If you’re looking for the BEST chicken curry recipe, then this authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry recipe will tick all the boxes! I’ve also provided some tips on how to cook this incredibly flavorful chicken curry and how to adapt it to your taste!
If there’s one dish that I could quite literally make with my eyes closed, this is it. This Sri Lankan Chicken Curry is one that I make and have made AT LEAST once a week for many years now. It’s quintessential comfort food for K and myself, and we are instantly reminded of Sri Lanka, of our childhood, of home, of full and comforting meals, every time we eat this Sri Lankan chicken curry.
We do like any kind of curry, but this chicken curry really is our go-to. Besides, chicken curry is probably the most common type of curry eaten in Sri Lanka and any other part of the world for that matter.
Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
A great Sri Lankan chicken curry is a very versatile and easy to make dish. Sure, there are plenty of slow cooker versions and quick versions of this chicken curry that you could find online with a google search. These recipes mostly employ the “dump and cook” method of adding all the ingredients into one pot at the same time and then cooking all the way through. That’s how you get the difference between a mediocre chicken curry and a truly mind-blowingly flavorful curry! HOW you cook the curry determines the flavors just as much as the ingredients.
So here I’ll share the inside scoop, some of the well-known “secrets” to cooking a fantastic chicken curry. Plus, I’ll also share some variations to standard Sri Lankan chicken curry as well.
Sri Lankan chicken curries (or other curries) can be made in one of two ways.
- “කිරට” (kirata = milky) – a curry that uses coconut milk, and can be less spicy because of the creamy coconut milk component. OR
- “මිරිසට” (mirisata = chili/spicy) – made without coconut milk, so can be spicier.
You can make both curries with bone-in pieces or boneless pieces of chicken. Obviously, boneless chicken will cook faster, and is my choice when I want to cook a quick curry. BUT, a GOOD chicken curry uses bone-in chicken pieces because the bones flavor the gravy/sauce.
I use my own homemade ROASTED Sri Lankan curry powder to make this delicious chicken curry. It’s got a robust flavor and is the perfect combination of spices for any curry. And since it’s not a very spicy curry powder, you can control how much chili powder you add make this spicy. We usually add 2 tsp of cayenne pepper (yes! that’s TWO teaspoons, we really do like it spicy!), and 1 tbsp of regular (not sweet or smoked) paprika. So you can adjust this level of spicy to your preferences. If you want that characteristic red color of the curry, but not the heat, then increase the paprika and reduce the cayenne pepper. But if you can handle spicy curries, or prefer them that way, then go ahead and add 2 tsp of cayenne pepper as I do.
And if you choose not to add chili powder/cayenne pepper OR the paprika, that will be fine too. The result will be a very mild Sri Lankan chicken curry, that’ll be mostly brown in color, with a slight red tinge (from the tomatoes), but just as delicious without the heat.
To me and my family, a basic, authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry,
- is spicy (and therefore more red in color than brown),
- there’ll be some oil floating on top (especially, if the curry is made with coconut milk. The coconut milk is cooked with the chicken to the point where the oil separates from the milk).
- The gravy is just so damn flavorful, you can drink it on its own!
This Sri Lankan chicken curry ticks all the boxes! It’s a versatile recipe that you can adapt to your taste and still be absolutely delicious!
Here are some tips + variations to follow to get the PERFECT Sri Lankan chicken curry.
- For best results, use a whole chicken cut into pieces, OR bone-in chicken (like legs or thighs).
- Use Sri Lankan curry powder. If you can’t find it, you can easily make your own following this recipe. Lots of recipes will say that you can use madras curry powder, but that tastes different from Sri Lankan curry powder, and will not give you authentic results. Sri Lankan curry powder has a lot of coriander seeds, and doesn’t have turmeric. You can substitute Sri Lankan curry powder with madras curry powder if you really must, but just remember that the taste will be different. I recommend making your own Sri Lankan curry powder, which genuinely tastes better and is quite versatile too.
- Use coconut oil and good quality coconut milk whenever possible.
