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The Flavor Bender Recipes Courses Main Meals Curries The Best Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

The Best Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

55 mins
Easy
Curries
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8.9Kshares
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Author: Dini K.
Posted: 2/25/2018
Updated: 1/17/2020
Learn how to make Authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with these tips and variations for the best ever chicken curry with or without coconut milk! Spicy, flavorful and fragrant!

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!

The BEST Chicken Curry recipe you’ll ever need!

Learn how to make Authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with these tips and variations for the best ever chicken curry with or without coconut milk! Spicy, flavorful and fragrant!
Contents
 [hide]
  • Why you should make this amazing chicken curry
  • Sri Lankan chicken curries (or other curries) can be made in one of two ways.
  • Can I make a whole chicken curry or can I use boneless chicken?
  • Curry Powder for this Chicken Curry
  • Is this Sri Lankan chicken curry spicy?
  • What an authentic Sri Lankan curry should be
  • Here are some tips + variations to follow to make the BEST Sri Lankan chicken curry.
  • How to serve this Chicken Curry

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.

If you’re new to the world of curries, or even if you are a seasoned pro, this curry is  must try!

Why you should make this amazing chicken curry

  • This is an easy recipe that is also truly authentic!
  • Many recipes use store bought curry powders, that change the flavor of the curry depending on the brand. This is CONSISTENTLY delicious, because YOU MAKE the curry powder.
  • While it is authentic, it is also so adaptable! Don’t have coconut milk – no problem! Don’t like chili? No problem! Don’t have tomatoes? Just don’t add it!
  • This is a step by step recipe, so it’s easy to follow even for novice cooks.
Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder - This roasted curry powder is deeply aromatic and has very robust and complex flavors. The ingredient ratios are easy to remember (4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1), so go ahead and make a big batch and use it any way you like to make flavorful curry dishes!
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 chicken curry made with coconut milk, and can be less spicy, richer in taste because of the creamy coconut milk component. OR
  • “මිරිසට” (mirisata = chili/spicy). A chicken curry made without coconut milk, so can be spicier, and lighter.

You can easily adapt this same chicken curry recipe to make either of these versions of chicken curry. We prefer the “kirata” style with the coconut milk that is a richer tasting curry because of the coconut milk. However, we make the “mirisata” style more often so that I don’t use too much coconut milk in everyday cooking.

Can I make a whole chicken curry or can I use boneless chicken?

You can make this chicken curry with bone-in pieces from a whole chicken, or just bone-in pieces of just chicken legs or chicken thighs. Or for convenience, you can just use boneless pieces of chicken. Obviously, boneless chicken will cook faster, and is my choice when I want to cook a quick curry that can be ready in less than 30 minutes. BUT, a GOOD chicken curry uses bone-in chicken pieces because the bones flavor the curry sauce (or as we call it – curry gravy).

If you’re using boneless chicken, I recommend using the red meat over white meat of chicken. Chicken thighs (red meat) has more flavor and won’t overcook easily and can withstand the cooking time.

For a healthier option you can use sliced boneless chicken breasts too. But make sure to cook them for a shorter amount of time OR braise them for a longer time to make it tender. Otherwise the pieces will be too dry.

To cook with sliced chicken breasts for a quick curry, make sure to make the curry sauce FIRST and then add the chicken at the end and only cook it until the chicken is cooked through.

Some choose to remove the chicken skin to lessen the fat in the chicken curry as well. I have always loved eating the skin, so I compromise and add half with the skin, and half without. So that’s totally up to you!

Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder - This roasted curry powder is deeply aromatic and has very robust and complex flavors. The ingredient ratios are easy to remember (4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1), so go ahead and make a big batch and use it any way you like to make flavorful curry dishes!

