• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Foodology Geek

  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • ☙ Iconic Recipes ❧
    • 🏝 California Food
    • 🍍 Hawaiian Food
    • 🌮 Mexican Recipes
    • 🏡 Family Recipes
  • Shop
  • 💌 Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • 🏠 BLOG
  • 🍍 ABOUT FG
  • 🗃 RECIPE INDEX
  • 📙 THE COOKBOOK
  • 🛒 SHOP
  • 📫 SUBSCRIBE
  • ➜ STORY EXPLORER
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Chicken

    Chicken Curry Recipe

    Published: Sep 16, 2020 · Modified: Sep 2, 2022 by Laura Reigel · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump To Recipe Comments Jump To Video
    curry chicken pinterest image

    This Chicken Curry Recipe has so much flavor. The grilled chicken is marinated in a flavorful curry marinade and then grilled. This tender chicken is delicious served with rice or pita bread.

    The chicken marinade is made with buttermilk and spices and it freezes beautifully for an easy make-ahead freezer meal.

    curry flavored grilled chicken

    You can easily skip ahead to the part of this post that tells you ALL the ways that you can eat this fantastic grilled chicken.

    When you're busy, getting a healthy dinner on the table every night can be surprisingly challenging. It can be tempting to pick up the phone and order takeout. Indian food, anyone? I've figured out how to make eating healthy easier, even when you are super busy.

    This chicken curry recipe is made with a delicious chicken marinade, simple ingredients, and takes 5 minutes to prep!

    The cook time for this recipe is less than 20 minutes. Did I mention that 18 of that 20 minutes is completely hands-off? Forget takeout!

    What You're Going to Love About This Recipe

    • Flavor: The Grilled Chicken is super flavorful and it tastes so good that it passes my "eat-it-cold" test. I'll eat these leftovers right out of the fridge. 
    • Zero Clean Up: There is almost zero clean up with this recipe. 
    • Freezer Friendly: You can make a double batch and freeze the second one. OR if you are cooking for one, just split this recipe in half and freeze one half right away.
    • Versatile: You can eat this chicken curry recipe as your core protein in several different meals, so you won't get bored.

    Recipe Notes

    The secret to this chicken marinade is the buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk makes this chicken soooo tender and juicy. Once you make this recipe, I know it'll be one of your favorites. Buttermilk makes everything better, from pancakes to fried chicken to this insanely good curry!

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Chicken: Boneless chicken breast or thighs are best for this recipe. 
    • Spices: Yellow curry powder, ground turmeric, ground cumin, salt, and pepper give the curry sauce a mega wow of flavor! Thai yellow curry powder and red curry powder are also delicious.
    • Buttermilk: The acid in the buttermilk works to tenderize the chicken. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute Greek yogurt, heavy cream, or coconut milk.

    How to make the chicken curry marinade

    I make this marinade right in a zip top freezer bag. This keeps clean-up to a minimum.

    PRO-TIP: Make a double batch and stick one batch in the freezer to eat later this month. Or next week. Or later today. Or all three. Mmmmmm...

    Step 1: Set up a large bowl and place a gallon-size plastic bag into it.

    This chicken taste so good that it passes my "eat-it-cold" test. Which means it tastes great right out of the fridge.

    Step 2: Add the buttermilk.

    adding 2 cups of buttermilk to a zip top bag to start the chicken curry marinade

    Step 3: Add the spices to the bag.

    adding salt and pepper to the curry marinade
    Salt and pepper
    add the curry powder to the buttermilk
    Yellow curry powder
    Add the tumeric and cumin to the curry marinade
    Tumeric and cumin
    mix the spices into the buttermilk
    Mix to blend the spices.

    Step 4: Add the chicken pieces to the bag.

    add the chicken breasts to the curry marinade
    Add the chicken and then seal.

    Step 5: Seal the bag and then smoosh it all around to make sure that the chicken is covered with the yellow curry marinade. 

    seal the bag with the chicken and the curry marinade

    Step 6: Marinate the chicken for a minimum of a 30 minutes, up to overnight. You can also freeze this recipe in the marinade. I find that if I freeze my meal prep bags flat, I can fit a lot more in the freezer. Plus, that makes it easier to defrost!

    allo the chicken to marinate for a few hours up to overnight. freeze if desired

    Different ways to cook curry chicken

    This yellow curry chicken recipe can be grilled or baked in the oven. 

