Jamaican Curry Chicken
Jamaican curry chicken delivers an easy one-pot meal bursting with flavor. Homemade curry powder, aromatic garlic and onion, and luscious coconut milk take this hearty recipe over the top. I guarantee this is one stew you’ll want to make over and over again.
Did you know that curry is not just one spice but a mixture of several different spices? When I stumbled across that information, suddenly, everything made sense. That’s why some brands of store-bought curry seasoning are spicy and bold, while others are milder and sweeter. Honestly, some are just meh in the taste department.
That is why I came up with my own recipe to suit my taste buds perfectly. Feel free to customize it to create your own perfect curry spice mix. Or you can choose your preferred store-bought brand – we all have our favorites.
Jamaican Curry vs. Indian Curry
Jamaican curry powder adds spiciness to chicken, goat, lamb, and beef. Though it’s similar to Indian curry, it has subtle differences. For example, Jamaican curry usually includes allspice, a spice that shows up in other classic Jamaican dishes like jerk chicken. Plus, it’s heavier on the turmeric than Indian curries and a little less spicy. Some of the best recipes are from fusion cuisines.
How to Make Jamaican Curry Chicken
The Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. (Photos 1-2)
- Sauté the chicken in a large, deep pan for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned. (Photos 3-4)
- Add curry powder and onions, followed by minced garlic, thyme, and paprika. Stir for about five minutes, allowing the flavors to blossom. (Photos 5-6)
Curry Sauce
- Liquids – In the same pan, pour in the coconut milk and tomato paste. Continue cooking for two more minutes, then add 2-3 cups of chicken broth or water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 15 minutes. (Photos 7-8)
- Veggies – Next, add the potatoes and carrots. Cook until potatoes are tender, seven minutes or so. Add the sliced bell pepper and cook for another two minutes. (Photos 9-10)
- Adjust the sauce thickness with broth or water and the salt to your preference.
- Serve – Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Vegetarian – Turn this Jamaican curry recipe into a plant-based dish with oyster mushrooms, portabellos, chickpeas, or tofu instead of chicken.
- Other Meats – You could substitute other meats if you aren’t a fan of chicken. It’s fabulous with goat, but pork and beef also make a fantastic curry.
Tips and Tricks
- Use whole-fat coconut milk for the creamiest, most delicious curry.
- Feel free to get creative with your veggie selection if you wish. Broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, and spinach would all work well in a curry, so feel free to clean out your fridge’s vegetable drawer.
- Adjust the spiciness of this dish by adjusting the amount of curry powder you add. You could also make this dish a little spicier by adding more cayenne pepper. (There may already be some in your curry powder.)
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
Adding to its appeal is just how easy it is to make this curry dish ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe instructions, allow the curry to cool, then store it in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to four months until you are ready to serve it. Reheat it on the stovetop, and no one will know you haven’t been in the kitchen all day preparing this delicious dish.
Store leftover chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. In the refrigerator, it will last for 3-5 days. Use frozen curry within five months, and thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating.
You can reheat Jamaican curry chicken on the stovetop over medium-high heat until it’s hot—alternatively, heat single servings in the microwave. Adjust reheat times according to the amount of curry in your bowl.
FAQs
Jamaican curry powder usually contains more turmeric than other kinds, which gives it a deeper yellow appearance. And it’s also good for you.
Way back in the 17th century, Indian indentured servants were brought to Jamaica, which was then an English colony, to work on sugar cane plantations. They brought curry with them, and ingenious Jamaicans adapted it and deeply entwined it with Jamaica’s culture and cuisine.
Jamaican recipes often call for toasting curry powder in heated oil to release the flavors of the spices. In most cases, though, the spices have already been toasted when blending the curry powder. This step also makes Jamaican curry powder unique from Indian curry powder.
What Goes With Jamaican Curry Chicken
This curry goes great with white rice, but lately, I’ve gotten into serving it with arroz con gandules, making for an interesting (and delicious) cultural mash-up. 🇯🇲🇵🇷 It also goes great with Caribbean coleslaw and fried sweet plantains.
More Savory Curry Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”lxT72PrU” upload-date=”Tue Aug 07 2018 11:48:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Jamaican Curry Chicken” description=”Jamaican Curry Chicken – a one pot meal that is bursting with flavor. The most delicious curry stew, you will want to make this over and over again.”]
This recipe was first published in October 2014, and has been updated with new photos, a video, and additional tips.
