This Easy Chicken Curry is one of my family’s favorite quick weeknight meals. Just a bit spicy, with a fragrant, slightly sweet tomato base and big chunks of tender chicken breast throughout, it’s made with pantry staples and can be on your table in about 35 minutes.
Hey, friends. Today’s recipe is a fun one because it’s both an old family favorite and something I just learned to cook myself: super easy Chicken Curry.
Unlike other childhood favorites I’ve posted ( Mom’s Simple Sunday Beef Stew , Chicken Cacciatore , Slow Cooker Tri-tip Sandwiches, etc.), I’ve eaten this Chicken Curry literally hundreds of times in my life, and yet somehow never actually been the one to make it. When I asked my mom for the recipe a couple weeks ago, she looked at me like I was a moron because everyone else in the family knows it by heart. She must have said “Really?” approximately seven times when I told her I didn’t know how to make it.
But, I have good excuses! The first is that because it’s so easy to make, it was one of the first recipes my little sisters learned to cook growing up, so now they’re the ones that always make it for family functions, and second, because the original makes a giant, family-size vat of curry that I’d never be able to eat on my own.
So for today, in addition to learning how to actually cook chicken curry for myself so I could share it with you, I cut the recipe way down so now it serves just two or three.
If you don’t usually make curries at home, this is a perfect curry to start with because you don’t need any special spices or chilies, just curry powder. And while completely delicious, this is a very mild curry, only the slightest bit spicy with a fragrant, slightly sweet tomato base and big chunks of tender chicken breast throughout.
Because this Chicken Curry is so simple and quick to make, in our house growing up, it was usually a weeknight meal, and the scaled down version is even quicker since there’s hardly any chopping to be done, just a bit of green bell pepper, onion, and one chicken breast.
After cutting, the chicken breast gets floured and browned on the stove, the vegetables and spices get a couple minutes in the skillet, and then chicken gets added back to the pan and everything simmers with a can of stewed tomatoes for about twenty minutes. At the very end, you stir in a spoonful of jam for a little added sweetness, and you’re done!
From start to finish, this curry will take just over half an hour, which is perfect because that’s about the time your rice cooker should be done too, so dinner is on the table and ready to go all at the same time. And since the curry is served over rice, this is a very filling meal all on its own, no need to go all out on sides. Just serve with some simple steamed broccoli and enjoy.
Easy Chicken Curry Recipe Notes
- This recipe calls for stewed tomatoes, and sometimes you can only find stewed tomatoes that are labeled Italian- or Mexican-style. Given the choice, my family usually uses Italian, but we’ve used both and both taste great.
- Stewed tomatoes come in pretty large chunks, if you don’t love chunks of tomatoes or are feeding a picky eater, you can open the can, stick a pair of kitchen shears inside and chop the tomatoes into smaller pieces inside the can.
As written, this Easy Chicken Curry recipe makes two very generous portions or three more modest servings. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider–no preparation changes are necessary for doubling or tripling.
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- ▢ Medium skillet with a lid
Chicken Curry
- ▢ 1/3 cup ( 40g ) all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- ▢ 1 medium (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
- ▢ 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
- ▢ 1/4 cup diced onion
- ▢ 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- ▢ 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- ▢ 1 tablespoon currant jelly strawberry or grape are also fine
Serve With
- ▢ White rice
- ▢ Soy sauce optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge chicken pieces in flour and set aside.
- In a medium skillet with a lid, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add flour-coated chicken pieces to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Turn heat down to medium and add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add onion, bell pepper, curry powder, and thyme and cook until the edges of the onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Return chicken to the pan and add stewed tomatoes. Stir together, cover and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium-low and cook at a simmer until tomatoes are saucy and chicken cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in jelly, and salt to taste. Simmer for another minute or two, until jelly is completely incorporated.
- Serve over rice with a drizzle of soy sauce if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Joy of Cooking
A round-up of some of my favorite small-batch baking tools for all of your small-batch baking needs.
