My version of the Ceylon Chicken Curry recipe with simple cooking steps! Tender chicken pieces cooked in a spicy, creamy curry, this chicken curry Sri Lankan style is perfect for a fakeaway dinner! Ready in 30 minutes!
This chicken curry is packed with Authentic flavour but so easy to make at home and takes no time to prepare. You don't need any pre-cooked sauce base or you don't need to use ready-made pastes for this recipe.
I used a few spices, curry powder, coconut milk, and added special ingredients for more fragrance. But this is a versatile curry, you customize the ingredients according to your taste. If you love British Indian Restaurants Style curries, you might also like our Easy Butter Chicken and Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala recipes, which are so creamy and easy to create at home.
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What is Ceylon Curry?
Ceylon curry is one of the most popular Srilankan Style chicken curries in Indian restaurants and takeaways in the UK. Originated in Sri Lanka and British Indian restaurants recreate and adapted the curry to their own version. In Sri Lanka, it is called Kukul Mas Curry.
Ceylon Chicken Curry Vs Authentic Sri Lankan Chicken Curry
The consistency of British Indian restaurant Ceylon curry sauce is thicker, smoother, creamier, and sweeter because of the curry base. Curry base usually consists of onion, garlic, cabbage, carrot, bell pepper, and aromatic curry spices. Restaurant Ceylon chicken curry is usually made with pre-cooked boneless chicken breast and is also less spicy than Authentic recipes.
Authentic Sri Lankan curry is made with bone-in chicken pieces, with a spicy, creamy, aromatic savoury sauce. I have Sri Lankan friends and they cook chicken curry with onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, green chillies, curry powder, chilli flake, and chilli powder. One of the most fragrant secret ingredients they put in their curry is the pandan leaves, and they call it rumpe. Their authentic version was so flavourful and all the sweetness from the chicken bones is in the curry gravy.
What do we need
- Chicken - I use boneless skinless chicken thigh in this recipe, you can also try out with chicken breast or bone-in chicken pieces. If you use bone-in chicken pieces you need to cook a few more minutes until the chicken become tender. Lamb, beef, and mutton goes well with this recipe too.
- Onions - Use shallot onions for the best creamy gravy result. Shallot onions are less in moisture and melt in the curry gravy quicker than regular salad onions and brown onions. If you cannot get salad onions, you can use any onion available. The most important thing is to saute the onions and caramalized it until brown.
- Tomatoes - Ripen vine tomaotoes creates the tangy flavour in the curry. You can also add tin chopped tomatotes or tomato pasata instead of fresh chopped tomatoes.
- Tomato puree - Add tomato puree or tomato concentrate for more appetizing red vibrant colour and sweet and tangy flavour.
- Sri Lankan Curry powder - Sri Lankan curry powder usually consist of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and mustard seeds. All spices are toasted and grinded into fine powder. If you cannot get it easily, you can use Indian curry powder or Madaras curry powder.
- Kashmiri chilli powder - Kashmiri chilli powder has a bright red colour and pleasant aroma. You can use simply swap it with hot chilli powder. If you don't like it spicy use paprika powder.
How to make it
- First cut the chicken into medium bite-size pieces and remove extra fats.
- Heat the pan into medium heat, sauté the curry leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom for few seconds then follow with the chopped shallots. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Next add the green chilli, garlic and ginger and stir for1-2 minutes, stir well until the onions become light golden colour.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Sauté them well until the tomatoes become soft and oil starts to separate with the sauce.
- Now it's ready to add the spices, chilli powder, turmeric, curry powder, black pepper, and stir for few seconds.
- Place the chicken in and combine well with everything and cook for 2-3 minutes with medium heat. Add a splash of water if needed. After stiring for 2-3 minutes pour the water and coconut milk in.
- Close the lid, simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stir occasionally. Once the chicken is cooked and tender, turn off the heat and add green chilli and squeeze in lime juice. Sprinkle some chopped coriander.
- Transfer to serving plate and garnish with extra green chillies and coriander.
- Serve with plain rice or naan.
Quick tip
You can freeze the extra curry leaves and keep it for future curry recipes. Remove the stalks, if you've washed the leaves, you can place them over the tray and pat dry or air dry them. Place it in freezer safe zip-lock bag. It is usually last in freezer for up to one year.
Frequently asked questions
Like most curry recipes, this dish goes well with plain basmati rice, coconut rice, pulao, naan, chapati, etc. You can also add lime pickle, vegetable pickle, or kachumber ( Indian tomato and onion salad ), on the sides.
It's medium-hot curry because coconut milk balanced the chilli heat. You can always adjust the chilli intake when you make it at home.
You can use potato, butternut squash, aubergine, tofu, sweet potato, cauliflower instead of meat and make it a delicious vegetarian Ceylon curry.