Curry Powder for this Chicken Curry

Arguably, curry powder is the most important ingredient for this chicken curry. So, I use my own homemade ROASTED Sri Lankan curry powder to make this delicious chicken curry. It’s made with,

  • Coriander seeds
  • Cumin seeds
  • Black peppercorns
  • Cardamom seeds from cardamom pods
  • Mustard seeds
  • Cloves
  • Fennel seeds

It’s got a robust flavor and is the perfect combination of spices for any curry, especially for classic Sri Lankan curries. And since it’s not a very spicy curry powder, you can control how much chili powder you add as well. The first four ingredients mentioned above, are crucial for a curry powder. I sometimes leave out the mustard and fennel seeds out from this curry powder and still get fantastic results.

I would highly recommend making this curry powder for this curry. You can use store bought curry powders too, but remember that you may need to adjust the amount you add depending on how strong/weak the curry powder is. Some supermarket curry powders are really quite weak, and makes your curries taste extremely bland. So taste and adjust if that’s the case.

Is this Sri Lankan chicken curry spicy?

Yes, we usually add 2 tsp of cayenne pepper (yup! that’s TWO teaspoons, we really do like it spicy), and 1 tbsp of regular (not sweet or smoked) paprika. In Sri Lanka, you’d only use chili powder that is pretty strong, and very vibrant in color, so it flavors the curry while making it beautifully red colored as well.

The additional cinnamon stick adds a nice sweet spiciness that also helps balance the heat.

BUT, you can adjust the spice level in this curry. 

If you’re not a fan of spicy, you can adjust this level to suit your preferences.

You can add less black pepper to the curry powder. Don’t eliminate it completely because black pepper is an important part of this Sri Lankan chicken curry.

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 (and not a red curry), with a slight red tinge (from the tomatoes), but it will still be just as delicious without the heat.

Learn how to make Authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with these tips and variations for the best ever chicken curry with or without coconut milk! Spicy, flavorful and fragrant!

What an authentic Sri Lankan curry should be

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 coconut milk splits and 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 make the BEST 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.
  • Since there is pepper in the curry powder, you do not need to season with salt and pepper at the end too. Just season with salt to your taste.
  • 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 for best results – 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.
  • This is more of a caution than a tip. Be mindful of your preferred spice levels. Adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste.

How to serve this Chicken Curry

We serve it with rice and some vegetable side dishes. My favorite is beetroot curry! I always loved chicken curry and beetroot curry together. I highly recommend that combination of sweet beetroot curry with the spicy chicken curry.

Another option is to serve it with roti. Sri Lankans love and prefer to eat Pol roti, which is a flat bread made with coconut and wheat flour. But we also love godhambara roti (or roti canai), and maybe even some naan bread if we have some at home.

The best Sri Lankan Chicken Curry - delicious chicken curry served with a coconut spoon, with flavorful gravy.

If you have chicken curry leftover, here is my absolute favorite way to re-purpose them! Turn it into Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu Roti – a very popular Sri Lankan street food!

You can also make a really easy chicken curry fried rice or a curried chicken salad sandwich too!

Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu - Overhead view of the Sri Lankan kottu roti can be adapted to your tastes.

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)
  • Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry

EQUIPMENT & TOOLS I USED FOR THIS RECIPE

Sharp knife to cut a whole chicken into pieces.

Spice grinder to make the curry powder – I like to use an inexpensive coffee grinder to make my spice powders.

Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

Learn how to make Authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with these tips and variations for the best ever chicken curry with or without coconut milk! Spicy, flavorful and fragrant!
4.98 from 142 votes

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Author: Dini K.
Cuisine: Asian, Sri Lankan
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!
EASY – This is a great starting recipe for novice cooks or those who are new to making curries. To make it easier, you can use boneless chicken, or chicken that has already been cut into sections.
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6 people
Print Rate

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 (or regular green chili) 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 PLEASE SEE NOTES
  • 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.

