A super easy and healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Curry that takes less than 5 minutes to prep. Easy to adapt, lots of veggies and it freezes well too. A tomato based, creamy curry sauce with tender chunks of chicken and some spinach for a green boost.
This chicken curry honestly couldn't be easier. You just put everything in the slow cooker, stir and let it bubble away until the chicken just falls apart and melts in your mouth. Easy to adapt with your favourite vegetables (or none at all), this is a family favourite and perfect for batch cooking and keeping in your freezer for easy week night meals.
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Why should you try it?
- A super easy chicken curry
- No prep required
- Easy to adapt
- Freezes really well
- Family friendly
What you will need
- Chicken - we used chicken thighs as we think there is more flavour, but chicken breast will work really well too.
- Chopped tomatoes - try to find good quality tomatoes, as cheaper ones can be quite watery.
- Mango chutney - for a hint of sweetness.
- Coconut milk - to make the curry nice and creamy.
- Onion, Garlic and Ginger - the base to any good curry.
- Spices - We used just curry powder and cayenne pepper, but you could use Garam Masala, a combination of your favourite curry spices or even a curry paste.
- Spinach and coriander (cilantro) - For a green boost to the curry.
Step by step
One: Add the onions, chicken, garlic and ginger to the slow cooker pot.
Two: Add the spice mix.
Three: Add the chopped tomatoes, mango chutney and coconut milk.
Four: Stir well and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Five: 15 minutes before the end, add the spinach and coriander.
Can you add vegetables?
Of course! The great thing about this curry is that you can pretty much use any vegetables you want. It's a great fridge raid meal to reduce waste, as you can use vegetables that are starting to look a bit sorry for themselves.
We like chunky veg like bell peppers, courgette (zucchini) or aubergine (eggplant). But you could also add carrot, mushrooms, broccoli or parsnip.
We always like to add some greens to a dish if we can, so we stirred in some spinach before the curry finished cooking. You could use kale instead though or even some peas.
What to serve this with
Curry and rice is a classic combination, but we have also have this with potato wedges too! But you could also just make a couple of our Easy Homemade Flatbreads and use them to scoop up all that delicious curry sauce. Maybe brush some garlic butter on the flatbreads too.
If you choose to have it with rice, add a teaspoon of turmeric when boiling your rice to give it a gorgeous golden colour and also a healthy boost. We have a full recipe for Turmeric Rice, which will go really well with this curry.
FAQs
The great thing about this curry (apart from the amazing taste) is how simple it is. That's why we wanted to use a ready made curry powder to keep it simple. Try to go with the best quality one that you can find, as you really can taste the difference. If you want to make it spicier (as this is a pretty mild curry), then you can add extra cayenne or even a sprinkle of red chilli flakes before serving.
You don't have to use curry powder though. You could use a couple of heaped tablespoons of your favourite curry paste instead, and it would give the curry a more intense flavour. It's a good way to make a different flavour curry each time, by using a korma paste or even a madras.
We have used chunks of chicken breast to keep it nice and lean. Plus, when you cook chicken breast in the slow cooker, it just falls apart and shreds nicely.
However, you could use boneless and skinless chicken thighs and this will give much juicer chicken, but not as lean. Chicken thighs tend to be better value than chicken breasts too. It really comes down to your preference.
This curry will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It also freezes really well, making it great for batch cooking, and it will keep in the freezer for 2 months. Just make sure that it has cooled completely and then portion it out in to freezable containers (with rice to make it and even easier meal) and then put it in the freezer.
To reheat leftovers of this, just add it to a pan and gently cook for 3-4 minutes until completely heated through. If frozen, make sure it is fully defrosted before reheating. Always make sure the food is piping hot and only reheat once.
Extra tips
- You can use chicken breast instead of thighs.
- If you want this curry to be spicier, then you can add extra cayenne or even add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes before serving.
- We have used curry powder for the spices in this to keep it a super simple curry. However, you could use your favourite curry paste instead. It's a great way to make a different curry every time. You could have a korma or madras.
- The onions could be softened and the chicken sealed in a pan before adding it to the slow cooker, but I really don't think it is essential.
- You can cut the chicken thighs into chunks, like we have, or leave them whole and once cooked use two forks and shred it all up and then give it a good stir.
- If you want to cook this on the hob (stove top), then fry up the chicken, onion, garlic and ginger until the chicken is browned and then stir in the spices. Then add the tomatoes, mango chutney and coconut milk, stir and simmer for 40 minutes.
- If your sauce ends up too thin, then you can add a cornflour (cornstarch) slurry to thicken it up.
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Recipe
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken thighs either cut into chunks or left whole (see notes)
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 15 g fresh ginger grated
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 tbsp curry powder
- 0.5 tsp cayenne or more to taste
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 4 tbsp mango chutney
- 60 g spinach
- 15 g fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped
Instructions
- Add the onions, chicken, garlic and ginger to the slow cooker pot.
- Add the spice mix.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, mango chutney and coconut milk.
- Stir well and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- 15 minutes before the end, add the spinach and coriander.
Notes
- If you want this curry to be spicier, then you can add extra cayenne or even add a sprinkle of red chilli flakes before serving.
- We have used curry powder for the spices in this to keep it a super simple curry. However, you could use your favourite curry paste instead. It's a great way to make a different curry every time. You could have a korma or madras.
- You can use chicken breast instead of thighs.
- You could soften the onion and seal the chicken in a pan before adding it to the slow cooker, but I really don't think it is essential.
- You can cut the chicken thighs into chunks, like we have, or leave them whole and once cooked use two forks and shred it all up and then give it a good stir.
- If you want to cook this on the hob (stove top), then fry up the chicken, onion, garlic and ginger until the chicken is browned and then stir in the spices. Then add the tomatoes, mango chutney and coconut milk, stir and simmer for 40 minutes.
- If your sauce ends up too thin, then you can add a cornflour (cornstarch) slurry to thicken it up.
Dominique Mirabel
Are the ingredients given in the recipe meant to be for two people?
I am trying to work out the calories but it says 269 per portion but how many portions is this supposed to be?
Thanks
Dannii
If you check the recipe card at the bottom, it says 4 portions, so 269 calories is for a quarter of this. Where is says 4 portions, you can change it to change the serving size.
tori
Hi there I need to feed 12 people how long should I cook it for?
Thanks
Dannii
It will depend on the amount of chicken you are adding and your slow cooker. It is best to use a meat thermometer to check the chicken is cooked through.
veenaazmanov
Love this comfort meal. This slow cooker Chicken curry and the coconut milk addition makes it more tastier and the veggies make it healthier too.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
Love the idea of throwing it all in the slow cooker and then coming back to a delicious dinner.
Jen
This was a winning dish! Even my picky eaters cleaned their plates. So easy making using the slow cooker too.
Jen Talley
I can't wait to make this recipe! It looks delicious! I just need to run to the store to get some mango chutney. yum!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
This curry looks delicious. Time for me to get my slow cooker out!
Kushigalu
Love how flavorful and delicious this curry is. Can't wait to try. Thanks for sharing
Kathryn
I absolutely love my some curry -- but have never made it in a slow cooker before. I'll have to give this a try ASAP!