- After you cook the chicken curry, let the chicken curry sit for a while. This allows the chicken to absorb the flavors of the curry gravy. This is why this chicken curry tastes even better the next day.
- Curry leaves are preferred for curries, but if you can’t find them you can use bay leaves or pandan leaves.
- Layer the flavors – don’t dump in all the ingredients at once. Soften the onions and garlic and ginger first before adding the spices. This lets different flavors grow and strengthen. Using roasted spices adds an extra layer of flavors.
- For an added twist (which is not traditional) – roast the chicken curry in the oven towards the end. It caramelizes the chicken (which you cannot do on the stove-top), giving it an extra layer of texture that enhances the flavor.
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
Learn how to make authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry with these tips and variations for the best ever chicken curry, made with or without coconut milk. Spicy, flavorful and fragrant!
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ onion yellow or red
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch ginger minced
- 6 - 7 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves
- 2 ½ tbsp roasted Sri Lankan curry powder
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1 small regular cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder (less if you like it less spicy. PLEASE SEE NOTES)
- 1 tbsp paprika not smoked or sweet paprika
- 2 lbs chicken, whole chicken cut into sections OR any bone-in chicken thigh or leg pieces (large thigh pieces should be cut in half)
- 2 serrano peppers, cut length-wise, with or without seeds
- 3 roma tomatoes cut into cubes (or 2 medium-sized regular tomatoes)
- 2 tsp brown sugar see notes
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup coconut milk PLEASE SEE NOTES
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Add the coconut oil in to a large saucepan and heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger to the heated oil and cook until softened.
Add curry powder, chili powder/cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon, curry leaves and mix to combine. Cook for a few minutes until you start to smell the spices.
Add the chicken, serrano peppers/green chili peppers, salt, 3 roma tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, and mix to coat. Cook for 10 minutes with the lid off, on medium high heat. Stir frequently to make sure the chicken or the spices don’t burn.
Add coconut milk, water, vinegar, and bring the curry to a boil. If you want less gravy, add less liquid.
Lower the heat, and let it simmer with the lid closed, for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste. The chicken should be completely cooked by this point. Taste the curry and season to taste if needed. You can add the rest of the sugar or more salt, or vinegar to your taste. Remember that curries can be adjusted to your taste!
If the chicken curry gravy is too thin, or there's too much of it, uncover and simmer the curry for a further 10 minutes or longer. This step is optional, but it will allow the water to evaporate and the gravy to thicken.
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool down slightly. Serve with rice or roti.
Recipe Notes
NOTE 1 - if you want a less spicy curry, you can reduce the cayenne pepper to 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. If you like an extra spicy curry, you can add up to 2 tsp of cayenne pepper. DO NOT use Mexican chili powder for this curry. You should be able to find regular chili powder at any Asian grocery store.
NOTE 2 - you can replace the 1/2 cup of coconut milk with water. If you're not adding coconut milk, this chicken curry will be spicier. The coconut milk softens the heat.
NOTE 3 - if you want the curry to have a thicker gravy, you can reduce the amount of liquid by half.
NOTE 4 - The sugar is added to balance out the spices, and bring out the saltiness of the curry. If you're using a different curry powder, or you're making curry for the first time, add only half of the sugar initially, and then add the rest of the sugar, if you feel like you need it at the end. I always add both 2 tsp of sugar when I make this curry with my homemade curry powder.
If you have Chicken curry leftover, here is my absolute favorite way to repurpose them! Turn it into Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu Roti – A very popular Sri Lankan street food!
If you’re a fan of curries and Sri Lankan food, then you may love these recipes too!
- Sri Lankan Crab Curry
- Sri Lankan Shrimp Curry (Prawn Curry)
- Authentic Black Pork Curry
- Cashew Curry (VEGAN)
- Mango Curry (VEGAN)
- Sweet and Spicy Apple Curry (VEGAN)
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Hi. That was an amazing curry. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. One thing I’m never sure of as I’m new to the Curry game is how long to cook the onions. What is a rough time frame for cooking the onion to get them to the right “softness” for this curry?
Hi James!
