Curry Braised Chicken Thighs
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Curry Braised Chicken Thighs is a delicious Indian-inspired dinner for two. Spicy, flavorful and budget-friendly, it’s sure to spice up the night with your loved one! You’ll also love my Chicken and Potato Curry!
“Awesome!!!!!!!! Absolutely delish!”
What is braising?
One of my absolute favorite cooking methods is a slow braise; it’s almost magical!
Braising uses both moist and dry heat. A tough cut of protein that has lots of connective tissue, is first seared at a high temperature. Then, it simmers at a low temperature for up to several hours. During this process, the connective tissue breaks down and the tough cut of protein is transformed into something buttery and fall-off-the-bone tender.
For this recipe, I used budget-friendly chicken thighs which lend themselves well to the braising method. However, chicken thighs don’t take hours to become tender.
Indian cuisine may seem intimidating at first because of all the exotic spices. However, this recipe for Curry Braised Chicken Thighs uses ingredients found at any local grocery store or international market like Madras curry powder.
What is Madras curry powder?
Madras curry powder isn’t authentically Indian. It was created by the British to try and mimic the amazing curry flavors of India which they fell in love with when India was one of their territories.
A word of warning: Madras curry powder can be very hot. In addition to ground chilies, it also has spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon and fenugreek. If you enjoy curry but don’t like the heat, substitute a mild curry powder here or blend your own.
Vary the vegetables and use cubed sweet potato, cauliflower florets, broccoli florets or spinach instead of carrots. Chickpeas would also make a nice addition. Serve with plenty of brown basmati rice to soak up this flavor-packed sauce. If desired, a dollop of plain yogurt will help cool it down.
For more great bone-in chicken thigh recipes, check out: 30 Best Bone-In Chicken Thigh Recipes.
Serve Curry Braised Chicken Thighs with:
- Brown or white basmati rice
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter and Almonds
Want more amazing Indian-inspired curry recipes? Be sure to check these out!
- Meatballs in Spicy Curry
- Cauliflower, Red Lentil and Potato Curry
- Indian Root Vegetable Curry
- Vegan Indian Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
- Pressure Cooker Indian Beef Curry
Curry Braised Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs on the bone, skin removed if desired
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, or as needed
- 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, such as Madras, or to taste and tolerance
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, or canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
- Cooked brown basmati rice
- Plain yogurt, optional
Instructions
- Season chicken thighs generously with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and brown 2-3 minutes per side, or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Add more oil if necessary. Add the onion then reduce heat to medium-low and cook 4-5 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add carrot and cook 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned in places.
- Add curry powder, ginger and garlic and cook very briefly, about 15 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, chicken broth and cream or coconut milk. Return chicken thighs to the pan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover slightly and simmer 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees.
- Adjust seasoning if desired. Stir in cilantro.
- Serve with brown basmati rice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and plain yogurt if desired.
Video
Notes
- Madras curry can be hot. If you don’t care for anything too spicy, use mild curry powder.
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs instead of thighs on the bone. Reduce cooking time by 5-10 minutes.
- You can also use leg quarters but may need additional time.
- Cook all chicken to 165 degrees in the thickest part.
- Vary the vegetables and use cubed sweet potato, cauliflower florets, broccoli florets or spinach instead of carrots. Chickpeas would also make a nice addition.
- This can be made one day ahead. Cool and refrigerate until needed. Place in an oven-safe dish and reheat uncovered at 350 degrees until heated through to 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Cool thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat uncovered at 350 degrees until heated through to 165 degrees in the thickest part.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
A savoury tasty dish that is full of flavours. Love it!
I made a few changes, some worked, some not so much 🙂 I tried it with the skin on and the result was too much rendered fat in the dish after cooking the veggies. Next time NO skin. A heaping 1/4 tsp of dried garlic worked out okay as I was short on the real stuff.
Only other change was I did it in my covered casserole dish with lid. After bringing it to a boil I put in the oven with the lid on for 2 hours at 300ºF. The liquid reduced nicely and the flavours exploded out of the casserole.
Hi, Gary, Thanks so much! Cooking this dish so low and slow sounds like a great idea! Thanks again and glad you enjoyed!
Any suggestions for a cilantro substitute? I have the advanced taste buds that make cilantro taste like dish soap.
Hi, Tim, You’re not alone! I know several people that can’t cope with cilantro. I would just leave it out. You could bump up the ginger and garlic a little extra zing! Thanks so much and hope you enjoy!
Flat leaf parsley instead of cilantro.
I found that there was too much liquid for my liking. But the flavor was over the top. One of the best curry recipes I have ever made.
Hi, Lana, So glad you enjoyed and thanks for your feedback. It is saucy but perfect for some rice on the side to soak all that up. If you end up having some sauce left over, it would be great with fish such as salmon, too! Thanks again!
This is a great curry dish! Made it last evening for dinner. My husband really enjoys curry dishes but isn’t a big fan of cilantro. He did however really enjoy this combination. Found your website when I was looking for curry dishes. I will be trying some more of your recipes. They look and sound wonderful!
Hi, Marcia, What a nice comment to wake up to! Thanks so much and so glad you both enjoyed! And welcome to my little corner of the internet. Hope you continue to enjoy my recipes. Have a great day!
LOVE IT – this might be one of my favorites recipe! The garlic, ginger and cilantro are just magical together!
Hi, Ruba, Wow! That is an amazing compliment! Thank you so very much! Glad you enjoyed and please stay in touch!
Just made this tonight – super easy dish to make and super tasty too – Just the way I like things. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Awesome! Thanks so much, John! Glad you enjoyed and please stay in touch!
Delicious!!!! Thank You!
Thank you, Ariane! So happy you enjoyed!
I make a lot of curries and it involves making the masalas… etc – basically it takes time. Yesterday I did not have much time, so looked on the website for inspiration. Falling on this recipe was like winning a lottery. It was soo yum. Nothing was left. My son got some bread and cleaned the pan it was cooked in. Carol, the family gave it a 10/10. So I give it a 10/10. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is a keeper for us.
Thanks so much, Alcan! Your comment was such a nice start to my day and I really appreciate it! Thanks again and please stay in touch!
A really excellent curry. I made it for the first time this weekend, with one pound of chicken thighs yielding 5 generous servings. Generally, my Indian curries involve a masala of at least 6 different spices which end up being remarkably subtle in the finished dish. However, I used a particularly pungent curry powder from the local spice store and, along with the cayenne pepper, the result was very satisfactory for a dish requiring minimal prep time. Thank you for this recipe. I will be preparing it regularly from now on.
Thanks so much, Grayslady! I’ve found that when you have wonderful ethnic stores in your area, why not just go there and get what they’re offering! Chances are pretty good it’s ten times better than what I can put together. So glad you enjoyed and please stay in touch!
Love this recipe!
Thanks, Jason! Glad you enjoyed!