Hey, friends. As regular readers of the site might remember, I did a reader survey back in December and asked if there were any particular topics you’d like to see covered on Baking Mischief. Most popular request number one was for posts on meal planning (so I wrote How to Meal Plan and How to Meal Plan Using Google Calendar ).
And most popular request number two was for a post on where I buy my small-batch baking tools. This one surprised me! I had no idea this was something so many of you had been wanting to know. But I’m more than happy to answer the question.
Where do I buy small-batch baking equipment?
I went through my baking posts (and some of my favorite personal recipes) and pulled together a list of my most-used tools so you can equip a small-batch kitchen of your own.
If you have any questions leave them below. You know I’m always happy to chat about small-batch baking.
Pyrex Bowl Set // I use at least one of these bowls for every single baking recipe on the site. They are hardy, easy to clean, and between the three, you have the perfect size for almost any small-batch baking need. I’ve used them to melt chocolate for Chocolate Souffles , steam broccoli , and make way too many small-batch cookie batters to count.
Donut Pan // Because donuts . That’s why. 😉
Six-cup Muffin Pan // You do not need a six-cup muffin pan. Small-batch muffins bake up just as well in a standard-size tin, but I LOVE having one. It takes up less counter space, feels like less of a pain to wash, and is just nice to use. When I’m baking a small batch of cupcakes or muffins, this is always the pan I reach for first. Favorites made in this pan include these Banana Muffins , these Vanilla Cupcakes , and these Hostess Cupcakes .
7×5-inch Pyrex Dish // This is one of my very favorite small-batch baking tools because it’s the perfect size for baking small cakes and bars AND comes with a lid so it doubles as storage. Even though I tend to use a stoneware dish for most photo shoots of recipes this size (sorry, I don’t have a link for that container–it’s from a now defunct company out of Portugal), if I’m baking for myself or recipe testing, these are the containers I’m using.
6-inch Cake Pan // I’d consider a 6-inch cake pan essential for anyone who plans to do a lot of small-batch baking. I love making tiny cakes (like this Small Red Velvet Cake or my Small Banana Cake ), so expect to see a couple more this size on the blog soon, and in the meantime, it’s also the perfect size to make a Small Batch of Cinnamon Rolls .
9×5-inch Loaf Pan // A 9×5 loaf is a little large to be considered small-batch, but a 9×5-inch loaf pan can be used for so much more than just bread. Like the 7×5-inch dishes, these are perfect for bars, especially Small-batch Brownies and the occasional batch of ice cream .
Ramekins 6 ounce and 12 ounce // Ramekins are such handy workhorses. They’re great for recipe prep, souffles, and individual servings of things like Scalloped Potatoes , Mac and Cheese , and Chicken Pot Pies . Plus, they’re just so darn cute that you’ll want to have a cupboard full of them.
Handheld Electric Mixer // As much as I love my stand mixer, it’s often just too large to effectively handle a small-batch recipe. Handheld models are 1/10th the price and powerful enough for all your small-batch needs, from whipping egg whites for Angel Food Cupcakes to beating together the perfect Small-batch Chocolate Frosting .
Immersion Blender // The great thing about immersion blenders is that they can do many of the jobs of your heavier, more powerful equipment with less fuss and way less cleanup. For the purposes of small-batch baking, the chopper attachment is absolutely perfect for replacing your food processor when it comes time to puree a bit of fruit or process oatmeal for cookies .
For more of my favorite kitchen tools, try my posts 8 Life-Changing Kitchen Tools and Small Luxuries for the Kitchen .
This small-batch recipe makes five of the best Chocolate Banana Muffins you’ll ever eat. You just need one ripe banana and one bowl, and you can be pulling these out of your oven in less than half an hour.
A little over a year ago, I posted these One-banana One-bowl Small-batch Banana Muffins to the blog. I sold them with the pitch: Hey, have a bowl? Have a banana? Make some Banana Muffins!
And they’ve been incredibly popular. Next to my Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies , they’re one of the posts I get the most happy messages about. Clearly, you guys love banana muffins and hate doing dishes and having a lone piece of fruit rotting on your counter. (Same.)
Hey, have a bowl? Have a banana? AND love chocolate? Make some Chocolate Banana Muffins!
