Sri Lankan-Spiced Chicken Curry

A vibrant and aromatic chicken curry with tender chicken breast, bell peppers, and tomatoes, infused with warming Sri Lankan spices (without coconut milk) and served with fluffy basmati rice and steamed cauliflower.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 45 min
• Total: 1 hr 10 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Sri Lankan
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.40/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• stir-fry
• spicy
• savory
• rich
• healthy
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1.25 pound chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (large, finely chopped)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1.5 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2.5 cup basmati rice
• 4.5 cup water
• 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Cook the basmati rice according to package directions, typically by combining 2 1/2 cups rice with 4 1/2 cups water in a pot, bringing to a boil, then reducing heat to low, covering, and simmering for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
2. While rice cooks, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, black mustard seeds, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant.
4. Add the chicken breast pieces to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the diced red bell pepper, can of diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.
6. While curry simmers, steam the cauliflower florets until tender-crisp, about 5-8 minutes.
7. Remove the curry from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, if desired.
8. Serve the Sri Lankan-spiced chicken curry hot over basmati rice, with steamed cauliflower on the side.

Notes

This curry benefits from a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro just before serving. Adjust the cayenne pepper to your desired level of heat.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 605
• Protein: 38.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 70.1 g
• Fat: 19.8 g
• Fiber: 7.5 g
• Sodium: 790 mg
• Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
• Sugar: 9.5 g
• Cholesterol: 78 mg