Tips & Tricks

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.  
NOTE 5 – If you are using store bought curry powder, please make sure that the curry powder has a combination of at least some of the spices of the Sri Lankan curry powder. AVOID curry powders that have turmeric, garlic powder, onion powder as main ingredients – because THESE ARE NOT curry powders. 
NOTE 6 – In Sri Lanka, the main type of vinegar that is used is coconut vinegar. This is harder to find, and more expensive in other parts of the world. ACV is the closest substitute. You could also use white wine vinegar instead. White vinegar might be too acidic. 

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 187kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 5g (2%)Protein: 20g (40%)Fat: 9g (14%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 258mg (11%)Potassium: 168mg (5%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 940IU (19%)Vitamin C: 5.9mg (7%)Calcium: 21mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”

Course:Curry, Main Course
Cuisine:Asian, Sri Lankan
Keyword:Chicken Recipes, Curry
Did you make this?Tag me on Instagram!I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @TheFlavorBender or leave me a comment & rating below.
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  • Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder - This roasted curry powder is deeply aromatic and has very robust and complex flavors. The ingredient ratios are easy to remember (4:3:2:1 and 3:2:1), so go ahead and make a big batch and use it any way you like to make flavorful curry dishes!
    The BEST Sri Lankan Roasted Curry Powder

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  1. Dixie Normus says

    April 11, 2021 at 06:59

    5 stars
    It was awesome

    Reply
  2. Catherine Whitfield says

    March 30, 2021 at 16:43

    5 stars
    Think this is the best curry I’ve made.
    The flavours were just stunning, balanced, satisfying but not overpowering. So easy and you can tweak to your own taste – the notes really helped. Thank you so much, all the family loved it. Will be trying more Sri Lankan dishes for sure.

    Reply
  3. Philippa says

    March 27, 2021 at 13:17

    5 stars
    Very authentic really different flavours from usual curries. Spice mix time consuming but have a batch now made so ample for a couple more curries.

    Reply
  4. Morgane says

    March 19, 2021 at 04:05

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe! Thank you !!!

    Reply
  5. Yasmine says

    March 16, 2021 at 05:42

    I can’t wait to make this for my Sri Lankan Hubby’s 30th birthday on the weekend! Can I ask, do you have a Beef Curry recipe too? I want to do two curries!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      March 16, 2021 at 09:55

      Hi Yasmine!
      I’m glad! 🙂 I hope you and your husband enjoy the curry!
      I do have a beef curry recipe that is similar to this, but it’s not on the blog yet.
      I do recommend this recipe though. In the recipe I used pork, but have made it with beef too and it’s great 🙂 And it’s also different to this curry recipe.
      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. Loretta says

    March 3, 2021 at 13:30

    5 stars
    This is my go to Sri Lankan curry. Delicious every time I make it.

    Reply
  7. lee uk says

    March 3, 2021 at 11:50

    5 stars
    Just cooked and ate this and it was fab,family devoured it.Served it up with a sabjee, a small amount of rice and some sesame seed flat breads.Glad i made the full amount of roasted powder as this will be cooked again very soon.Cooked it low and slow at the end lid off while i did the sabjee/bread/rice, it cooked down to a perfect gravy/masala.
    Thank you for a real stunner.

    Reply
  8. Tracey & Alan says

    February 27, 2021 at 06:28

    5 stars
    We recently discovered a small Sri-lankan restaurant in our home town in England. We make a lot of Indian and Thai curries and instantly fell in love with the new flavours of the Sri-lankan curry. I google’d for a receipe and came across yours. We made it last night, it was absolutely delicious and for sure will become a new family favourite. We like it spicy so added 5 Thai chillies (pierced) whole and cooked with the tomatoes added to the spice mixture before adding the chicken for about 10 mins. We roasted the whole spices. Yummy yummy yum!

