Quick Chicken Curry for Two
This easy curry dinner is ready in just 18 minutes. Big curry flavors, super flexible ingredients, and perfect for using up what’s in your fridge.
This isn’t a traditional curry, but it has all those cozy, spiced flavors, done fast. You can use whatever protein and bits of veggies you have on hand (fresh or frozen). Then finish it off with yogurt, sour cream, or coconut milk for a rich and creamy, beautifully seasoned sauce. This recipe is perfect for nights when you want something delicious and restaurant-y but don’t have a fridge full of groceries.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Is This Authentic Chicken Curry?
Absolutely not. This is not a traditional Indian curry, it’s based loosely on a recipe from a magazine I saw in a doctor’s office many years ago. I adapted it to be for two with what I had on hand and it’s evolved over time. It’s how I first made curry at home and the dish has comforting flavors from those amazing spices in the curry powder.
This is such a great recipe for a quick dinner that uses up things in the fridge. Leftover cooked meat, odds and ends from the veggie drawer, and you can even serve it over leftover rice. So easy, so many delicious possibilities.
What Kind of Chicken?
Because this is a quick recipe that I usually use leftovers for, I’m calling for already cooked chicken that has been shredded or chopped. This chicken could be from my Juicy Pulled Chicken recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, or this quick and easy Stovetop Chicken Pieces recipe.
If you don’t have leftover cooked chicken, you can cut chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized pieces and cook at the beginning of the recipe, with the onion. It will just add 5 minutes or so to the cooking time.
You can use a different cooked protein though if you prefer. A can of drained meat or fish is an easy substitute. Or make it vegetarian with a drained can of chickpeas instead.
Other Ingredients And Substitutions
Vegetables
You’ll notice in the recipe that I simply call for chopped fresh veggies. I like to use bell pepper, mushrooms, sometimes carrots or broccoli. Some baby spinach or a handful of frozen peas are also good choices. Use whatever you have on hand that you think would be tasty. You can even use part of a bag of frozen mixed vegetables if that is what’s easiest for you, just let them thaw first.
The recipe says 1/3 cup of chopped onion, which is about one small onion or half of a large onion. I also use a whole fresh tomato, but you could use half a can of diced tomatoes instead.
Dairy or coconut Milk
The reason that the recipe uses yogurt or sour cream is because I almost always have a tub of one or the other in my fridge. Make sure to add that to the sauce once the pan is off the heat so that it doesn’t curdle. Coconut milk is definitely more traditional for creamy chicken curry, but you would only need 1/3 of a cup. If you’ll find a use for the rest of the can, go ahead and use coconut milk and let it simmer a little bit on the heat to thicken up to the right consistency.
Print
Quick Chicken Curry for Two Recipe
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
DESCRIPTION
This easy curry dinner is ready in just 18 minutes. Big flavors, super flexible ingredients, and perfect for using up what’s in your fridge.
Serve over rice and/or with naan. Any of the following can also be added at the end: 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cup slivered almonds or peanuts, and/or some lime wedges for squeezing over.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. cooking oil
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 medium tomato, chopped*
- 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups chopped fresh veggies**
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Pinch cayenne
- Pinch ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 cups (8 ounces) chopped or shredded cooked chicken***
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until just softened, 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato, veggies, and curry powder. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, garlic powder, salt, cayenne, ginger, and cooked chicken. Bring up to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is heated through and the liquid has reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.
- Take off of the heat and then wait 1 minute for it to fully stop simmering. Stir in the yogurt or sour cream.
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Notes
*Instead of the tomato, use half a 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (about 1 cup) or 1 cup of salsa or a 10 oz. can of rotel.
**The easiest way to do this is to get out a measuring cup and then chop veggies and transfer them to the measuring cup as you go until you have the amount you need. Some vegetables, like mushrooms, shrink more than others when cooked, so you’ll want a bit extra if you use those, closer to the 2 cup mark.
You can also used thawed, frozen veggies.
***1 can drained chickpeas or other beans can be used instead of the chicken, or use any leftover cooked protein. One (10 oz.) can of drained canned meat or fish can also be a good substitute.
To instead use 1/2 pound of uncooked chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces and add it to the onions at the beginning. Cook, stirring, until cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.