Thank you for letting me know! I’m really glad that you liked this recipe 🙂
The cook time for onions varies greatly because it depends on the heat, the size of the sliced onions etc. I just saute them until they look translucent and are soft, and there’s no crunch. Sometimes I let them color slightly too, but never let them burn as they will add a burnt taste to the final curry then. I hope that helps!
Hi Dini, just finished cooking your Sri Lankan chicken curry using your curry powder recipe. It was very quick and easy to make and tastes great. looking forward to trying a few more of your recipes now.
Thank you so much for letting me know Gary! So glad you liked the chicken curry. Hope you enjoy any other recipes you try too! 🙂
This was my first ever crack at making any Indian dish. It worked out so well, the recipe was super yummy and easy to follow. This will be a go to meal now!
Hi Yvette, thank you so much for letting me know! It’s actually a Sri Lankan dish though, not Indian – there are similarities, but not quite the same. But I’m really happy you liked it! 🙂
Hi Dini
Tried your Sri Lankan Chicken Curry yesterday. Was amazing, liked by everyone. I did your roasted curry powder and used that. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe.
I’m really happy you enjoyed the chicken curry recipe Pallavi! 🙂 Thank you so much for letting me know!
This recipe was fantastic!
I didn’t have a couple of things that where called upon but I adjusted a few things and it turned out great.
Thank you for a fantastic recipe.
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe Steve! Thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂
Lovely curry. Since sweet and smoked paprika were out, I used hot. Also, I only had Kashmiri chilli powder and my fresh chillies were also hot.
The result was immensely hot. I’d definitely make it again, but maybe without either the fresh chillies or hot paprika 🙂
Hi Dini
Back fm holiday in SL and its food has been a real discovery. Came back with roast and raw curry powder ( we dont really have anything called curry powder in India) and my favourite SL Acharu pickle. Want to call family and friends over for a Sri Lankan meal to our home in Delhi, India. . A mix of Tamils and North Indians! And vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Is this menu fine pl?
SL chicken curry
Garlic curry
Mango curry or Masoor dal curry SL style if mangoes unavailable in the chilly Delhi winter
Tamilian curd rice ( Tayir shadam)
Shaved fresh coconut sambol
Applam ( South Indian poppadoms)
Sinhala pickle
If so could you share the recipe fr Garlic Curry and Sambol made of stir fry greens please?
Thanks and warm regards
Parshu Narayanan
Hi, a friend recently brought me some spices back from Sri Lanka, including the curry powder and I thought it’d be rude not to knock up a curry with them! I’ve followed the recipe to the letter but I’m finding it to be really very sweet, any ideas what I’ve done wrong? Thanks!
Hi Matt
The sugar in the recipe is added to balance out the spiciness and other spices of the curry. It’s a personal preference as well. If you find it too sweet, you can reduce the sugar, or omit it completely. The curry powder I use here is pretty potent, so it could be that the curry powder that you used might not be as strong. Try the curry without the 2 tsp of sugar, and then taste test it, and you can add some sweetness at the end, ONLY if you feel like you need it. I hope that helps!
Greetings from Finland, north of Europe. Me and my twin sister love sri lankan food. Thank you for this lovely recipe along with the curry powder. I made them both this evening with the added kick of chilli. It was one of the best recipes we have made and believe – we have made them hundreds if not thousands.
Thank you so much for your feedback Arja! I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed the chicken curry! 🙂
Curry came out super thick, there was no excess liquid. The chicken just had a thick coat of sauce on it? I used half a cup of coconut milk and half a cup of water, is this right
Hi Tim
If the curry sauce is too thick to your liking, you can add a little extra water to thin it out. You don’t want to water it down too much and dilute the taste though, so add a little at a time and check the seasoning as you go. This curry can be served with a thick gravy or a thinner gravy.
Hope that helps
I just made this recipe for dinner last night.. totally loved the flavors of it.. will definitely make it again. Can I use the spice powder for any other veg or egg curry?
Hi SB!
This curry powder is very versatile!