    Reply
  9. Hugh sweeting says

    February 26, 2021 at 19:55

    Hi do you leave the chicken skin on?
    Thankyou

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 26, 2021 at 20:13

      Hi Hugh
      As noted in the post, you can choose to leave the skin on or off. It depends on your preference!
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. Duncan says

    February 21, 2021 at 09:55

    Do you put the whole curry in the oven or the chicken pieces? I’m guessing the whole..Im very excited have just made the powder

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 21, 2021 at 10:09

      Hi Duncan
      I do put the whole curry in the oven sometimes, as long as the chicken pieces are only partly submerged in the gravy. There are times I only put the pieces in (with some of the gravy), to make sure that the pieces are only partly submerged and then mix it back in with the rest of the gravy after it caramelizes a little bit.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  11. Bec Pino says

    February 21, 2021 at 03:31

    Hello, I can’t wait to make your recipe for my family. Thank you for sharing. I am just wondering which paprika to use?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 21, 2021 at 10:03

      Hi Bec
      I usually use regular paprika (not sweet or smoked). It’s not a traditional ingredient for SL curries, but just to give it color. Traditional curries use ALOT of chili powder that has a deep red color – so we don’t need to use paprika (or just very little) to get the same color if I have the same chili powder at hand.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  12. Based g says

    February 21, 2021 at 01:48

    5 stars
    I made this Curry last night absolutely out of the ball park bazzer

    Reply
  13. Ann says

    February 19, 2021 at 04:29

    This is the most delicious chicken curry! Thank you!

    Reply
  14. Andy says

    February 11, 2021 at 13:44

    Hi ya, I am planning on making this curry at the weekend, can you use a different oil to make it.? Thanks

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 11, 2021 at 14:10

      Hi Andy
      You can use any neutral tasting oil instead of coconut oil (vegetable / canola etc). You can use olive oil if that’s all you have too. The flavor of the curry may mask most (if not all) of the olive oil flavor.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Andy says

        February 11, 2021 at 15:42

        Thank you Dini, I will try vegetable oil which I have, I think olive oil might be too rich if that makes sense? Cheers

        Reply
  15. JT says

    February 6, 2021 at 22:05

    made this for the first time, delicious recipe, just wondering how you get the deep red, mine was golden color I used curry powder I purchased from the local Indian grocery,

    Reply
    • Dini says

      February 7, 2021 at 13:12

      Hi JT
      Indian curry powder is different from Sri Lankan curry powder, so the flavor is going to be more different. However the color comes from the chili – the more chili you add, the more red the curry is. I have stated in the post that leaving out the chili is fine, but will result in a brown curry rather than red.
      I hope that helps

      Reply
  16. jim Gilmour says

    January 30, 2021 at 12:40

    5 stars
    The detail you haver gone into reflects you passion for cooking and helping others experience these flavours. I have been cooking curries for over forty years and this is one of my top dishes. Thank you.

    Reply
  17. Susan Wade says

    January 28, 2021 at 06:21

    5 stars
    This was really delicious. I added green beans a few minutes before serving as I couldn’t be bothered making side dishes, so with rice it was a complete meal. Served with lots of lime and coriander and some greek yoghurt. Will definitely do again.

    Reply
  18. Sachin says

    January 27, 2021 at 09:58

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe!!!!
    I had some Malabari paratha in my freezer, so wanted to make something to go with it.
    But I think henceforth I will be planning this curry first and then thinking of what will go with the curry haha!
    I made a few changes though….used julienned jalapeno peppers (deseeded) in place of green chilies, and used regular Indian chili powder in place of cayenne and paprika.
    Turned out sooooooooooooo good!!!!
    However, I didnt see much oil floating on top of the curry (my wife wasnt complaining though).
    Surely going to explore some more of Sri Lankan cuisine going ahead.
    Thank you for the recipe!

    P.S : Didnt know apple cider vinegar could be used in a curry recipe….made a big difference!!

    Reply
  19. Sarah says

    January 27, 2021 at 02:22

    Can you make this in a slow cooker? If so, how would I go about it? Thanks

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 27, 2021 at 10:04

      Hi Sarah
      Unfortunately, I haven’t tried to make this in the slow cooker, so I’m not sure how that would affect the texture and consistency.
      Personally my family doesn’t like chicken curry made in the slow cooker as it makes the meat mushy because of the long cook time. But you can definitely give it a try if you like!
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  20. Oren says

    January 24, 2021 at 11:57

    5 stars
    Mind. Blown. So. Good.

