Chicken Curry Recipes

Chicken Curry

There's no one spice that defines a curry, although spice mixtures labeled "curry powder" are available in grocery stores. A traditional curry may start with a spice mixture, but they're just as often spiced in pinches and dabs as they cook. Some curry aficionados take a shortcut and start with a spice blend that they then tailor to their tastes. If the initial pre-packaged spice mix is a good one, this can have delicious results.

Common spices in an Indian chicken curry include coriander, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, and hot peppers, although there's no need to feel constrained to those spices alone. Indian chefs sometimes use a prepared garam masala, or base spice mixture, that they prepare in larger batches. A few spoons of garam masala plus a few dashes of freshly ground spices makes a new curry.

Western diners may mentally categorize some spices as sweet and others as savory, but there is no such dividing line in curry. Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and cardamom are integral to many curries. Fortunately, there is virtually no wrong way to make a curry; chicken and spices are the only necessities for a delicious chicken curry, so experiment freely with sweet and savory flavors.

Chicken curry doesn't have to include only chicken. Adding vegetables makes a curry lighter and adds nutrition to the protein-rich dish. Try serving the chicken with basmati rice, palak paneer (a creamy spinach dish), and tamarind chutney that lends a piquant sweet and sour taste to the meal.

India is not the only source of exquisite curry. chicken, vegetable, and seafood curries are wildly popular in Thailand as well. Thai curries frequently start with a spice mixture containing shrimp or fish paste, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, cilantro, and hot peppers. Coconut milk is a staple in Thai curry and peanuts are a frequent addition. A Thai chicken curry might be served with jasmine rice or with Thai noodles.

Whether a chicken curry hails from India, Thailand, Malaysia, China, or anywhere else curries are popular, there's no wrong way to enjoy it. Sample traditional curries from all over Africa and Asia to find favorite styles and flavors.