.
I use ~3 tablespoons for this recipe, which is just about hot enough for me.
Remember, you can add more, but can never take it out. 🙂
Fort the amount of liquid involved, I bump the quantity of chicken to 3 lb.
Works great, especially with thickening the sauce.
I like to freeze the leftovers in 12oz plastic bag flat packs.
If all the fat is removed, they will last almost indefinitely.
A year later, you can defrost the flat pack (~ 1″ thick) under hot water, reheat in a microwave oven ,and have dinner in ~ 3 minutes.
Works for me. 🙂
After reading the comments, I cut the water back by 1/2 cup, swapped in 1/2 tsp hot curry powder for some of the plain, and added a bit more salt, and it was pretty good! I also put in more peas to make it more of a one-pot meal (with rice). Will make it again.
Made it, but didn’t enjoy it. There are much better curry recipes out there.
This was AMAZING!!! Delicious and easy. My family loved it, thank you so much.
I made this and it did not turn out as well. followed to a t…all fresh organic .NO FLAVOR but my house smells great. I see a few others had the same answer What did I do wrong? my husband has been asking for this dish and I’m sorry I had to disappoint him . we cooked together so he saw all the great fragrances and smells as we married the ingredients. like I said what did I do wrong?
Hi Michele, I’m sorry you found this to be lacking in flavor! With the curry and aromatics (onion, garlic and ginger), I’m surprised that the favor fell flat for you. Did you by any chance cut back on the salt?
That’s interesting that you found it to have no flavor as I thought just the opposite – we thought it was packed with flavor! I used McCormick’s curry powder (as Jenn mentioned in the intro) and couldn’t have been happier with the way it came out! My kids were lurking around the kitchen while I made it and seriously devoured it. Initially, I thought we’d have leftovers that I could enjoy the next day for lunch, but that was not to be! This will definitely go on our list of family favorites – thanks for another successful, easy dinner, Jenn!
Not a fan. Followed the recipe exactly. Sadly, this was lacking full flavor. Rather bland. Wonder if the freshly purchased curry powder was inferior to make the difference. I call every element quite nice.
It’s pretty bland as written.
Old curry can and usually is flat.Be sure of your measurements and use curry that has not exceeded the expiration date.Remember garbage in = garbage out. We find this recipe delicious.
Hi Jenn, I plan on making this recipe but I am interested in freezing it before hand. Can this freeze well for two weeks or so?
Hi Sarah, I don’t think this is the best candidate for freezing — sorry! I have a section of freezer-friendly recipes if you’d like to look at other options.
made this for dinner tonight, my whole family loved it, immediately put this in my personal cookbook. very easy to make,minimal ingredients, always have all the spices, everything about this recipe is fantastic
Jenn, this chicken curry is excellent as were your chicken verde enchiladas and your chicken tikka. I found you when searching for a butterscotch pecan scone recipe as I spend way too much time visiting The Salamander Market in Middleburg just to purchase a scone. I have bought the butterscotch chips and the whipping cream but have yet to make them. I also now have empanada pastry rounds in our freezer.
Yours was the third recipe for chicken enchiladas I tried. Yours is the keeper.
I am thrilled to finally have absolutely delicious and easy recipes for foods that we in the past enjoyed only when eating at ethnic restaurants.
I have purchased each of your cookbooks and I am receiving your weekly recipes.
I THANK YOU.
MY FAMILY THANKS YOU.
❣️
Jenn, I just made Chicken Curry, following all your tips and suggestions. It is a special dish I intend to make when my family comes to dinner. Flavoring is intense but not terribly spicey. I always gravitate to your emails and recipes as they are so flavorful and your suggestions make it easy to fulfill. Thank you always, Jan Horn