    Grilling Curried Chicken: Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill 6 minutes per side. Always be sure to let your meat rest before you cut into it.

    How To Bake Curried Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the curry chicken from the marinade and place it on the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

    Safe temperature guidelines for poultry

    The internal temperature of chicken should be 165℉. A probe thermometer can tell you exactly what temperature your chicken is. Why guess when you can use tools? 

    For more information on safe cooking temperatures, check out this table by foodsafety.gov. 

    curry flavored grilled chicken

    All of the Serving Suggestions

    This chicken recipe is so versatile, you can eat it a million different ways. These are all of my favorites. If you come up with another awesome way to eat this recipe, I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

    🍡 Chicken Curry Kabobs

    To make chicken kabobs, dice the chicken into large bite-sized pieces before you add them to the marinade. After marinating, skewer the chicken on either soaked bamboo skewers OR metal skewers.

    Grill and server with rice.

    🥗 Chicken Curry Salad

    I make this a lot with leftover grilled chicken. Dice the leftover chicken, add chopped apples, pistachios, and a quarter cup of mayonnaise. (If you happen to have leftover rotisserie chicken, pop that in, too.) Serve on top of salad OR on your favorite sandwich bread, pita, or rolls.

    🌯 Chicken Curry Wraps

    Wraps are another great way to enjoy this flavorful chicken. You can dice the leftover chicken and add your favorite greens. You can also mix up a quick yogurt and dill sauce to drizzle on the wrap. The Chicken Curry Salad is also delicious in a wrap. 

    🍲 Chicken Curry with Rice

    Serve the grilled curry chicken with rice and steamed broccoli. Get a little fancy and add golden raisins and chopped almonds to your rice! This is a super healthy combination that you can prepare and then pack for easy reheating.

    🌱 Thai Chicken Curry

    It's a snap to modify this Indian recipe into a Thai coconut curry chicken. Add a few shakes of Thai fish sauce and a tablespoon of brown sugar to your marinade, and swap out the buttermilk for coconut milk. Serve with rice, bell peppers, carrots, and onions.

    What to Serve with Yellow Chicken Curry

    My absolute favorite thing to serve with this easy yellow curry chicken recipe is steamed basmati rice and a big salad. Or even just the rice! 😜 A squeeze of lime juice is also the perfect addition to the chicken and rice bowl.

    When I am making this curry chicken into a wrap, I love it with fresh homemade tzatziki, or even just a little Greek yogurt with some dill and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.

    A reader favorite recipe is my Easy Curry Risotto!

    Honestly, this simple Cucumber Salad is amazing with the spicy grilled chicken. Look how pretty the colors are. We eat with our eyes first, and this combo is gorgeous.

    asian cucumber salad recipe in a blue and white bowl with chopsticks
    Crunchy Spicy Asian Chicken Cucumbers

    More Easy Chicken Recipes

    • Lemon Piccata Chicken
    • Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
    • Easy Grilled Chicken
    • Baked Chicken Thighs
    • Chicken Satay
    • Chipotle Chicken
    • Chimichurri Chicken

    ➽ Did you make this recipe? I love to see what's going on in your kitchen. Please show me what you're cooking. 🍳 Tag me @foodologygeek on your favorite social channel! Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. If you loved ❤︎ this recipe, please leave a five ★ review and a comment!

    grilled yellow curry chicken
    Favorite Saved!

    Chicken Curry Recipe

    Laura Reigel
    This Chicken Curry Recipe has so much flavor. The grilled chicken is marinated in a flavorful curry marinade and then grilled. This tender chicken is delicious served with rice or pita bread.
    PRINT PIN SAVE SAVED
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 17 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 8
    Calories 183 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 to 4 lbs chicken boneless breasts or thighs

    Curry Marinade

    • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
    • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 4 teaspoons yellow curry powder
    • 2 teaspoons tumeric
    • 2 teaspoons cumin
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • MAKE THE MARINADE: Add all of the ingredients for the curry marinade to a bowl or a zip-top bag.
    • ADD THE CHICKEN: You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs here.
    • MARINATE: Marinate the chicken up to overnight. If I am cooking this recipe the same day, I usually marinate it at room temperature (unless it's really hot day). If you will cook it the next day, marinate the chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
    • FREEZER MEAL: You can freeze a second batch of this recipe if you want to plan ahead.