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📖 Recipe
Ceylon Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 400 g (14oz) Chicken thigh Or breast, Boneless skinless, cut into medium bite-size pieces
- 4 Shallot onion Finely chopped
- 2 Tomato Vine ripen tomato, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Tomato puree Tomato puree/concentrate
- 3 cloves Garlic Paste or grated
- 2 tsp Ginger Paste or grated
- 10 Curry leaves Fresh or dried
- 6 Green chilli Cut into halves ( Adjust chilli amount according to your taste. )
- ½ tsp Crushed chilli flakes Optional, omit it if you prefer mild.
- Handful Coriander
- 1 tbsp Lime juice or tamarind juice
- 6 pods Cardamom green cardamom
- 1 stick Cinnamon
- 150 ml Coconut milk creamy coconut milk
- 1 cup Water about 230 ml, Add more water if needed
- 1½ tsp Salt Add more or less according to your taste
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
Spices
- 1 tbsp Curry powder Sri Lankan curry powder/Indian curry powder/Madras curry powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or paprika/chilli powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- First cut the chicken thigh into medium bite-size pieces and remove extra fats.
- Heat the pan into medium heat, saute the curry leaves, cinnamon, and cardamom for few seconds and follow with the chopped shallots and saute until soft and translucent.
- Next add the green chilli, garlic and ginger and stir for1-2 minutes, stir well until the onions become caramalized and light brown.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Saute until the tomatoes become soft and oil starts to seperate with the sauce.
- Now it's ready to add the spices, chilli powder, turmeric, curry powder, black pepper, and stir for few seconds.
- Place the chicken in and combine well with everything and cook for 2-3 minutes with medium heat. Add a splash of water if needed. After stiring for 2-3 minutes pour the water and coconut milk in. Close the lid, simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stir occacionally.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked and tender, turn off the heat and add green chilli and squeeze in lime juice. Sprinkle some chopped coriander.
- Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with extra green chillies and coriander. Serve with plain rice or naan.
Notes
- Sri Lankan Curry Powder - Usually consist of coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and mustard seeds. All spices are toasted and ground into fine powder. If you cannot get it easily, you can use Indian curry powder or Madaras curry powder.
- Shallot onions - Highly recommend using Asian shallots or baby shallots which are less watery and easy to melt in the curry.
- Coconut milk - Coconut milk creates a perfectly balanced creamy curry sauce. Use creamy coconut milk, full fat or higher percentage coconut.
- Coconut milk substitute - You can use double cream/ full cream.
- Curry leaves - Curry leaves are essential in Sri Lankan and South Indian curries which has a distinct aromatic flavour. You can buy it in Indian grocery stores and some of the supermarkets. Both fresh or dried curry leaves can be used for this recipe. If you cannot find it easily you can omit it or substitute it with bay leaves.
- Lime juice - Add a tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lime juice, tamarind juice.
- How to make it less spicy? Reduce chilli powder amount or use paprika powder instead of Kashmiri chilli powder. Deseed the green chillies or you can omit green chillies according to your preference.
- How to make it more creamy? You can add more coconut milk if you like creamier curry sauce.
- Can you make it ahead? You can cook the curry one day ahead. Keep it cool in the fridge with a lid closed or in an air-tight container.
- Can you freeze or reheat it? You can store it in an air-tight freezer-safe bag or container. It usually lasts in the fridge for up to two weeks. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot just before serving. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Becky says
made this curry just now its just cooking down its looking very light not the colour of your pic but taste test was amazing cant wait to eat this thankyou for your recipe
Ian F says
I cooked this curry yesterday and had it for tea tonight, nicest curry I have made, absolutely delicious, thank you Khin now to decide what one to cook next .
Khin says
So happy to hear that Ian. Thank you so much for trying my recipe.
Martha says
I couldn't find curry leaves and I reduce green chillies as my husband cannot eat too much spice. But the curry turns out very good. I'll try your lamb mince curry next.
Khin says
Thank you so much for sharing feedback with us Martha. I am sure you'll like it.
Joe says
Hi,
Just saw the video, did the recipe and the curry is ready. Tastes great, but have to wait for the wife to give her verdict when she gets home.
Couple of things.
Tomato paste is not listed in the ingredients list.
There are 3 separate steps where the green chili is added. Would you clarify those?
Khin says
Hi Joe, Thank you for trying out this curry recipe and sharing your comment. Tomato paste/puree is 2 tsp and edited now at the recipe card. Green chilli is must add at the very first step, sautéing together with onions. Adding at the final step and garnish is optional. Hope this helpful.
Patricia Wang says
I’ve once tried authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry cooked by a Sri Lankan friend and I can’t forget how it tasted unique and aromatic. It’s really different from all the other Asian masala curries and I don’t how what makes it different.
Now I will try yours and see how it goes ! Thanks Khin
Khin says
Thank you so much for your kind comment Patricia. I am sure you'll enjoy this recipe.
Edward dounald says
I have been looking for Ceylon curry for so long and I finally found your site. I will definitely try your recipe. Thank you so much for this lovely recipe.
Khin says
You are most welcome Edward.