Growing up in a traditional Italian home, I learned very little about food that wasn’t Italian. I could tell you the names of about 80 different shapes of pasta (you could, too if you ate it four times per week) and I knew my Parmigiano from my Pecorino. In the garden, I could differentiate between the many varieties of eggplant or basil plants. This was my culinary comfort zone.
It wasn’t until I was in college that I was exposed to “ethnic” foods and I fell hard for curries. Raise your hand if you thought like I did that curry was a spice — one spice. I imagined fields somewhere in Asia with people picking curry berries. (Actually, there is such a thing as a curry plant, but it is somewhat like a lettuce and has nothing to do with Indian or Thai curries.) I learned not too long ago that curry powder is a blend of several different spices and no two curry powders are the same. Most contain turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, and red pepper in their blends. Depending on the brand, additional ingredients such as ginger, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and black pepper can be added. Some chefs prefer to toast their own spices and grind them to make their own curry blends, which sounds like such a nice thing to do if it wouldn’t completely put me over the edge. I give you permission to use a premade curry powder which will not compromise anything in this recipe.
Chicken and vegetable curry is a staple in our house. It is an incredibly flavorful dish enriched with coconut milk and cashew butter. I vary the vegetables according to the season: butternut squash or yams in the fall/winter with cauliflower; asparagus and peas in the spring; green beans and eggplant in the late summer/early fall; and I always throw in a few handfuls of spinach at the end because I will add leafy greens wherever I can. We love this over brown jasmine or basmati rice, but recently I served this over some leftover soba and it was so tasty with the sauce coating all the noodles — everyone devoured it, especially Mr. Picky!
This curry is gluten-free. Vegetarians can substitute chickpeas instead of chicken and vegetable stock for chicken stock. This freezes really well as long as it’s tightly covered with as little air as possible coming into contact with the top of the food.
I love sharing all the nutritional highlights about the recipes I post. You can read about all the benefits of curry powder’s anti-inflammatory spices, especially turmeric, in the Harira post, and I would likely sound like a broken record if I told you why we need to eat more vegetables and less animal protein. But don’t make this dish just because it’s good for you. Make it because it’s delicious. When I served this to my Italian father for the first time he said, “I have no idea what this is, but it’s fantastic.”
Chicken and Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unrefined coconut oil or ghee
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken meat (breast or thigh or combination), cubed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
- 4 cups vegetables, cut into same size as carrots and celery (e.g. cauliflower, root veggies, green beans, eggplant, potatoes…)
- 2-3 Tablespoons curry powder*
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- ½ cup cashews, finely ground or ¼ cup cashew butter
- 1 cup coconut milk
- A few handfuls of baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat oil or ghee in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Without crowding, add the chicken in batches and lightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and continue cooking all the chicken in the same manner.
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger to the pot and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and remaining vegetables. Cook another few minutes.
- Add the chicken and any accumulated juices on the plate back in the pot. Add the curry powder, spices and salt and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the stock (or diced tomatoes) and chopped cilantro and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Add the ground cashews or cashew butter to the curry along with the coconut milk, and simmer gently uncovered, stirring until sauce is thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in spinach leaves and stir until wilted. Delicious over cooked basmati or jasmine rice or noodles.
Notes
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I am trying this recipe tonight! Not a fan of chicken though, when would you recommend adding canned chickpeas instead? Thank you!
In the last 10 minutes. They just need to get warmed though and infused with the flavor of the curry. You can add them a little earlier if you wish. 🙂
Thank you!
I bought culinary coconut milk it was very thick and creamy is that what I’m supposed to use? Or just regular coconut milk?
Now there are to coconut milks which make it very confusing for everyone. If a recipe calls for coconut milk, it’s the one in the can, which is now also known as culinary coconut milk and that is actually regular coconut milk. The coconut milk in the refrigerated section of the market is coconut milk beverage which is watered down and has other additives. You want the one in the can which is very thick and creamy, yes.
We were all so tired of leftovers from Thanksgiving and then you posted your meal plan. Thank you for this recipe! It turned out ah-mazing (of course!). I have a Miss Picky and she devoured it! Even requested to have it for lunch the next day. 🙂
Yay! This has been a family favorite in my house for over 10 years. 🙂
Is this really spicy?
Not spicy at all.
Tried it and it was deliscious!
Terrific! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Recipe fell flat flavor wise.
Had to zest it up quite a bit in oder to satisfy taste buds!
comfort food without guilt.
totally!
Hi Pamela,
I’m going to try this today. I don’t eat chicken but would you suggest shrimp? Also, how many canned chickpeas would you recommend?
Shrimp would be great here, but the timing is different. You would start off sauteing vegetables and leave the shrimp to the last five minutes of cooking. Just peel and de-vein them and then add them into the stew at the end and stir them around. Let them sit in the simmering stew until they are cooked through, which depends on how big they are. But figure a few minutes to five minutes. Sometimes I’ll use 1 pound of chicken and 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas.
Hi Pamela, I have made your shrimp curry recipe which I loved, and am eager to try this one. Is there a way this recipe could be done in a slow cooker? If so, how much time and at what heat would you suggest? Thank you!
Yes! I would still brown the chicken in the pan for better flavor and sauté the onions in the pan, too. But you don’t have to — just tastes better. Then dump it all in the slow cooker but with a little less liquid — maybe 1 cup chicken stock and 3/4 cup coconut milk. There’s no evaporation in a slow cooker. You’re probably good with 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. 🙂
I make a double batch of this (with chicken) in a 22 quart cooker (the trough as it is know in my house!). The only thing I sauté are the onions and potatoes. I don’t the chicken as it will be in for 7-8 hours on low heat and seems to be rubbery if double cooked. I don’t reduce the liquid due to the 5 males in the house wanting more sauce to run through the rice (kind of like spaghetti though the noodles). This is one of my most favorite left over dishes as the flavors just get better after it has sat in the fridge. Reheating is soooo easy with just having to add a touch of water or chicken stock as it has set up/firmed up in the fridge. Thanks for putting the recipe on your site!!
Wow — 22 quart??!! I love all your suggestions, especially making it saucy and serving it over rice. Thank you!
Can this recipe be made ahead of time and then reheated? If so, reheat on stove top? I don’t want the chicken to get over done when reheating. I’ve got a crazy kids and sports schedule on Wednesdays so would love to make today and have ready to reheat tomo
It sure can! Yes, reheat on the stovetop in a pot until warmed through. The chicken will still be delicious.