I love the story that this recipe holds. It is one that I have been enjoying for years and I finally asked my friend to come and teach me how to make it. I learned that this is a dish that is eaten daily where she is from on the island of Trinidad. The same goes for the Roti, that is a daily staple at every meal she also told me.
I love learning about a culture through food and what better way to learn than from your friends. I will cherish this recipe and make it often for my family.
A little while back my friend Alicia, who is from the island of Trinidad and Tobago, came to share this recipe with me. She taught me to blend my own curry powder, I learned how she cleans a chicken, and we built this recipe right in front of your eyes. Check my instagram story highlights to see us cook together.
This island in the Caribbean food culture sees influence from around the world, but much of the street food, as it was described to me, has South Asian influences. That is where this Curry Chicken comes in. It is served alongside Buss-up-shut (meaning torn shirt) Roti and eaten with your hands as street food.
Making Curry Chicken at Home
This is a dish that literally had a million different versions, because every cook has their own. I am sharing my adaptation with you today, and we will talk about the essentials that make it curry.
It starts with a whole chicken, piecing it out, and soak it in water with the juice of a lime. Then seasoned in a sofrito style rub, and stewed down in curry spices.
To make the seasoning, blend the garlic, cilantro, chives, oregano, and olive oil in a food processor or blender. For this recipe, you don't want to liquify this mixture. Just pulse it together until everything is broken down into small pieces.
Another important step is to work the curry powder into a paste before adding it to the pot. Make a paste with water so you can bloom the spices easily and not let them burn. Then, after cooking the onion for a few minutes add the curry to the bottom of your pot and bloom the spices. Cook them until the mixture becomes dry in the bottom of the pot then add the chicken, toss to coat and continue cooking.
Curry is Customizable!
You can fill your curry with any of your favorite vegetables and meats, or all veggies and no meats. Make it spicy or sweet, brothy or creamy, the possibilities are endless. Start with a jalapeno to make it hot, or finish it with coconut milk to make it tikka masala-esque, and be sure to serve it with Roti!
The seasonings are what really make curry, curry. And even that is customizable. Every cook has their own blend which means you will probably never eat the same curry twice.
Have fun with it. Cooking should always be fun. Use this recipe as a base, experiment with it and make your new favorite curry.
📖 Recipe
Curry Chicken
This is the version of curry chicken I cook. Every cook has their own and this one was taught to me by my Trinidadian frined. Give it a whirl the first time you make it, then make your edits next time. That’s what makes cooking fun, you can make it just the way you like it.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken cut into individual pieces
- 3 Limes 1 for the chicken, 2 juiced for finishing
- 4-6 Garlic Cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons Cilantro plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons Chives chopped
- 1 teaspoon Oregano dry
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil + more for the pot
- 1 med Onion chopped
- ¼ cup Homemade Curry Powder
- ¼ cup Water
- 3 cups Baby Potatoes diced or halved
- 2 cups Peas, frozen
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Place your chicken pieces into a bowl and cover with water. Squeeze one into the water and drop the halves in. Let the chicken rest in the lime water for 30 minutes, then drain the liquid.
- While your chicken is resting in the lime water, blend the garlic, cilantro, chives, oregano, and 1 t Olive Oil in a blender or chop finely and combine in a bowl.
- When your chicken is done resting in the lime water, toss it with the garlic and herb mixture to coat.
- In a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1-2 t of olive oil and sweat the onion for 2-3 minutes. Mix the curry powder and water to form a slurry and carefully add the liquid to the pot, using caution as it will pop a little bit. Toast the curry paste for about 2 minutes and add the chicken to the pot. Toss the chicken to coat in the curry and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the chicken stew, covered, for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and stir. Cover with a lid and stew until the potatoes become tender, about 10 more minutes, but are not falling apart.
- Season the pot with salt and pepper, taste and adjust as needed. Add the peas, the juice of 2 limes, and a generous handful of chopped cilantro.
- Stir to combine and continue cooking until the peas are heated through.
- Serve with Roti flatbread and eat with your hands.
Notes
If you like a spicy curry, add a diced jalapeno in when cooking the onion. If you like a creamy curry, finish the pot with a can or two of coconut milk. You could leave out the potatoes and serve this over rice as well. You can also follow all of these directions using only vegetables to keep it vegetarian or vegan. Add some chickpeas or other beans along with carrots, and your favorite root vegetables to bulk it up.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Curry Powder
I make a double batch of this when I make it so it lasts me a while. Keep it in an airtight jar and it will keep for about a year.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Turmeric, ground
- ¼ cup Corriander, ground
- 2 tablespoons Cumin, ground
- 2 teaspoons Cardamom, ground
- 2 teaspoons Fenugreek, ground
- 2 teaspoons Paprika, ground
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala, ground
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix to combine.
- Place the spice mixture in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
- It will hold up to 1 year.
Notes
You can use cayenne if you like it HOT, or half and half it with the paprika.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
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