Chicken Sweet Potato Curry
This luxurious, Indian-inspired curry is made in one pot using mostly pantry staples. Packed with creamy, rich flavors and wholesome ingredients, this nutritious dish makes a fabulous weeknight dinner that rivals your favorite Indian takeout.
Servings: 6
Calories: 400kcal
Ingredients
For the Curry:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1 red or yellow onion diced
- 1 serrano pepper or jalapeño finely diced (see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated (or minced)
- 2-3 tablespoons curry powder see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon Indian red chili powder or regular chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes (or half of a 28-ounce can)
- 1 1/2 pounds about 2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 13.5 oz / 400 ml can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (see notes)
- 3 cups 45 g baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the onion, serrano or jalapeño pepper, and salt. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
- Add the chicken in an even layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is slightly browned in spots.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until the chicken is evenly coated in the spices.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Add the sweet potatoes and coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Add the spinach, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Turn off the heat, drizzle in the lemon juice, and stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve hot over rice or with flatbread, garnished with extra cilantro if desired.
Notes
Serrano pepper: To control the spice level, remove seeds and membranes for a milder curry. For a spicier curry, keep the seeds and membranes and consider adding an extra pepper.
Curry powder: The potency of curry powder varies. If yours is mild, use 3 tablespoons to enhance the flavor.
Coconut milk: If you prefer more sauce, have an extra can of coconut milk on hand.
You may want to add up to 1 cup more, depending on how much chicken and sweet potatoes you use.