Easy Quick Chicken Curry | Simple Tomato & Spice Chicken Curry for Busy Nights
This quick chicken curry is the perfect midweek dish — simple to make, full of rich, fragrant flavour, and on the table in less than an hour. It’s one of those true weeknight saviours: comforting, aromatic, and wonderfully fuss‑free, giving you all the cosy satisfaction of a slow‑simmered curry without the wait.
Serving Suggestions for a Quick Chicken Curry
- Fresh coriander and lime wedges to finish the plate
- Steamed basmati rice — light, fluffy, and ideal for soaking up the sauce
- Garlic naan, plain naan, or mini naans warmed in the oven
- Chapatis for a lighter bread option
- Tenderstem broccoli — steamed or roasted for a fresh green side
- Garlic roasted new potatoes if you want something heartier
- Cucumber raita with mint to cool the spices
- Simple tomato & red onion salad with lemon and coriander
- Mango chutney or lime pickle for a sweet‑tangy contrast
- Peas — buttered or stirred into the curry for extra colour
- Green beans with a squeeze of lemon
- Crispy onion bhajis or vegetable pakoras if you want a fakeaway feel
- Warm roti chips (torn roti baked until crisp) for dipping
Variations: Quick Chicken Curry
- Extra‑Spicy Quick Chicken Curry — add fresh chilli or extra chilli powder for a hotter, punchier finish.
- Garlic‑Rich Quick Chicken Curry — increase garlic for deeper savoury warmth.
- Ginger‑Boosted Quick Chicken Curry — add extra ginger for brightness and a warming kick.
- Creamy Quick Chicken Curry — stir in coconut milk or cream for a richer, silkier sauce.
- Tomato‑Rich Quick Chicken Curry — add tomato paste for extra depth and a thicker, more robust sauce.
- Quick Chicken & Spinach Curry — wilt spinach into the sauce for colour and a soft, silky texture.
- Quick Chicken & Potato Curry — add diced potatoes for extra body and a more filling meal.
- Quick Chicken & Chickpea Curry — stir in chickpeas for protein and a hearty texture.
- Quick Chicken & Pepper Curry — add peppers for sweetness and colour that lift the spices.
- Quick Chicken & Cauliflower Curry — include cauliflower florets for freshness and a classic curry pairing.
- Quick Chicken & Lentil Curry — add red lentils for thickness and a comforting, stew‑like feel.
Quick chicken curry
Quick chicken curry with tender chicken pieces in a rich, glossy tomato‑spice sauce, creating a warm, aromatic bowl that looks vibrant, comforting and perfect for easy weeknight cooking
Equipment
- Lidded saucepan
- Food blender
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, sliced
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder (or curry powder)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp fenugreek
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 400 g chopped tomotoes
- 300 ml water
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- 150 ml Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chicken until cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion slices to the pan and fry until golden brown (but not burnt), add the garlic and ginger paste and fry together for a couple of mins.
- Add the cumin seeds, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, fenugreek and cinnamon and fry together for around 3-4 mins.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, then refill the can with water (this will use up any left over tomatoes) and add half the water and stir together.
- Pour into a food blender and blitz to a smooth sauce then pour back into the pan. Using the left over water, use to rinse the blender and add this to pan.
- Add the chicken and caster sugar, stir together and then gently simmer for around 10mins.
- Add the garam masala and greek yoghurt, stir together and simmer for a further 5mins.
- Serve immediately along with boiled rice, naan and poppadums.