    Reply
  21. Jo Copley says

    January 23, 2021 at 06:09

    5 stars
    Can’t believe I made curry from scratch, and it tastes amazing!!! Saving this one for sure!!

    Reply
  22. Alice says

    January 21, 2021 at 11:40

    5 stars
    How long do leftovers last?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 21, 2021 at 13:52

      Hi Alice
      I usually only keep it for 3 days in the fridge. But I prefer to freeze the leftovers, portioned properly. Frozen, it can last 2 -3 months.

      Reply
  23. trudes says

    January 17, 2021 at 14:27

    OMG Making the curry powder was so much fun even though it seemed to take me a long time to gather all the necessary spices ( no fennel seeds so used the small amount of fenugreek and star anise I had instead) By the time I had finished my kids were really eager for me to put it on the table ! when I did I couldn’t believe I had actually made it and I don’t think they could either – a REAL curry! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe and well explained instructions. Can you recommend a good coconut vinegar please?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 17, 2021 at 15:14

      Hi Trudes!
      I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 You can leave out fennel next time if you don’t have it. I often leave it out because I run out of fennel seeds, and it still tastes amazing!
      As for the coconut vinegar, I buy coconut vinegar when it’s available at the Asian store I go to, or other times I just use apple cider vinegar, because that’s more likely to be in my pantry. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  24. James Green says

    January 14, 2021 at 16:55

    5 stars
    I love this. Such a great curry to make. Intense smells and flavours.

    Reply
  25. Karen says

    January 11, 2021 at 00:13

    5 stars
    First time making curry anything. Loved this dish! Made my own curry powder as well, following the recipe included. Can’t wait to make this again!

    Reply
    • Louise says

      February 12, 2021 at 13:55

      5 stars
      This was absolutely amazing curry! You’re right it is the best sri lanken chicken curry! Thank you for the recipe, my children also loved it!

      Reply
      • Dini says

        February 14, 2021 at 07:26

        I’m so glad everyone loved the curry Louise, thanks so much for letting me know! 🙂

        Reply
  26. Veno says

    January 10, 2021 at 05:41

    Hello please help. Chicken curry tasted awesome but there was way too much oil how do I correct this please any hints would be great. Thanks

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 10, 2021 at 09:48

      Hi Veno
      There are a few ways to reduce the fat.
      You can reduce the oil that’s added to the curry when cooking it.
      Make sure to remove the skin and excess fat from the chicken. You can also use chicken breast to further reduce fat, but this will make the chicken pieces drier too.

      Also note that the coconut milk added to the chicken curry, splits into the solids and oil. So there is a layer of fat from the coconut milk used. This is part of an authentic curry. If you don’t want this, you can skip adding coconut milk or add it at the end to prevent splitting.

      Hope that helps

      Reply
  27. Kumar says

    January 7, 2021 at 01:05

    Omg . Taste brilliant, smells whole house and neighbours asking, feel like l am in Srilanka .
    Thanks and love your wonderful recipe

    Reply
  28. Sue says

    January 6, 2021 at 04:49

    Absolutely lovely. Very easy to make and enjoyed by everyone

    Reply
  29. Casey Relf says

    January 4, 2021 at 10:28

    I cooked this tonight, soooo good!! Thank gig for the recipe, I was surprised to see so many positive comments and thought it couldn’t be true!

