YOU’LL HAVE CHICKEN CURRY READY IN MINUTES
For all of you curry lovers, we have Chicken Curry In A Hurry which is not only delicious but you can have it ready in under one hour.
Indian Curry one of my favourites so when Nicola wanted to share her family recipe on CBB I was excited.
This curry recipe is just full of wonderful Indian spices that every kitchen should have if you love to cook homemade meals from scratch.
Indian Food In The UK
Growing up in the UK I can remember having plenty of Indian friends some of whom I am still friends with today.
I was exposed to Indian food at a young age from my friends but also from local restaurants.
I was always on the hunt for quick chicken recipes and Indian curry was always my go-to meal when I needed something in a flash.
I don’t tend to make many beef recipes but when I do making a beef curry is just as easy and tasty as using chicken.
If you want a vegetarian curry simple to omit the meat and use a variety of your favourite vegetables in the curry sauce.
I find takeaway Indian cuisine in the UK is as popular as Chinese Food take-out in Canada.
Visting India For The Best Curry
My love for Indian cuisine brought me to India where I ate some of the finest Indian foods and probably some I will never master.
There’s nothing quite like an authentic chicken curry but there is no reason you can’t make your own curry at home.
Our home has a few Indian cookbooks and we certainly have all the lovely spices Nicola will be sharing in this quick and easy curry recipe.
I have made Mrs.CBB many Indian Curry recipes and although the flavours were new to her she said they were welcoming, fresh flavours different from what she had grown up with.
The best part is not only is this curry in a hurry it’s a frugal recipe that your friends will enjoy and won’t cost a fortune to make.
Sometimes it’s nice to cook outside the norm and try something new. – Mr.CBB
This basic curry recipe I created with some of the lovely spices in The Dalda Cookbook.
For this particular curry recipe you can incorporate beef, chicken, or vegetables whatever you have in your refrigerator or freezer.
I decided to go with an Indian creation that I make for my family as my third contribution to Mr.CBB’s Cooking with the Fans Sunday post.
My first recipe for CBB was a easy to make shortbread cookies and the last being a Pannetone Bread Pudding which would be a great dessert for this meal.
What is Garam Masala?
We love Curry in our house and the kids have grown up with a little bit of spice in their meals ever since they were able to eat whole foods.
Even the mushy stuff had a bit of something in it rather than salt! If you are wondering what is Garam Masala, I’ll tell you.
According to Wikipedia, Garam means “Hot” and Masala means “Spices” which is a blend of ground spices common in North Indian and other South Asian cuisines.
What Spices are in Garam Masala?
That’s a good question and anyone with a sophisticated palate can pick out the lovely spices.
Is Garam Masala hot?
If you are asking yourself, “Is Masala hot?” it’s not really, at least I don’t think so as you can see the spices below are not as hot as many believe.
The spices are very aromatic yet pungent in flavour but the perfect spice for many recipes.
According to Wikipedia the Indian version of Garam Masala includes:
- Black Peppercorns and White Peppercorns
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Black cumin seeds and White cumin seeds
- Black, brown and green cardamom pods
Curry Inspiration
My inspiration for the exotic spice is India as my great-aunt and uncle ran a tea plantation from the ’50s-’60s and she was always telling stories of what it was like growing up in that time showing us pictures.
She also mentioned how lonely it was to be without family, a bit like me at the moment.
It would be a struggle at first but said I would soon settle in my new homeland, Canada, and make new friends.
On my leaving Scotland she handed me a cookbook saying it was one of her first cookbooks called “The Dalda Cookbook” and that she knew that I loved my curry and experimenting with cooking and creating recipes.
This is now one of my much-cherished cookbooks that you just can’t get anymore!
It is certainly a treasure to be handed down to other generations. -Nicola Don
How To Make Chicken Curry In A Hurry
Step 1.
Step 2.
Below is the finished Chicken Curry, enjoy!
How To Make Curry
- 1lb Chicken, Beef or Vegetables
- 1 large white onion minced
- 2 tsp Curry powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1 Cup of Chicken/Beef Stock or 1 cube
- ½ can of Coconut milk
- 1 tsp Corn starch
- I tsp ground cumin
- Coriander
- You can add other vegetables to this such as peas.
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Add oil in the pan and when hot enough add the minced onions and spices.
- Cook until you can smell the aroma of spices (a couple of minutes) then add your choice of meat, chicken, or vegetables.
- Keep stirring until everything is coated and the Beef, Chicken or Vegetables are starting to simmer.
- Now add your stock a bit at a time stirring all the bits that are stuck to the pan (best bits with the most flavour).
- Bring your curry mix up to a simmer and then add coconut milk.
- Stir until it starts changing texture and colour.
- It should thicken slightly but we don't want it runny so now mix in your corn starch with a little water until it turns to a liquid paste.
- Now add cornstarch in gradually until your curry thickens. You may not need to use all of the cornstarch.