Jamaican Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 2-2½ pounds (1-1.25kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) white pepper, optional
- 2 tablespoons (30g) olive oil or canola oil
- 1½-2 tablespoons (6-7g) Jamaican curry powder
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons (4g) fresh thyme, minced
- ½ teaspoon (1-2g) paprika
- ½ cup (118ml) coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon (5g) tomato paste
- 2 cups (470ml) or more chicken broth (or replace with water)
- 1 pound (450g) potatoes, peeled and cut into medium pieces
- 6 ounces (170g) carrots, sliced
- 6 ounces (170g) green peppers, sliced
- 2-3 tablespoons (12-18g) chopped parsley
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
- In a large, deep pan, heat oil over medium heat until hot, and then add the chicken. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned.
- Add the curry powder and onions, followed by the minced garlic, thyme, and paprika. Stir for about five minutes, allowing the flavors to bloom.
- In the same pan, pour in the coconut milk and tomato paste. Continue cooking for two more minutes, then add 2-3 cups of chicken broth or water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Next, add the potatoes and carrots. Cook until potatoes are tender, seven minutes or so.
- Add the sliced bell pepper and cook for another two minutes.
- Finally, add the chopped parsley. Adjust the sauce thickness with broth or water and the salt to your preference. Serve and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- While homemade curry powder is best, feel free to use your favorite store-bought version.
- Fat carries flavor, which is why we toast the spices in olive oil to develop more flavor.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
This recipe was amazing!!! I have been looking for a chicken curry recipe that wasn’t as complicated or required as many ingredients (that can be hard to find where I live!) This was delicious! The only thing I changed was to leave out the green pepper – I didn’t have any, but I’m not big on it anyway! lol This recipe is definitely a keeper – Thank you!
Awesome!! I am thrilled this recipe was a hit with you, Larena! Thank you for the feedback :)!
Hi there Imma, I have just found your website when I was looking for Caribbean curry powder recipe! Bonus as now also found the Curry Chicken recipe (oh yes I have read the comments) which is on the dinner menu for tonight! Just need clarification (and whilst I always read recipe comments, in this case I did not find the answer to my query – hence this comment.
Ingredient list states -12 ounce carrots and green pepper , sliced.(cut & pasted)
Do you mean – 12 ounce carrots AND 12 ounces green pepper OR
6 ounce carrots and 6 ounces green pepper? Would appreciate clarification. Thank you.
Also I am just going to download the oxtail stew recipe. Perfect winter dish for
us in the land dowunder! Australia.
Hello,
The vegetables are 12 -16 ounce. Mix and match the vegetables , according to preference. I always play around with it , depending on what I have on hand. Can’t wait to hear how it works out for you.
This was absolutely delightful!! I used sweet potatoes that was what I had on hand. Your curry powder is a must and I can use it in so many ways!! All the flavors made a wonderful pot of goodness! I look forward to sharing making this for family and friends .After the Stay at Home order is lifted .
Thanks
I LOVE this recipe! You’re an amazing chef. I often use your recipes.
The only thing is that I’m always unsure about how high the fire on the cooker should be: When to turn it lowhigh. Also, when the pot lid should go on and come off. Any tips?
Start on high ( 6-7) . After your curry comes to a boil, reduce heat to about medium low ( 3-4). Keep in mind that you have to keep adjusting heat as you cook. If it cooking too fast and water is drying up , reduce it even lower. I rarely cook on high unless am stir frying or bringing it to a boil. Medium heat is always a good place to start . Hope this helps
This is really helpful.
Can you also offer some direction about when to keep the pot lid on/off?
This is an amazing recipe – I make it EVERY time I want to make something to impress my guests. It is a restaurant-level flavor but so easy to make. I only hear compliments – absolutely love this dish! But you have to use Imma’s curry powder recipe for the dish to work!
Can this be made with chicken legs?
Yes it sure can.
I only have bone-in chicken thighs & I’m trying to make enough for 8 servings but my Dutch oven isn’t large enough. Any recommendations for oven preparation?
Hi Mekiah, bone-in works just fine. For more servings I would say to brown all the chicken, get the cooking going when I add the broth and transfer some to another pot that is oven-safe.
Hi. You mentioned Bay leaf in the directions with the pictures but I don’t see it in the recipe or in the pictures. How many bay leaves?
And can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
Yes, you can.