    Reply
  30. Sarah says

    January 3, 2021 at 13:52

    Dini, absolutely love this recipe — have made it multiple times and keep your Sri Lankan curry powder on hand for other dishes, too! I just got an instapot and am wondering if this recipe could be adapted?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 17, 2021 at 15:33

      Hi Sarah!
      I’m so glad that you enjoy this recipe!
      With regards to using an instant pot. You could, but I personally don’t like to. Usually chicken curry should have a little bite, and not feel too mushy when you eat it. If the chicken is over cooked, it results in fall of the bones, soft meat (soggy meat) that my husband and I don’t like. And it’s easy to overcook chicken curry in an instant pot, especially if the pieces of meat are small. You could cook it for about 15 – 20 minutes and see if it works for you, but personally we just don’t like it.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  31. Nimeshi Fernando says

    January 3, 2021 at 05:19

    5 stars
    Loved it and it tasted amazing. Im in a bit of a pickle because now my fiance wants to eat it all the time :p
    I also made my own roasted curry powder from your recepies! It’s amazing!

    Reply
    • Dini says

      January 3, 2021 at 08:13

      Haha, I’m glad to hear! Thanks so much for letting me know Nimeshi 🙂

      Reply
  32. Precious Russell says

    December 26, 2020 at 06:40

    5 stars
    This is now my go to recipe for curry. My husband and I are chicken farmers in South Africa and I had run out of chicken ideas. We both like a curry and this is the best chicken curry we have had! Authentic flavours and the whole house smells delicious while it cooks. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
  33. Sharda Gurung says

    December 25, 2020 at 17:34

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for posting this amazing curry recipe. This recipe is a keeper.

    Reply
  34. Dave M says

    December 14, 2020 at 12:39

    5 stars
    Have made so many curry recipes from the internet, some good, some less so, but this is a 5 star recipe. This curry is so fragrant and flavourful, with some nice satisfying heat. My kids love this too, think the coconut tempers the heat for them.
    Thank you so much!

    Reply
  35. Jennifer says

    December 6, 2020 at 09:25

    5 stars
    I tried this recipe yesterday. It was delicious and such a lovely combination of flavours. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  36. Nazia Abdulrehman says

    December 2, 2020 at 19:00

    OMG!!! I am an Indian but am gonna say this is the best curry ever!

    Reply
  37. Tamsin says

    November 29, 2020 at 23:06

    Do I have to specifically buy apple cider vinegar for this recipe ? Doesn’t seem like that would be traditional. What would be the traditional vinegar used through I can use instead – white ? Also if I buy fresh coconut milk from the market do I need to dilute it with water ? Thanks ! Looking forward to making it.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 30, 2020 at 07:45

      Hi Tamsin
      The authentic version uses coconut vinegar, which is what we use at home. But a good quality one is harder to find.
      The closest to it would be apple cider vinegar, which is why it’s included in the ingredient list. White wine vinegar has a harsher taste, so if you choose to use it, you may need to reduce the amount.
      Fresh coconut milk is fine to use too. If its the first press coconut milk, it may need to be diluted to reduce richness. But also bear in mind that it also depends on how rich you want the curry to be. If you don’t want it to be rich, dilute it – but if you like it rich, then use the undiluted version.
      Hope that helps.

      Reply
      • Tamsin says

        December 1, 2020 at 08:05

        Ooh great. I’m in Thailand. I should be able to get coconut vinegar, no worries. Thanks for your reply ! Can’t wait to give this a go !

        Reply
  38. Deepthy says

    November 23, 2020 at 09:18

    5 stars
    Really good

    Reply
  39. James says

    November 17, 2020 at 06:54

    Thank you for this recipe, I haven’t made a curry before and made this for the family and everyone loved it. Can you add Star Anise to this curry?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 17, 2020 at 09:31

      Hi James
      I’m glad your family loved the recipe 🙂
      We don’t usually add star anise in this curry. It will give the curry a licorice-like flavor, and if you like that, then you can add star anise if you like.
      We like adding star anise to our rice to give a nice fragrance and flavor, but don’t add it too much to our curries.
      I hope that helps

      Reply
      • Rach says

        December 8, 2020 at 08:54

        Do you put the chicken in uncooked?

        Reply
        • Dini says

          December 8, 2020 at 09:04

          Yes Rach, the chicken is added uncooked in step 3. I hope that helps.

