Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
Submitted by tilly
Authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry simmered in coconut milk with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fresh tomatoes. Tender, fragrant and ready in about an hour.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
70 minSri Lankan curry stands apart from its Indian cousins with a more restrained spice hand and a heavier lean on coconut milk, letting each aromatic speak clearly rather than shouting over one another.
This recipe builds layers the traditional way: onions softened in butter, chicken browned lightly, then a careful addition of curry powder, turmeric, cayenne, whole cardamom pods, cloves, and a cinnamon stick.
Fresh diced tomatoes and a splash of distilled vinegar add brightness that cuts through the richness of the coconut milk.
The chicken simmers covered until it practically falls off the bone, while the sauce reduces into something silky and deeply fragrant.
Kitchen Tips
- Keep the whole spices whole. Cardamom pods, cloves, and the cinnamon stick infuse the sauce gently during the simmer. Fish them out before serving if you like, but they’re traditional left in.
- Breast meat cooks faster than dark meat. If using a mix, add breasts 15 minutes after thighs and legs so nothing dries out.
- Thicken the sauce by removing the chicken once cooked and simmering the sauce uncovered until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat butter in a casserole, add onions, and cook over medium-low heat until softened.
Add garlic, then chicken pieces and brown lightly, stirring.
Add salt, tomatoes, curry powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, vinegar, and chicken stock.
Bring to a boil.
Stir in coconut milk.
Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, about 35 minutes for breast pieces, about 50 minutes for leg and thigh pieces.
If you would like a thicker sauce, uncover, remove chicken, and simmer sauce until thickened.
Return chicken to sauce.
Taste sauce and adjust seasoning.
Serve hot.
Comments
I am sorry to say, this is not an authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry. But somebody tried best.