I love this Curried Chicken Breast recipe because it's easy to make and packed with flavor. Whether you're a curry lover or just looking for a simple and delicious weeknight dinner, this recipe is sure to hit the spot.
To make this dish, you'll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts, curry powder, onion, apple, chicken broth, and cream. The chicken is seared and simmered in a flavorful curry sauce until tender and juicy.
This dish is a great way to add some flavor to your typical chicken dinner! This is a monthly staple in my household, and I am sure it'll become one in yours, too!
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Chicken breasts: The recipe takes two chicken breasts and cuts them into 4 chicken cutlets; this ensures the chicken cooks quickly and stays juicy and moist.
Curry powder: Pick a brand that you like. It can be as hot or as mild as your family prefers.
Onion: Any onion, brown, white, or yellow, will work. I use a brown onion.
Apple: This adds a beautiful natural sweetness to the curry. I use a green apple, but you can substitute it with a red apple.
Flour: Plain all-purpose flour is used to coat the chicken breasts and thicken the sauce. So once you have coated your chicken breasts, don't discard the flour. You'll need a tablespoon of it in the sauce. Don't worry about using the flour that has touched the raw chicken; it will be cooked and perfectly safe. Once you have added the flour to the sauce, the remaining flour must be thrown away.
Chicken broth: I use low-sodium chicken broth. You can substitute with veg broth.
Sugar: This is optional; my kids love the added sweetness, but you can leave it out or add a little honey to your sauce.
Heavy cream: This recipe doesn't have much cream, but it adds a beautiful, rich flavor to the finished sauce. I need extra flour to thicken the sauce if I use half and half or single cream.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Before cutting the chicken breasts into cutlets, pat them dry with kitchen paper. This will prevent them from sliding about the chopping board.
- Once you have coated the chicken in flour, don't discard it; you will need some later in the recipe.
- The chicken cutlets are thinner than a whole chicken breast, so they don't need to be cooked as long. They will need 3 minutes on each side before being finished in the sauce later.
- Once the chicken has been seared, place it on a plate and tent with foil; this helps keep it warm and tender.
- Once you have made the curry sauce, return the chicken to the pan along with any juices that have collected on the plate.
Why You'll Love These Curried Chicken Breasts
- The curry sauce can be made as mild or as spicy as you and your family like.
- The recipe uses two chicken breasts to feed four people, which is very cost-effective.
- It all cooks in under 30 minutes.
- You can add extra vegetables to the recipe.
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Recipe Adaptations
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- You can swap the chicken breasts for chicken thighs. They will need to be cooked for 15 minutes, and you won't need to coat them in flour.
- Add some extra vegetables to the curry sauce. Peas, sweetcorn, and chopped carrots or capsicum are the ones I add most often. But cauliflower is also delicious. Alternatively, stir some baby spinach through the sauce at the end of cooking so it just wilts.
- Add some dried fruit to the sauce for extra sweetness. Raisins, cranberry, and dried apricots are all delicious.
- Add extra spice with some finely chopped chili.
- The heavy cream can be replaced with coconut cream.
Serving Suggestions for Curried Chicken Breasts
Sides: The delicious creamy sauce is perfect for serving with rice or crispy potatoes. You could also serve it over mashed potato or with some simple buttered veg.
Wine: For white wine lovers, pick an unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay or an off-dry Riesling. The curried chicken breasts would also work well with a Gewürztraminer. Those who love red wine should choose fruity wine with low tannins like a Gamay, Beaujolais, or Grenache.
Enjoy x
If you try these Curried Chicken Breasts, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Curried Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 2 chicken breasts
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (note 1)
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 apple cored and chopped
- 1 tablespoon flour reserved from chicken
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon sugar optional
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
To prepare the chicken
- Lay the chicken breast flat on a chopping board and pat it dry with kitchen paper.2 chicken breasts
- Keep the knife parallel to the board and cut sideways through the breast. (see post for pictures)
- Use a smooth meat mallet or the heavy base of a frying pan to flatten the plump end of the chicken so it is an even thickness.
- Repeat with the second chicken breast.
To cook the chicken
- Add the flour, curry powder, and salt to a shallow dish.¼ cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoon curry powder1 teaspoon salt
- Lightly coat the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour. Don't discard the flour (see note 1)
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy skillet/frying pan over medium-high heat.1 tablespoon olive oil1 tablespoon butter
- Add the chicken cutlets and cook for 3 minutes on each side.
- Remove the cutlets from the pan, place them on a plate, and tent loosely with foil.
To make the sauce
- Add the olive oil to the same skillet you cooked the chicken in. Add the chopped onion and 3 minutes. Add the apple and cook for a further 2 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion1 apple
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir to coat.1 tablespoon flour
- Pour in the chicken broth, curry powder, and sugar, stir well, then bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.1 cup low-sodium chicken broth2 teaspoon curry powder¼ teaspoon sugar
- Add the cream to the pan and simmer; cook for a couple more minutes.⅓ cup heavy cream
- Add the chicken cutlets back to the pan with any collected juice.
- Simmer gently for two minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt.
Notes
- Once you have coated your chicken breasts, don't discard the flour. You'll need a tablespoon of it in the sauce. Don't worry about using the flour that has touched the raw chicken; it will be cooked and perfectly safe. Once you have added the flour to the sauce, the remaining flour must be thrown away.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Sue says
Delicious, easy to pull together. I added some Fenugreek
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed them Sue.
Thanks for coming back to comment.
Cx
Debbie says
Delicious! I added some sweet potato chunks, peas and chick peas. Glad I saved this recipe!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I am so happy you enjoyed it Debbie 🙂
I love all the additions!!
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Di says
I followed the recepie as you directed but added snap peas just before serving. Wow. Absolutely loved it, my gosh. I will definitely be cooking that again & let the neighbours in on it. Thank you.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Sugar snap peas sound like a great addition.
Cx
Pamela says
My grandkids loved it.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh that makes me so happy 🙂
Cx
Diane Diroll says
This us the first time I've made this recipe and my husband and I absolutely love it! It's git the right amount of curry and the apples were delicious! I served it over veggie rice and it gave a great flavor to the rice. This recipe is a keeper!!!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you loved it Diane.
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Charlie says
I made this for my wife and I and we both loved it ! Thank you !
Charlie & Cha Cha Church
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
So happy you enjoyed it Charlie 🙂
Cx
Gloria Slingsby says
Hubby made this tonight, it was delicious and he had no trouble following your instructions. The only thing we added was 1/2 jar of red curry paste cos we had it in the fridge. He still added the normal curry powder as instructed. I am glad he added the paste as we like our curry to have a good curry flavour and the two teaspoons of our curry powder would not have done the job. We loved all your suggestions for variations and we will be trying all the different ones as this is now on our regular menu. Thanks so much for sharing
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
So happy you were able to adapt it to your tastes.
It is definitely a mild flavor as written (as I need fussy kids to eat it too!)
Thanks for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
Kylie says
I made the homemade curry powder to make this recipe, and I am not sure I can buy it again! This dinner turned out amazing, the sauce was delicious! We made this with rice and it was the perfect dinner!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh that makes me so happy Kylie 🙂
Cx
Cora says
Tender and delicious chicken, and the sauce is divine. I served with potatoes and a repeat has already been requested!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh I am so happy you loved them 🙂
Cx