- Then add peas and simmer until cooked and the Beef/chicken or Veg are tender.
- Lastly, add as much coriander as you prefer ( I just add a handful) and there you have it!
- Serve on a bed of Basmati rice with homemade Naan bread or homemade pita bread and mango chutney!
That’s how easy it is to make Chicken Curry in a Hurry and surprise your family with a delicious meal for lunch or dinner.
Discussion: What are your favourite types of curry? Leave me your comments below.
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Juanita says
Thank you Mr.CBB & Nicola for sharing this recipe!!! I made it tonight and used coffee cream instead of coconut milk since that’s what I had on hand. It was very yummy!!!! Even the hubby loved it since it wasn’t spicy 🙂
Will make it again for sure!
wavensongz says
A comment on your Chicken Curry Recipe. Just AWESOME, I got lost somewhere in the fact if this was your change to the one in the book, or the original. It did not matter it was for my dinner tonight.Since I cook ahead sometimes in case I get lost in the world. My family does not care when I return, but A Real Dinner is a must. Yes, I think they are spoiled but I Love to cook for people that REALLY Love to eat real food. I use the chicken and chicken stock, what I think really made this meal was the coconut milk & the spices.. The creaminess of the sauce with the hint of spices blended so well together. The mixer of the Garam Masala truly made it a traditional touch. The chicken melts into the sauce and seasonings, bringing that regular chicken flavor to an all New High. I did put this tiny spin on it, I sauteed a few onions just till they were clear and used just a pinch of Garam Masala (I Love this spice). This was if anyone wanted to add. Added the rice. Made myself a plate to taste, (mistake) it became my breakfast. LOL You did Great Mate. 😉
nickydon40 says
Thanks glad you enjoyed my recipe, it was inspired by the spices in the book as I love to experiment:)
nickydon40 says
Glad you enjoyed my recipe. It was inspired by the spices from this boom;)
nickydon40 says
Book lol
Monster Piggy Bank says
I love a good curry, but I have found lately that I can never make it hot enough for my mouth, but I suffer any extra heat the next day if you get my meaning…
Canadianbudgetbinder says
loud and clear mate… I don’t eat hot food for that reason at all.
Laurie @thefrugalfarmer says
this looks delicious – thanks for sharing! It’ll be a great chance for me to introduce the kids to Indian food.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
One thing I appreciate that my mum did was introduce us kids to other cultures.
Budget & the Beach says
I love anything with curry! Looks like a good one to try!
Christine Weadick says
This looks so good!! I’ll have to see what kind of trouble I can get into with this and share with my daughter. Thanks Nicola!!!!! The pass it on cook books here tend to be for German foods as that was Mom’s family. I have all 3 of the schmecks cook books by Edna Staebler.. I’ll sit and read them and other cook book like some one else would sit and read a novel or what ever…….
nickydon40 says
Christine thats me too:). I love a good cookbook!
nickydon40 says
Same here I love a good cookbook:)
maximary says
Oh yummy, yummy, yummy! We will have to have chicken curry tonight !! My uncle spent 13 years in India with the British Indian Medical Service, from 1935 to 1948, and brought home to family in the UK (us in Wales and his mother & brother in London) his love of Indian foods, long before curry became a ‘staple’ in the UK. This looks like a lovely extension of my thrown-together curries, out I go for some coconut milk.Thanks for the inspiration. BTW my fav Indian cookbook is “Brit Spice” an oldie but goodie.
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Hi Maximary,
I can remember indian food being an important part of many British family meals of my mates. The Brit Spice cookbook sounds familiar, I’ll have to look it up. Wales is a nice place, lived there before.
maximary says
We thoroughly enjoyed the chicken curry on Sunday, but had 1/2 tin coconut milk left over, so yesterday we had another curry –
Took a package of the imitation “crab legs” from the freezer (bought for 99 cents a couple of weeks ago) and cut the “legs” into 1″ chunks. Following your chicken recipe, I started with chopped onions, shredded carrot and chopped mixed peppers (all from the freezer). Apart from increasing the cumin, garam marsala and curry powder measures by half (personal choice), I followed your recipe, sprinkled some lovely dessicated coconut on top & served over basmati rice. It was delicious – and frugal.
Mary Davies says
Oh yummy, yummy, yummy! We will have to have chicken curry tonight !! My uncle spent 13 years in India with the British Indian Medical Service, from 1935 to 1948, and brought home to family in the UK (us in Wales and his mother & brother in London) his love of Indian foods, long before curry became a ‘staple’ in the UK. This looks like a lovely extension of my thrown-together curries, out I go for some coconut milk.Thanks for the inspiration.
Mary F Campbell says
Thanks for the recipe Nicola! I even have some chicken that was waiting for a recipe to appear… and now it has! 😀
Canadianbudgetbinder says
Awesome, now you have a recipe for your chicken. Do you think you might like curry with beef as well?
Michelle says
This looks so yummy! 🙂