    Cook the chicken on the grill or in the oven.

    • ON THE GRILL: Grill on medium-high heat for about 6 minutes per side.
    • IN THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake for 12 to 20 minutes.

    Video

    Laura's Tips + Notes

    Grilling Curried Chicken: Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill 6 minutes per side. 
    How To Bake Curried Chicken: Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the curry chicken from the marinade and place it on the baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

    Safe temperature guidelines for poultry

    The internal temperature for the chicken should be 165℉. A probe thermometer can tell you exactly what temperature your chicken is. Why guess when you can use tools? 
    For more information on safe minimum temperatures check out this table by foodsafety.gov. 
    Serving Suggestions
    🍡 Chicken Curry Kabobs
    To make chicken kabobs, dice the chicken into large bite-sized pieces before you add them to the marinade. After marinating, skewer the chicken on either soaked bamboo skewers OR metal skewers.
    🥗 Curry Chicken Salad
    I make this a lot with leftover yellow curry chicken. Dice the leftover chicken, add chopped apples, pistachios, and a quarter cup of mayonnaise. (If you happen to have leftover rotisserie chicken, pop that in, too.) Serve on top of salad OR on your favorite sandwich bread or rolls.
    🌯 Chicken Curry Wraps
    Wraps are another great way to enjoy this flavorful chicken. You can dice the leftover chicken and add your favorite greens. You can also mix up a quick yogurt and dill sauce to drizzle on the wrap. The Curry Chicken Salad is also delicious in a wrap. 
    🍲 Chicken Curry with Rice
    Serve the grilled curry chicken with rice and steamed broccoli. Get a little fancy and add golden raisins and chopped almonds to your rice! This is a super healthy combination that you can prepare and then pack for easy reheating.
    🌱 Thai Chicken Curry
    It's a snap to modify this Indian recipe into a Thai coconut curry chicken. Add a few shakes of Thai fish sauce and a tablespoon of brown sugar to your marinade, and swap out the buttermilk for coconut milk. Serve with rice, bell peppers, carrots, and onions.

    YOUR OWN NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6ouncesCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 15gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 640mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword chicken, Easy, grilling
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Snap a 📸 and share it. Tag me @foodologygeek and don't forget to hashtag #foodologygeek!

    More Chicken Recipes

    • Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken
    • How To Make Bone Broth
    • Turkey Soup Recipe
    • Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
    13 shares

    About Laura Reigel

    Laura is the owner and CEO of Foodology Geek. She holds a degree in Physiology and Neuroscience as well as a Certification as a Nutrition Coach. Laura uses her love of cooking and science to create healthy real food recipes that you'll love eating.

    As a certified recipe hoarder, and meal prep maven Laura is passionate about sharing her love for cooking easy from-scratch recipes. She also shares the occasional family recipe and all of the technical details.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica Robinson

      September 20, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      5 stars
      So simple to make this marinade recipe. It's great with a garden salad!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Review this recipe!




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    laura reigel from foodology geek profile shot

    Hi, I'm Laura! Welcome to Foodology Geek restaurant-inspired recipes & culinary science.

    You'll recipes inspired by restaurants that I visit when I travel. I recreate them in my kitchen so that you can make them in yours.

    The best things in life can be found around the table with family and friends. Make them delicious!

    Find out more about me →

    🦃 It's Almost Turkey Day

    Check out our collection of Thanksgiving Recipes.

    • Classic Pumpkin Pie
    • Smoked Turkey Legs
    • How To Make The BEST Smoked Turkey Breast
    • Homemade Poultry Seasoning Recipe

    All Things Pumpkin

    • Pumpkin Cookies With Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Tart
    • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Classic Pumpkin Pie
    • DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe
    • Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Caramel Sauce

    🥂 Trending...

    • Pot Roast Recipe
    • Potluck Recipes
    • Hawaiian Coleslaw - Sweet & Savory
    • How to Make Homemade Roasted Nuts
    • Pork Fried Rice
    • Smoked Kalua Pork - Authentic Hawaiian Flavor

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • TikTok

    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Our Cookbook

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Accessibility Policy

    Contact us at: hello@foodologygeek.com

    Copyright © 2022 Foodology Geek

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    13 shares
    13 shares