Two weeks ago my husband and I moved into a new apartment in Manhattan. We love everything about our new place, but (there’s always a “but”) the kitchen is tiny. I mean really tiny. I have about two square feet of counter space and I can’t open my oven and dishwasher at the same time. But I loved the rest of the apartment so much, I told myself it would be okay. My friends and fellow cooks reassured me that sometimes the best food comes out of small kitchens and I would find a way to make it work. And I did.
Four days later my oven broke and it’s been out for nearly a week now. As my Nanny always says, “you just have to make do and mend.” But to tell you the truth, I’ve hardly missed my oven. I’ve made some delicious stove top meals (the cook top still works) and of course my slow cooker has been working overtime.
This recipe called out to me because I love anything with coconut milk in it. And my husband is a curry fanatic. This Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry was everything Ayalla (Tasty Kitchen member saltandpaprika) said it would be: easy to prepare, delicious and “mild but complex with deep flavors.” This recipe gets two big thumbs up from me. I’ll definitely be making it again.
The recipe calls for chicken, onion, garlic, bell pepper, tomato paste, coconut milk, curry powder, garam masala, optional red chili peppers, and cornstarch. Click the link at the end of this post for the printable recipe with all the measurements.
Start by cutting your chicken breasts into large cubes.
Cut your onion in half and remove the skin, then cut the green peppers into quarters.
Place the onion and pepper into the food processor.
Then add the coconut milk …
Tomato paste …
And garlic cloves. Also add the optional chilies at this time.
Add the garam masala, curry powder, and salt. Food process until smooth.
Put the chicken in the slow cooker.
Cover with the sauce, stir to coat.
Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
One hour before you’re ready to eat, mix the water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to the curry and mix well. Put the lid back on the slow cooker and cook for the remaining hour.
Serve with a big bowl of aromatic rice (such as jasmine or basmati) and garnish with lots of fresh, chopped cilantro.
This will keep for a couple days and is even better the day after!
Thank you, Ayalla, for this wonderful recipe. Ayalla Weiss-Tremblay is the cook behind the Canadian food blog, Salt and Paprika. She’s a wife, mother, administrator and an excellent cook! Stop by her blog to see what’s she’s cooking up this week!
Printable Recipe
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Description
This delicious chicken curry recipe is dairy-free, relatively low fat (no butter, cream or heavy yogurt!) and definitely hassle free. It couldn’t be easier to prepare. All the ingredients except the chicken are pulverized to form a creamy sauce in the food processor and poured over the chicken. Done!
The taste is the antithesis to the ease preparation. Mild but complex and deep with flavour. It is exceptionally yummy!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds, 3-⅓ ounces, weight Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cut Into Large Cubes
- 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Halved
- 2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
- 1 whole Small Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Quartered
- 1 can (156ml Can) Tomato Paste
- 1 can (about 400ml Can) Coconut Milk
- 1-½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
- 2 whole Dry Red Chili Peppers (optional For Extra Heat))
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 1-½ Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 bunch Coriander (optional, For Decoration)
Preparation Instructions
1. Place chicken cubes inside the slow cooker.
2. Place therest of the ingredients (except chili peppers, cornstarch, water and coriander) in a food processor bowl and process together until the mix is smooth(ish). Pour sauce mix on top of the chicken, mix well, add hot peppers if using any, then close the lid. Cook on low for 6 hours.
3. An hour before serving, mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely disolved. Add to the chicken curry and mix well. Place the lid back on for the rest of the cooking time.
4. Serve on top of steaming white rice, something wonderfully aromatic like jasmine or basmati rice. Decorate with lots of chopped coriander. Inhale. So good!
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Three Many Cooks is the always-entertaining food blog of Pam Anderson and her two daughters, Maggy and Sharon. Pam is a well-known and much-respected food writer and author, Maggy is a “hippy adventurer meets 1950s housewife,” and Sharon refers to herself as a recovering food snob learning to survive on a graduate student’s budget. Theirs is a strong relationship both inside and outside the kitchen, and it shows in the food they create and the stories they tell.
56 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Michelle on 5.24.2011
Help! I can’t get the printable recipe link to work. Can you send it to me?
anjelina on 5.5.2011
i luv the Grandma Chicken Curry. chicken curry looks yum and delicious.
Frances on 4.27.2011
I’m making this for sure!
And personally, Goya coconut milk is not the best one out there. The brand Thai Kitchen makes THE BEST coconut milk, very flavorful and even has a lower fat version. Goya just doesn’t cut it compared to Thai Kitchen brand.
lindsay z on 4.18.2011
I really wanted to like this. I was excited about it. But….alas, it was really, super bland. I mean really, really bland. My chicken stayed moist — I didn’t cut it into pieces and I did a mix of chicken thighs and breasts. The chicken just kind of fell apart into shreds by then end of cooking. The sauce was my issue. Where is the flavor? I added more garam masala, more curry, more chili peppers — then I improvised and added salt, the juice of two lemons, chili powder and finally greek yogurt and cilantro. It still was just okay. Sorry! I wanted to like it, I really did.
