This Creamy Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk is the ultimate comfort meal — rich, flavorful, and ready in under 30 minutes. Tender pieces of boneless chicken simmer gently in a silky coconut milk sauce infused with black pepper, curry leaves, and a hint of a special spice – Malabar tamarind, creating a perfect balance of spice and creaminess. Made with simple, everyday ingredients and no complicated steps, it’s a wholesome, beginner-friendly recipe that tastes like it came from a traditional kitchen. Serve it with steamed rice or flatbread for a cozy, satisfying meal that everyone will love.
Creamy Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Course: MainCuisine: Indian, KeralaDifficulty: Medium5
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
minutesThe coconut cream I am using here can be replaced with twice the amount of coconut milk.
Ingredients
- Ingredients for marination
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Vinegar
- Ingredients for curry
1 Cup Chopped Red onions
1 Tbsp Chopped Ginger
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
1 Cup Tomatoes
1 Green chili
3 Tbsp Coconut oil or Cooking oil
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Coriander Powder
10 – 15 Curry leaves
250 ml thick coconut cream
2 Malabar tamarind or kudampuli
- Whole Spices for spice mix
2 inch Cassia stick
1 Tbsp Black peppercorns
4 Green Cardamom pods
- Substitutes
Tamarind or lemon juice in place of Malabar Tamarind.
Cooking Instructions
- Prep & quick marinade (10 mins):
- Thaw chicken fully, rinse, and cut into 1-inch cubes (900 g–1 kg). Toss with 1 Tbsp salt + 1 Tbsp vinegar (or lemon). Rest 10 minutes.
- Chop the base:
- Finely chop 3 small onions, 1 Tbsp ginger, 1 Tbsp garlic, and 3 medium tomatoes (use a manual chopper for a fine chop, not a paste). Slit and deseed 1 green chili. Pick 1–2 sprigs curry leaves. (Optional) Rinse/soak 2 pieces kudampuli (Malabar tamarind).
- Grind simple spice mix:
- In a grinder/mortar, make a fine powder of 1 Tbsp black peppercorns, 2-inch cassia/cinnamon, 3–4 green cardamoms (discard husks). Set aside.
- Start the curry base (5 mins):
- Heat 3 Tbsp coconut oil in a heavy pan/clay pot over medium. Add curry leaves, then onion-ginger-garlic. Sauté till translucent (do not brown).
- Stir in 1 tsp turmeric + 1 Tbsp coriander powder; cook for under a minute
- Add tomatoes; cook till soft and pulpy. Add kudampuli (if using), 1 Tbsp of the ground spice mix, and the slit green chili.
- Toss in the chicken to coat evenly. If using bone-in chicken, add ½ cup water and cook until the meat turns opaque. If using boneless chicken breast, proceed to the next step
- Lower heat to low. Add 250 ml coconut cream + 250 ml water (or 500 ml coconut milk). Stir gently.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks/splits. Adjust salt and thickness (add water if too thick). For more warmth, add another ½–1 tsp of the pepper-cardamom-cinnamon mix. Remove green chili for a milder finish. Garnish with fresh coriander.
- Optional tempering:
- Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a small pan; crackle 1 tsp mustard seeds, add finely sliced small onion/shallots and a few curry leaves; fry till edges brown. Pour over the curry.
Recipe Video
