The Best Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

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

Course: Curry, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Sri Lankan

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 187 kcal

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!

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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
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup coconut milk PLEASE SEE NOTES
• ½ cup water

Instructions

1. 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.

2. Add curry powder, chili powder/cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and mix to combine. Cook for a few minutes until you can start to smell the spices.

3. Add the chicken, serrano peppers/green chili peppers, salt, 3 roma tomatoes, 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.

4. Add coconut milk, water, vinegar, and bring the curry to a boil. If you want less gravy, add less liquid.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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 are 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.

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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