Homemade Chicken Curry Recipe – Easy Indian At Its Best

I adore Indian. My kids, not so much, so when I threw together this chickpea and chicken curry recipe and they downed it, I knew I had to share this recipe with you, too. I included some affiliate links for you to more easily find ingredients, which earns me a small commission if you purchase.

To be honest, I made this chickpea and chicken curry as a crepe filling for Shrove Tuesday. I added this idea at the last minute, as I had planned to make cherry syrup and cinnamon apples for the crepes. My mom sense kicked in, and I realized that sugar on top of sugar (we also had packzis for dessert) was quite possibly one of the worst ideas I’d ever had.

####Side note: If you own an Instant Pot, make this version of the recipe instead.

I still made those fillings, but I decided to create something with chicken (because I had half a rotisserie chicken in the fridge for quinoa burrito bowls earlier in the week). Digging in the pantry, I discovered forgotten cans of chickpeas and coconut milk, which inspired this chicken curry. The best part? This dish came together while I made the rest of the dinner – include a triple batch of my crepe recipe – for my family and friends joining us for dinner.

Indian cooking can feel intimidating, but it’s all about layering flavor and then letting it meld. Essentially, you throw everything into a pot and let it do its thing. That’s totally my kind of cooking. I used premixed curry powder for this recipe, which makes it easier than tracking down a variety of Indian spices. Win all around.

You may notice that I talk about making this as a crepe filling. It was fabulous as a filling. I promise you. Unfortunately, the hungry beasts at my house Tuesday night gave me no time to take photos. This bowl? That’s it. That’s all they didn’t eat.

Granted, I should take that as a compliment, right? My daughter who turns up her nose every time I add coconut milk to anything (ergo the random can in the pantry) and my son who hates all things “spicy” and chickpeas and tomatoes had three crepes with this. My mom texted me the next day to ask when I planned to make again. Everyone wants this in the regular rotation, and I’m totally cool with it.

And yes, this is flexible. It works wonderfully as a filling for a savory crepe, and it’s just as delicious served over basmati rice. The fact that my chickpea and chicken curry happens to be naturally dairy free and gluten free makes it perfect for serving to a wider audience. I actually plan to bring this to the PTO presidents’ meeting where I am in charge of lunch. Omit the chicken and add an extra can of chickpeas, and you can turn this into a great vegan dish, too.

Can you tell I’m in love?

How to Make Chickpea and Chicken Curry

As with any Indian dish, start with a good wide bottom pan. I love my bouillabaisse pot, as it rounds to the sides. Turn your heat to medium, and let it heat while you chop your onion. Add oil to the pot, then the onion.

While the onion starts to cook and turn translucent, mince your garlic and add it to the pot, then grate your ginger over it. Stir and cook just until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add turmeric and curry powder. Stir and let cook another couple minutes until fragrant.

Add bay leaves and tomatoes, including the juice, and let cook down for five or so minutes.

While this cooks down, rinse and drain chickpeas and chop your cooked chicken into bite size pieces. Add chickpeas, salt, chicken, and coconut milk, then stir. Cover your pot, then turn the heat down to low so the mixture can simmer. Cook for a half hour covered, then uncover and let simmer another half hour.

Taste for seasoning, and add more salt if needed. Remove bay leaves and serve as a filling for crepes or over basmati rice.

What’s your favorite Indian dish? Have you ever tried a chicken curry at home?

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