Megan on 4.10.2011
My fiance and I made this today and we loved it! It was so easy to put together, and the smell from the kitchen drove us wild all day. Very very tasty! We could have used a little added spiciness, though – any suggestions for some added heat without ruining the flavor? Should we add some cayenne pepper? Or what if we put a serrano chile or something in the food processor with the other veggies? Thanks so much for a lovely slow-cooker meal!
Jen CD on 4.9.2011
This turned out really yummy. Very flavorful and tender chicken. I also made a batch with tofu for my vegetarian daughter, and she loved it.
Carole Martin on 4.8.2011
This was so delicious! I made it for dinner on Tuesday and I was in Indian food heaven! And healthy too! Thanks for sharing!
Katrin on 4.7.2011
OMG … I prepared the sauce last night and it’s in the slow cooker right now. I can’t wait. The sauce already smelled delicious which made me super excited. Can’t wait to try it later. Thanks so much for this easy to prepare recipe!!!
Brenda on 4.6.2011
I don’t have a food processor. Would dicing/chopping very small and then mixing everything still work?
stephanie on 4.6.2011
Made this last night and it was wonderful! Smelled so great and my kids liked it as well. I made a few modifications. 1lb bonesless/skinless chicken thighs + 1 cup lentils, light coconut milk for the regular coconut milk, used a yellow pepper since that’s what I had on hand, and I only added 1/2 Tbsp of the curry powder because I thought it would be too spicy for the kiddos. I also totally forgot about the cornstarch at the end, and it wasn’t too soupy. This is a great sauce and next time I think I’ll add cauliflower and/or potatoes.
Chrissy on 4.6.2011
This looks so so so good! We will be making this tonight! Also, we feel you on the tiny kitchen issue. It’s rough, but definitely manageable.
jmelynnou on 4.5.2011
I am making this tomorrow night…just bought all the ingredients…questions though: the recipe says a 156ml can of tomato paste…I looked that up online and that comes out to a 5.something oz can. I see above you have an 8oz can which is the smallest I could find. Did you use the whole 8oz????
Amanda M. on 4.5.2011
Just turned on my crock pot. Hope it looks & tastes as good as yours!
Tricia on 4.4.2011
I made this tonight, and the sauce is definitely delicious, but I was also concerned about the chicken getting over-cooked and dry. I have never had success with chicken in the slow cooker – it is always dry. BUT, I decided to give it another shot with this recipe. I checked the chicken after 3 hours, and I had to shut off the cooker. It was very dry and barely edible (but we’re eating it because I don’t want to waste 2 pounds of chicken. :). I think it has to do with the quality of the slow cooker one is using. I don’t have a top of the line cooker, and I’m wondering if my low setting isn’t necessarily low. At any rate, the sauce is wonderful, and so very easy. If I use my slow cooker for this recipe again, I would probably cook for only 2 hours or cook in a dutch oven.
Meghan on 4.4.2011
This sounds delicious- except I hate coconut! I am going to try the chicken stock like jordan suggested. Any other suggestions for an alternative to the coconut milk?
jordantheginger on 4.4.2011
Just put together this recipe and started the crockpot!! I made a few tweaks because I didn’t have any coconut milk, I used chicken stock instead. I used 2 T Curry Powder, 1 tsp cumin, and 1 T Garam Masala. I also added a few more cloves of garlic and a 1-inch piece of peeled, minced ginger! I didn’t have any red chiles and I love spice so I added 1 whole, seeded jalapeno I had in the fridge. Just before serving I am going to add 1/2 to 1 cup of plain greek yogurt. I can’t wait to see how it turns out in 6-7 hours, I’ll let you know. At the moment it smells absolutely amazing
Stephanie C on 4.4.2011
Are the chili peppers the source of heat in curry? I love curry but my family won’t like it if it’s spicy/hot.
newmom101 – the corn starch will thicken the sauce.
Can’t wait to try this out!
Lori W. on 4.1.2011
This is in my slow cooker RIGHT NOW and I CANNOT WAIT until it is done. My house smells amazing.
newmom101 on 4.1.2011
Why the cornstarch at the end… what does that do?
Urban Wife on 3.31.2011
This recipe is now on my weekend cooking menu, even though we had tikki masala last weekend. I never tire of ethnic foods! Thanks for sharing.
ThreeManyCooks on 3.31.2011
So glad it turned out well! For quick, easy, homemade curry that tastes authentic – this recipe can’t be beat.
amanda Bailie on 3.31.2011
Yum! I’m making this right now and just realized I forgot to get the garam masala at the store yesterday!! Any suggestions, fast!?
Gail on 3.31.2011
We had it last nite and it was SO good! Thank you for a great slow cooker recipe I know I’ll make again and again. Smells great and tastes better. Just what I’ve been looking for. Similar to a restaurant recipe that we haven’t had since they closed and moved across town.