1-2 bay leaves would do.
When do you add the bay leaf
Will this dish come out just as good with store bought curry powder? Making a curry powder from scratch sounds amazing but not cost effective for a dish I will not make that often.
Yes, Tene! You can certainly buy the curry powder if you prefer. You should still get the same main flavors.
Thank you. I am so excited to try this dish. Stay tuned for the outcome (I’m sure amazing)! In the near future, I will definitely make your curry powder, but I will need to accumulate all the ingredients over time!
I finally got around to making it and it was amazing with store bought curry powder. I’m sure your curry powder has more in-depth flavor but the dish still came out great! I will definitely plan on making more of your recipes. Thanks again!
Thanks for the feedback.
I finally got around to making this recipe. It came out amazing! My kids and Husband are not adventurous eaters and they were all going back for more! Can’t wait to try another recipe!
I am so happy I have discovered your site!
I made this for a group of guests and my family! It was perfect! Everyone loved it! I can’t wait to try more recipes from you!!!
You saved the day for me! 🙂
I can I use cream in the coconut milk, placer instead of coconut milk
Yes, you can! Use about 1 and a half Tablespoons of cream and make it up to 1/2 cup by adding milk or water.
I absolutely loved it. Any preference between smoked or sweet paprika?
They both work fine. However, smoked paprika is more flavorful. I use it mostly in vegan or vegetarian recipes for added flavor.
Is the coconut milk unsweetened? I never made chicken curry before and want to try it.
Hi. It’s the unsweetened variety.
Could you crock pot this?
Yes you sure can.Slow cook on low for about 6-7 hours , or until desired tenderness of chicken has been reached.
yummy 😉
looks Very GOOD
This dish was so scrumptious! It’s going into my pile of favourites for sure. I love how tender the chicken stays and how nice the potatoes take the curry flavour. 🙂
I just love love this dish good recipe,i will make this for all my family and friends.THANK YOU SO SO GOOD.
L
Thank you DC for letting it be known that the recipe is “curry chicken” not ” chicken curry”. You cannot chicken, goat, beef or fish the curry. Curry is the spice that you put in the chicken. You don’t say “float bake, fish escovitch, pot pepper or chicken jerk etc.” Do you? It just does not sound right. So PLEEEEASE don’t get offended when you should stand corrected because it is just not warranted.
Louise, a curry can be a spice but it can also be a dish, so it is not incorrect to call something chicken curry, because it is a curry dish of the chicken variety. Actually “curry chicken” should be “curried chicken” if you really want to be technical.
noun: curry; plural noun: curries
1. a dish of meat, vegetables, etc., cooked in an Indian-style sauce of strong spices and typically served with rice.
verb
curry; 3rd person present: curries; past tense: curried; past participle: curried; gerund or present participle: currying
1. prepare or flavor with a sauce of hot-tasting spices.
“curried chicken”
Thanks for sharing!!!
That makes no sense. What’s your argument for chicken noodle soup? You can’t chicken a soup and you certainly can’t noodle it. This was an unncessarily pedantic comment. Chicken curry, curry chicken, tomayto / tomahto. The most important part is that this dish is delish and that Imma was so kind to share it with us. Thanks, Imma! 🙂
Don’t advertise this as Jamaican. There is nothing Jamaican about the spices, method and end result of this chicken curry. First of all we call it CURRY CHICKEN… nobody sez chicken curry a yaad. Yuh mussi waan smaddy lick yuh inna yuh head back!
Yuh mighta get something weh delicious in your own right but doan call it JAMAICAN!!
Its a recipe. You’re taking it wayyyy too serious…
Calm down and relax. If you disagree with any content on here, just exit the page and go into another. Simple as that. No need to sound like a complete psycho.
Anywho, I’m making this tonight!!! I’m excited, hoping it comes out awesome.
Can i use store bought curry powder ??
You sure can.
Hello I plan on making this dish. Is there any substitute I can use instead of the coconut milk? it’s fairly expensive to get coconut milk where I am
You may replace it with almond milk or half and half.
Well done once again! I’ve never tried any recipe of yours that was not delicious. I made this recipe exactly as you said including the curry powder and my entire family loved it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful and delicious recipes.
You’re welcome, Tarsha. Glad you and your family love it. Happy New Year!
I’m so impressed by your homemade curry powder! It looks amazing!! I have to make this recipe for sure!
– Natalie