This healthy chicken curry is comforting all around and ready in 30 minutes. Serve with whole-wheat naan or rice for scooping out the ultra-creamy sauce when indulging.
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Indulgent but healthy
Ever craved curry but didn’t have curry paste at home? I’ve been in this situation multiple times, which brings me to the developing process of this recipe. Because this healthy chicken curry is a creation out of desperation. I used the spices I had at home to mimic a curry paste but with fewer ingredients needed. It turned out amazing, so I needed to share this recipe with you.
The savoury, creamy and spicy curry is the ultimate comfort food. It is super easy to make, only takes half an hour and bursts with heavenly flavours. Need I say more?
For an easy vegan option, try my Quick Yellow Vegetable Curry which does without curry paste.
Calories in chicken curry
Most curries contain lots of butter, oil and other saturated fats, making them a calorie bomb with simple carbs. I tried to keep it light with this creamy curry chicken without compromising on flavour.
The result: A healthy chicken curry that clocks in at just 396 calories and fits perfectly into a balanced meal plan. Moreover, this dish is keto-friendly when served with cauliflower rice.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – I use boneless and skinless chicken breast for a lean protein option.
- Onion – I used yellow onion because they develop a perfectly savoury and slightly sweet flavour, perfect for the curry.
- Garlic – Always use fresh garlic for the best taste.
- Ginger – The anti-inflammatory spice is a staple in curries and brings so much flavour.
- Vegetable oil – Use light-tasting vegetable oil like canola or rapeseed oil for the curry. You can also opt for coconut oil to intensify the coconut flavour.
- Tomato paste – To get a subtle tomato flavour, I added tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes. Using fresh tomatoes would be too overpowering for this curry.
- Coconut milk – The coconut milk makes the sauce ultra-creamy and adds the beloved coconut flavour to the curry.
- Chicken stock – I keep it light by adding chicken stock with coconut milk.
- Curry powder – Yellow curry powder in combination with the other spices makes for a flavourful sauce.
- Coriander – It is important to use ground, not fresh coriander, in this curry. Fresh coriander has a totally different taste but makes for a good garnish for this curry.
- Cinnamon stick – You can substitute the cinnamon stick for ½ tablespoon of ground cinnamon.
- Red pepper flakes – If you like it spicy, add red pepper flakes.
- Salt – A little salt is enough for this curry because the other spices bring so much flavour.
- Cornstarch – You can also use potato starch or flour as a substitute to thicken the sauce if needed.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Chop the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks. Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic and grate the ginger.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saucepan on high heat. Transfer the chicken chunks to the saucepan and roast them for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Remove them from the pot and set them aside.
- Add the other tablespoon of vegetable oil into the same pot. Turn down the heat to medium and add the onion. Roast for about a minute, and add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, curry powder, coriander, salt, and red pepper flakes (optional). Roast the spices for a couple of seconds and add coconut milk, chicken stock and cinnamon stick.
- Add the chicken back in, put on a lid and let the curry cook on low to medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. If you want the sauce to be thicker, sift in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and stir well.
- Remove the cinnamon stick when the curry is cooked, sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and serve with whole-wheat rice and naan.
Recipe FAQs
Can this healthy chicken curry be made in advance?
This dish is ideal for meal prep. Cook a big batch on the weekend, store portioned and eat during the week.
What do I serve with this chicken curry?
To keep this meal balanced, serve it with whole-wheat rice or naan.
How long can this curry be stored?
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it an ideal meal-prep dish for busy weeks. Want to keep it longer? Freeze it in portions for up to 3 months and have a comforting meal ready when you crave it.
Top tip
This curry is excellent for meal prep. Prepare a big batch, portion it and store in the freezer for up to 5 days. Perfect as a nourishing and comforting lunch or dinner warmed in seconds.
More comforting recipes
North African-Style Beef Chili
Healthy Chicken Curry
Equipment
- saucepan
- cooking spoon
- chopping board
- knife
- bowl
Ingredients
- 400 g boneless skinless chicken breasts (0.9 lb)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
- 400 ml coconut milk (full-fat)
- 100 ml chicken stock (½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cinnamon stick or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks. Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic and grate the ginger.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large saucepan on high heat. Transfer the chicken chunks to the saucepan and roast them for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Remove them from the pot and set them aside.
- Add the other tablespoon of vegetable oil into the same pot. Turn down the heat to medium and add the onion. Roast for about a minute, and add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, curry powder, coriander, salt, and red pepper flakes (optional). Roast the spices for a couple of seconds and add coconut milk, chicken stock and cinnamon stick.
- Add chicken back in, put on a lid and let the curry cook on low to medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. If you want the sauce to be thicker, sift in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and stir well.
- Remove the cinnamon stick when the curry is cooked, sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and serve with whole-wheat rice and naan.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with online tools. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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