Guys.
Guuuuuuys.
These muffins. I love them so much.
I love how easy they are to make. I love the way banana and chocolate are a perfect pair. And most of all, I love their texture.
That might sound odd, but the thing about banana muffins is that because bananas are so moist, if you’re not careful you can end up with muffins that are very heavy and almost gummy.
These muffins are NOT that. They are moist and decadent to be sure, but with a fantastic tender crumb that’s almost like biting into a cupcake. Get one warm out of the oven, with the chocolate chunks still melty and molten, and you’ll be pretty sure you’ve died and gone to banana muffin heaven.
I shared the first test batch with taste testers and they got a, “Wow, that’s just incredible.” (Mumbled out around a mouthful of muffin).
A “This is the best chocolate muffin I’ve ever had.”
And a “Damn you, I wasn’t eating sugar this week…are there any more?”
So you know it’s not just me who’s a fan of the things.
What I’m saying is that if you feel like your day could use some chocolate (really, what day couldn’t?), and there’s a shabby looking banana sitting on your counter right now or maybe in the office fruit bowl, you should probably do yourself a favor and take half an hour today to make yourself a batch.
To make this little batch of five chocolate banana muffins, you’ll just need one bowl (that’s right, these are one-bowl muffins) and a couple minutes to chop some chocolate, mash a banana, and mix some ingredients. If it’s before noon, brew yourself a pot of coffee while your muffins bake. If it’s after noon, maybe opt for some tea.
And once they are done baking, eat one warm out of the oven while you decide how many of these perfect little muffins you feel like sharing and how many you’re going to keep for yourself…
More Small-batch Muffin Recipes
- Orange Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
- Chocolate Chocolate Muffins
- Cinnamon Apple Crumb Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins
Small-batch Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe Tips
- This recipe calls for your dry ingredients to be sifted using a fine-mesh strainer. It helps to aerate the flour and gets rid of any lumps in your cocoa powder. If you don’t own a fine-mesh strainer, they are cheap on Amazon and available in the baking aisle at most stores. You can also combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and whisk them together, making sure to smash any large cocoa powder lumps. It doesn’t work quite as well but will do in a pinch.
- The baking temperature for these muffins starts at 425°F before being dropped to 350°F about halfway through cooking. The initial burst of higher heat helps give them bigger, fluffier muffin tops, but if you don’t want to mess with your oven in the middle of cooking, you can just bake them at 350°F for about 19 minutes.
Ingredients
Special Tools
- ▢ 5 muffin liners
- ▢ Fine-mesh strainer
Chocolate Banana Muffins
- ▢ 1 medium-to-large over-ripe banana
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 1.5oz ) unsalted butter melted
- ▢ 1/4 cup ( 50g ) brown sugar
- ▢ 1 large egg white
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ 1/3 cup ( 40g ) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 15g ) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped or 1/3 cup chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a muffin tin with 5 liners.
- Place peeled banana in a medium bowl and mash it well with a fork or potato masher. Add melted butter and whisk until well combined. Add brown sugar, egg white, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl and add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the strainer. Sift dry ingredients into the wet and use a spoon to mix until just combined. Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Divide batter between prepared muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 425°F before turning the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for an additional 6 to 9 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Sprinkle extra chocolate over the top if desired. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, and enjoy.
Notes
Recipe Adapted From Smitten Kitchen
Easy Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Special Equipment
- Medium skillet with a lid
Chicken Curry
- 1/3 cup ( 40g ) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
- 3 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon currant jelly strawberry or grape are also fine
Serve With
- White rice
- Soy sauce optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge chicken pieces in flour and set aside.
- In a medium skillet with a lid, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add flour-coated chicken pieces to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Turn heat down to medium and add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan. Add onion, bell pepper, curry powder, and thyme and cook until the edges of the onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Return chicken to the pan and add stewed tomatoes. Stir together, cover and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to medium-low and cook at a simmer until tomatoes are saucy and chicken cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in jelly, and salt to taste. Simmer for another minute or two, until jelly is completely incorporated.
- Serve over rice with a drizzle of soy sauce if desired and enjoy!