DessertForTwo on 3.31.2011
I’m happy to see that Penzey’s bag of spices up there, I’m a huge Penzey’s fan! I can’t live without their cinnamon! Are those dundicut peppers? Wow, you’re brave!
Erin Stackhouse on 3.31.2011
That looks amazing and easy! I can’t wait to try it!
Kim in MD on 3.31.2011
YUM! I love that it is made in the slow-cooker!
Happy When Not Hungry on 3.31.2011
This curry looks delicious! I actually just made a peanut chicken curry in the slow cooker. Love anything in my slow cooker!
iambigmac on 3.30.2011
Gurrrrrrrl! We somewhat made this tonight. YUM!
My three year old ate my last bell pepper so instead, I put spinach in the sauce along with cumin, chili powder and turmeric because I didn’t have any garam masala or curry powder. We sautéd shrimp in a little bit of olive oil then added the sauce to the cooked shrimp to heat it up. We served it over whole wheat noodles and my husband, 3-year-old and I gobbled it up! Thanks for the recipe!!!
MargaretMS on 3.30.2011
This is pure warmth & comfort & fresh in a dish. Mmmmm looking forward to trying it out.
Carol on 3.30.2011
Looks delicious! We need more slow cooker recipes featured
ClaireS on 3.30.2011
This sounds like another winner! Can’t wait to try it soon (missing a few key ingredients in the pantry)
Audrey on 3.30.2011
Just made the sauce – didn’t have time to slow cook it today – I’ll just add the chicken thighs in the morning. I’ve been hankering for something like this – thank you for the recipe!
Natalie | Perry's Plate on 3.30.2011
I love coconut chicken curry, and I love my slow cooker! Thanks for finding this TK gem!
Darcy on 3.30.2011
I’ve got it in the slow cooker now!! Looking forward to it!
outnumberedbyboys on 3.30.2011
Can you substitute something else for the green pepper? Green peppers and I do not get along well…..
joy on 3.30.2011
Is the similar to Butter chicken in flavor? It looks very similar.
If you are concerned about the white meat drying out then use some boneless skinless chicken thighs. I use both in my slow cooker and have- never had any problems IF I use the low setting and make sure there is plenty of liquid.
Thanks for a great looking recipe!
Cathy on 3.30.2011
I read too fast at first and thought you wrote that your tiny kitchen was so small you couldn’t open your eyes and your dishwasher at the same time. Now that would be small! I love curry recipes and the slow cooker – so this looks like a win win!
April O. on 3.30.2011
Oh, perfection!
Thank you so much for sharing this!
ThreeManyCooks on 3.30.2011
I found that the chicken was very tender and not dry at all. I haven’t tried it with any other protein – but I’m going to! I think it would work great with lamb or beef, maybe even pork. The protein is almost secondary though, the curry sauce is where it’s at
romansmom on 3.30.2011
I’ve made so many version of chicken curry (my 3yo likes curry), but never a slow cooker one. Hmm, maybe that’s because I don’t own a slow cooker. I’m definitely gonna try this one with a regular pot and a few modifications to compensate. I think it will turn out just as delicious.
Gloria Mc on 3.30.2011
I’m definitely trying this recipe! Hope the chicken doesn’t dry out..
CDarolM on 3.30.2011
This sounds awesome! I will have to try it while my husband is away as he is doing a low carb diet-No rice. I try very hard to accommodate him.
Anne on 3.30.2011
Okay, I REALLY have to stop reading this while I’m at work! Totally forgot my lunch today and now I’m craving curried chicken on top of being hungry! Dang nab it! Someone eat something for me!!
Kari on 3.30.2011
Look forward to trying it this weekend! Have you tried it with any other protein? I always get worried about chicken (especially chicken breast) in a slow cooker because it dries out so easily.
ThreeManyCooks on 3.30.2011
Travis, the curry is so delicious – but the coconut flavor did not come through as much as I had hoped it would (I love the stuff!) So that’s good news for you
I think you will really love this.
EatLiveRun on 3.30.2011
looks divine! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Ade on 3.30.2011
O. M. G. I must make this in the very near future…
Travis Cotton on 3.30.2011
How strong is the coconut flavor? I sort of detest coconut but I like curry. Dish looks great but I dunno about that coconut lol.
Catharine on 3.30.2011
This is a great post and the recipe looks yummy! In the future, would you mind including the recipe in the post so we don’t have to go to another site to find it? I read this blog in Google Reader and it is great when I can copy a recipe straight from there. Just a thought!
Thanks again for this recipe. I’m excited to try something like this in my slow cooker that doesn’t use canned soup.
d.liff @ yelleBELLYboo on 3.30.2011
I made chicken once before in the slow cooker, cut into cubes like this, and it turned out totally dried out. Did you find that the chicken was still moist in this recipe?