Curry Chicken and Rice

Curry chicken and rice is one of many quintessential Indian food recipes, offering plenty of flavor without getting bogged down in too much spice or oil. And if you do want flavor that’s a little more boisterous, this recipe is highly adaptable—just check out our recipe variations and tips below.

While it’s not specified in this curry chicken and rice recipe, we recommend marinating the chicken in buttermilk before adding it to the skillet. Buttermilk has an acidic pH, which helps tenderize meat, and it also contains salt, which helps the chicken retain moisture.

Ingredients for Curry Chicken and Rice

• Butter: This ingredient adds a rich flavor to an otherwise simple dish. If you’d like, you can substitute it with one of two other traditional Indian cooking fats: ghee or mustard oil.
• Onion: White or yellow onion works best in this recipe, though if you like its pungent flavor, many Indian meals start with sauteing purple onion.
• All-purpose flour: Here, we’re using all-purpose flour to coat the chicken breast and saute it. Many cooks also like using a 1-to-1 ratio of all-purpose flour and potato or rice flour.
• Curry powder: Made with a combination of spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric and mustard, curry powder provides many of the classic flavors of Indian cuisine without the effort of creating your own spice blend.
• Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are low in fat and easy to prepare. That said, if you want a little extra oomph, consider using dark meat like chicken thighs, or chicken breasts with the skin on.
• Chicken broth: This recipe calls for reduced-sodium store-bought broth, but if you have the time and interest, homemade chicken broth is more economical and often more flavorful.
• Instant rice: Instant rice is parboiled, or partially cooked, before it’s dried again and packaged. This makes it easy to prepare when you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
• Cilantro (optional): While optional, fresh cilantro does brighten up the flavors of this curry chicken and rice. If you would like a substitute for cilantro, consider Thai basil or a little lime juice.

Directions

Step 1: Saute the onion

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until tender and lightly browned, three to five minutes. Remove it from the pan.

Step 2:  Prep and cook the chicken

In a bowl, mix the flour and seasonings. Place the chicken in the bowl, and toss it to coat. In the same skillet, heat the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken, cooking just until it’s no longer pink, four to six minutes, turning occasionally.

Step 3: Add the broth and rice

Stir in the broth and onion, and bring to a boil. Stir in the instant rice, and remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4: Let the mixture stand

Let the skillet stand, covered, allowing the chicken and rice to rest for five minutes (mixture will be saucy). If desired, garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.

Curry Chicken and Rice Variations

• Add more depth of flavor: Apart from sprinkling in more curry powder, you can add ginger and garlic paste to the skillet as the onion cooks. You can also mix in some garam masala, an Indian spice powder that’s distinct, yet complementary, to curry powder.
• Toss in some veggies: Instead of serving this meal with veg on the side, you can make it a one-pot meal. Dice okra, cauliflower, zucchini or bell pepper, and saute it alongside the onion.
• Try different grains: Transform this recipe by simply swapping the grain. For example, sorghum is a very popular grain in India (and one of my favorites). There’s also millet, basmati rice, amaranth and barley. That said, these grains will take longer to cook than instant rice, so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

How to Store Curry Chicken and Rice

First, allow the dish to cool to room temperature. Then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to three days. Make sure your fridge is kept between 35° and 38°F so that any unwelcome bacteria or microbes don’t grow on your food.

Can you freeze chicken curry and rice?

Yes, you can freeze this dish, but because chicken and rice thaw at different rates, it’s best to cook and then store them separately. First, allow the chicken and the rice to cool to room temperature. Then, spread the rice about 1-1/2 inches thick in either a freezer bag or an airtight container. Store the rice in the freezer for up to six months. When you’re ready to eat it, transfer it to the fridge and allow it to thaw overnight before reheating.

To freeze the chicken, cut it into bite-sized pieces and place them in an airtight container. You can store cooked chicken in the freezer for up to six months, but to ensure the best quality, eat it within four months. Allow the frozen chicken to thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating it.

Curry Chicken and Rice Tips

What goes well with curried chicken and rice?

Curry chicken goes well with a side of steamed or sauteed vegetables, as well as a cooling sauce like raita or mint chutney. If you have leftover chicken, you can try on a different flavor combo and serve it with Indian ginger potatoes.

How can I make curry chicken taste better?

Sourcing fresh, high-quality spices is very important in Indian cuisine (after all, India is the world’s foremost producer of spices). If you still find your dish to be bland, consult our guide to Indian cooking, where you can learn about techniques like tadka and bhunano.

What’s the secret to a perfect curry?

In India, many cooks saute whole spices in oil or ghee before they do anything else. This helps to infuse the whole dish with flavor. If you’re interested in this step, start with whole mustard, coriander and cumin seed, building from there if you like the result.