Stovetop Chicken Curry
This is a base recipe designed for building depth through patience. By giving the onions time to darken and letting the spices bloom in the fat, you create a complex sauce without needing a long list of additives.
Control the heat to avoid burning the spices.
Keep your prep done before you start the fire, as the process moves quickly once the aromatics hit the oil.
- heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven
- tongs
- wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 2 lbchicken thighs, bone-in and skinless, cut into chunks
- 3yellow onions, finely diced
- 2 tbspfresh ginger, grated
- 4 clovesgarlic, minced
- 2large tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbspcurry powder
- 1 tspturmeric
- 1/2 tspcayenne pepper
- 1 cupchicken stock or water
- 3 tbspneutral oil
Frying the base
You must cook the onion, garlic, and ginger mixture until it turns a deep, rich brown. This step removes the raw edge and creates the caramel base that defines the sauce.
The method.
Brown the chicken
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken chunks until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
Add the remaining oil. Sauté onions until they transition from translucent to a deep amber color. Stir in the garlic and ginger for one minute until fragrant.
Bloom the spices
Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds until the oil changes color and the scent sharpens.
Create the sauce
Add the tomatoes. Cook until they soften and collapse into a paste. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the stock.
Simmer
Cover the pot and simmer on low for 25 minutes. Remove the lid for the final 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken to a glossy consistency.
Other turns to take.
Creamy finish
Stir in half a cup of coconut milk or heavy cream during the final five minutes of simmering.
Vegetable heavy
Add cubed potatoes or cauliflower at the same time as the chicken to cook them in the sauce.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use bone-in thighs rather than breasts; the connective tissue keeps the meat tender through the long simmer.
Do not add water in large bursts. Add just enough to cover the chicken so the sauce stays concentrated.
If the onions stick to the bottom, splash in a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan and pick up the brown bits.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when the sauce is done?
The oil will start to separate and rise to the surface, and the onions will have completely dissolved into a thick, uniform paste.
Can I use store-bought curry paste instead?
Yes, substitute 3 tablespoons of paste for the powdered spices, but sauté it in the oil just as you would the powder to ensure it develops properly.
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