          Reply
  40. Zackary Anderson says

    November 13, 2020 at 23:20

    This was an instant classic hit for my family, I cannot even tell you the number of times people have asked if they can just buy the ingredients if I show up to cook it, thank you SO much for creating this recipe.

    Reply
  41. Andrew Candy says

    November 12, 2020 at 03:06

    5 stars
    I’ve been making this for well over a year now, at least once a fortnight and often once a week. It’s my go-to curry! Even after all this time, each time I make it it seems to improve just that little bit – maybe my confidence with grinding the spices and combining the ingredients? I know the recipe off by heart these days, I just wanted to come back and say how much I appreciate you sharing it for all of us. Thanks Dini! ^^

    Reply
    • Dini says

      November 13, 2020 at 08:14

      Yay, that’s fantastic, I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you so much for letting me know Andrew! 🙂

      Reply
  42. Paul Ragbourne says

    November 4, 2020 at 12:43

    5 stars
    Takes me ages to make but I love it

    Reply
  43. Ben says

    November 3, 2020 at 17:13

    5 stars
    This is a wonderful curry thank you.

    Reply
  44. Aly says

    November 1, 2020 at 19:43

    5 stars
    Recipe is fantastic. Easy and delicious!

    Reply
  45. Anne Putt says

    October 25, 2020 at 08:44

    This is a wonderful recipe, my Family gave it a ten out of ten which never happens so I was extremely pleased.

    As I’m vegetarian I removed some of the sauce for myself prior to adding the chicken , i had it with spinach it was delicious.

    Reply
    • Dini says

      October 25, 2020 at 09:05

      Hi Anne
      I’m so glad that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
      You can also use this same curry base to make a vegetarian curry too! We love to make it with sweet potatoes, potatoes or carrots, and then wilt some spinach during the last few minutes of cook time. This beetroot curry is also an easy and excellent vegetarian curry we make quite often 🙂

      Reply
  46. Terracharm says

    October 22, 2020 at 17:05

    5 stars
    We haven’t had curry for quite some time this is fabulous. we loved making this from scratch so thank you for sharing this with us..

    Reply
  47. Catherine says

    October 16, 2020 at 12:39

    5 stars
    This recipe is so very authentic and with the roasted homemade curry powder, the aromas that came out on the second day were to die for!! Thank you so much for sharing ☺️

    Reply
  48. Precious Russell says

    October 16, 2020 at 11:45

    5 stars
    I have made this curry several times now, following the recipe to the dot. It’s always a hit, every time. On the last occasion, I added 1 bird’s eye chilli because my husband likes his food spicy.

    Reply
  49. Ian ferguson says

    October 15, 2020 at 17:10

    5 stars
    Have made this a few times and stuck to the recipe as I’m lucky enough to have proper Sri Lankan curry and chilli powders it is so good and very spicy just the way I like it and reminds me of when I was in Sri Lanka and having curry for my breakfast so thank you for sharing

    Reply
  50. Quique Gualde says

    October 14, 2020 at 07:14

    5 stars
    We prepared this curry yesterday and it was an instant winner. Had it for lunch and the leftovers for dinner with some friends who visited and loved it too.

    I have a question, the pictures that accompany this recipe show the plate decorated with small pieces of cilantro, yet the recipe doesn’t mention cilantro at all.

    We did not add it; but next time we will, since we love cilantro with our curries; but I wonder, do Sri-Lankers use it in this dish?

    Reply
    • Dini says

      October 14, 2020 at 20:07

      Hi Quique!
      I’m so glad that you liked this curry! 🙂
      I added cilantro at the end as more of a garnish than anything. When we make this at home, we don’t really bother with that, although you absolutely can add fresh cilantro at the end if you like it! We don’t usually bother with garnishing a dish when we serve family and friends 🙂
      However, since the curry powder has a prominent coriander taste (seeds from cilantro plant), the cilantro just adds a fresh flavor to complement it.
      I hope that helps!

      Reply
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