I typically use the unroasted version of this curry powder for vegetables and fish. That being said, you can easily use this roasted version too, it just has a slightly stronger flavor. At the bottom of this chicken curry post, I’ve listed out some of the other Sri Lankan recipes that use this Sri Lankan curry powder. My favorite is the Cashew curry. You can certainly use it for an egg curry as well, but I like to add extra coconut milk and some tomatoes for my egg curry too. I hope that helps!
Have made this five or six times now. A real winner in our household. Really different from other curries and absolutely delicious.
Hi Dini,
Greetings from Germany.
Your Curry made my day!!!
It’s 2 years ago, that we visit Sri Lanka, only to directly fall in Love with this beautyful Iles.
Thanks for your receipe, it took us back to our journey.
Thank you so much for letting me know Stefan! I’m really glad you liked the recipe and it brought back memories for you! I love it when food does that.. 🙂
I just made this for dinner and it was excellent! Used your curry powder recipe also. Will be making it again.
I always get curry when I go out and really want to try to duplicate that authentic flavor. So glad I found this recipe!
This curry looks totally amazing!!!
I just made this beatiful and delicious dish. My ex Sri Lankan boyfriend taught me how to prepare it and I’m grateful to him for that. I make it a bit different way though, so that I first stir fry chicken parts that were marinated with roasted Sri Lankan curry powder, and I added to the curry gravy some cloves. This time I added besides tomatoes also some carrots, green bell pepper and eggplant. I didn’t add brown sugar as I felt that coconut milk or cream is already sweet enough. I used your recipe just to remind me of what ingredients I have to put inside, although I love to experiment and I almost never follow the original recipe form A to Z. But I loved your blog and am definitely going to prepare some of your recipes. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for letting me know Saša. I’m really glad you liked the chicken curry recipe and it inspired you to experiment! 🙂
Outstanding!!! Just tried this out and loved it.
Added some sweet potato along with the chicken and it was awesome.
This is now my go to curry….
Thank you for sharing.
Hey,
Thank you for this amazing article I really like your way of defining the recipe and I never made curry like that before surely going to try it in this coming weekend because i have invited some guests in my home so it will be better Idea to serve them,
Can you please tell me that is it possible to use persian saffron ?
Your article made me think before using it with this recipe, I hope you can reply me quickly
Please also mention quantity of using so i will follow you if possible of using it,
Thanks
Hi Debra,
While there’s absolutely no harm in using saffron for this recipe (I LOVE the flavor of saffron), I feel that good quality saffron would be lost in this curry. The flavors of the spices may overpower the delicate floral flavor of saffron. I would highly recommend adding saffron to the rice, and serving this curry along with saffron rice so you get the full flavor of saffron along with the curry.
I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Dini
Amazing recipe! I found it easy to follow and very authentic. I used the roasted curry powder recipe and the yellow rice recipe as well to make a beautiful dish. Thank you!
I like your chicken recipe and I tried it it’s amazing I shared your chicken recipe my friends and family
Thanks
Looks yumm, want to try i but what are Roma tomatoes and what if I don’t have brown sugar?
Hi Pooja
If you can’t find roma tomatoes, you can use regular tomatoes. The difference between the two is that roma tomatoes are oval in shape and are less watery than regular tomatoes. You can also use regular sugar instead of brown sugar as well.
Ok great! thanks
I don’t normally comment on these sorts of things but this curry is delicious and relatively easy to make (even made my own curry powder as couldn’t find the Sri Lankan in my supermarket!) The best homemade curry I’ve ever tried! Thank you!
Thanks so much for letting me know Hayley! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chicken curry. The curry powder will be great on other curries too. 🙂
This is yummy and foolproof 🙂 I’ll be making this often! Could also imagine a delicious veg option with a couple of obvious swaps. Thanks
This looks amazing and so flavorful! Will be trying this soon. I am sure it will become a family favorite!
This curry was delicious!
I made your curry powder and used boneless chicken thighs and we just loved it!
thank you 😀
Looks like it packs a spicy punch. Thanks for the recipe!
This looks so delicious! I love curry, and am definitely loving this bold and vibrant color. Pinning this one for sure