Caribbean Chicken Curry

Caribbean Chicken Curry is a comforting dish of tender chicken and potatoes simmered in a rich, savory sauce of fresh herbs and spices. This dish was brought to the Caribbean by Indian indentured laborers and is popular throughout the Caribbean.

Variations of Chicken Curry throughout the Caribbean

First let me address the elephant in the room. I know most of the Caribbean says Curry Chicken and I have no problem with that as long as you make it good.

• Guyanese Style Chicken Curry: Most Guyanese curries start with a curry paste of masala that consists of spices and grind up herbs (Green seasoning). The main spices used are a geera (roasted cumin), garam masala and a madras curry powder. The most popular Guyanese curry powder is Indi brand.
• Trinidad (Trini) Curry Chicken: Trini curry chicken is slightly different that a Guyanese curry chicken in that it will include culantro or chandon beni in the green seasoning or marinade used to season the chicken.
• Jamaican Curry Chicken: Jamaican curry is more turmeric base and often Jamaican curry chicken recipes do not include the addition of ground spices like garam masala and geera, instead you get the addition of all spice berries. While Trini and Guyanese curries may have the addition of white or Irish potatoes, Jamaicans add potatoes and carrots to their curry.

What you should know about this Caribbean Chicken Curry Recipe

• Guyanese Style Chicken Curry: This recipe is a Guyanese style chicken curry / curry chicken. It is rich with masala and curry powder and uses a curry paste made with blended seasoning as its base.
• Use bone-in chicken: Bone in chicken works best for this recipe. The bones add great flavor to the curry sauce.
• Easy to adjust the heat: Most people shy away from curry because of the spiciness. You can adjust the spiciness of this recipe by using a mild yellow curry for less spice or adding chilis to your green seasoning for more heat.

Caribbean Chicken Curry Ingredients

Most of the ingredients listed are for the curry paste. Growing up, I watched my grandmother grind herbs with a lorha and sill. She had a rhythm that crushed garlic, onions, peppers, and thyme into a smooth paste in what seemed like seconds.

Grammother (what we called her) cooked over a fireside (a mud oven/stove used in traditional Guyanese cooking). The flavor of a fireside chicken curry is unmatched but this recipe comes close.

• Whole Chicken: About 5 lbs, cleaned and chopped up. Check out this post on how to cut up a whole chicken.
• Seasoning: Season the chicken with onion powder, granulated garlic or garlic powder, salt and a few tablespoons of green seasoning, if you like.
• Aromatics: Add scallions, yellow onion and fresh garlic cloves to your “blend up” for the curry paste.
• Fresh Herbs: Using fresh herbs to make the curry paste is often the difference between a thick curry and a watery curry. For this recipe, I use cilantro (coriander leaves) and parsley.
• Wiri wiri pepper: These small Caribbean cherry peppers are optional. It has a Scoville heat rating between 100,000 – 350,000 SHU so it is fairly hot.
• Water (not shown above): This liquid is added to the curry paste to thin it out.
• Oil: Choose a neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point.
• Yellow curry powder: To manage the spice in curry dishes, choose a curry powder that doesn’t have chili listed as one of the ingredients. A mild yellow curry is perfect. You can always increase the heat by adding fresh peppers like wiri wiri, habanero, and chilis or you can add chili powder. For an authentic Caribbean flavor, try Indi or Chief Curry Powder
• Ground Spices: I use a spice blend of ground turmeric, ground coriander, roasted ground cumin or geera, garam masala, and ground mustard. Sometimes I add some paprika for a little sweetness.
• Russet potatoes: Peeled and diced (about 1 lb).

See recipe card for quantities.

Use a Whole Chicken for your Guyanese and Caribbean Chicken Curry

When I make chicken curry I prefer to use a whole chicken versus just the thighs or drumsticks. Although if I don’t have a whole chicken and I have thighs and drumsticks I will choose those over chicken breasts. Unless I am making Bunjal Chicken which is a different recipe all together.

The flavor from using the bones, some of the skin and all the different parts of a whole chicken is simply delicious. The best curry I have ever made is when I am using an entire chicken. And don’t worry about leftovers, if there are any it stores well in the refrigerator or freezer and can be easily reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Making the Masala for Guyanese and Caribbean Chicken Curry

There are two ways to make masala. You can make your masala by roasting and grinding whole spices or you can use a combination of store bought ground spices.

Then some people add water to the spice mixture and add it to the oil to bloom. Others add the dried spices directly to the oil and in my family we add the spices to a blend of aromatics to make a paste and then add that to the oil.

How to Make Caribbean Chicken Curry

Season the chicken

Add the onion powder, granulated garlic and salt to the chopped chicken. Then mix together well and set aside. You can also add a tablespoon of the blended herbs (see below).

Make the curry paste:

Add the onion, garlic, scallions, cilantro (coriander leaves), parsley and wiri wiri peppers (if using) plus 1/2 cup of water to a food processor or a blender and blend until it becomes a smooth paste (about 1 minute). Then add the blended herbs to a mixing bowl.

To the blended herbs add the yellow curry powder, ground turmeric, ground coriander, roasted ground cumin (geera), garam masala and ground mustard and mix to form a paste. You may add another 1/2 cup of water if the past is too thick.

Cook the Chicken Curry

I cook most of my curries outside on a propane burner. Curry is best made over high heat and I like to be unrestricted when making curry. To make the curry heat up a large pot (I am using a wok) on high heat. When the pot is hot add the oil and allow the oil to get hot but not smoking. Then add the curry paste you made earlier. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.

Next add the seasoned chicken and mix until it is fully combined with the cooked curry paste. Continue to cook on high, stirring often to prevent the chicken from burning or becoming too brown (about 5 minutes).

Then reduce the heat to medium, cover and let the chicken cook in its natural juices. Alternatively, you may add a 1/2 cup of warm water to the pot. After 10 minutes stir the chicken and continue to cook covered until the juices cook down and thicken.

Next add the diced potatoes, mix until combined with the chicken, then cover and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes. When the liquids cook down add 1 cup of water and increase the heat to high, cover and continue to cook, stirring often until the chicken cooks and the curry sauce thickens.

This should take about 20 minutes of high heat cooking. If necessary you may add more water about 1/2 cup at a time until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the potatoes are fork tender.

Once the potatoes are fork tender, the chicken is fully cooked and the curry sauce is thick remove from the heat and serve with a side of rice or roti

Substitutions

• Instead of wiri wiri peppers, you may use 1/2 habanero pepper.
• Mild Guyanese Chicken Curry. When making this curry for my children I don’t add any wiri wiri or habanero pepper. I love a spicy curry but I want my children to enjoy our traditional food without complaining about how spicy it is. I enjoy my mild curry with a side of pepper sauce.
• Guyanese Bunjal Chicken Curry. For a perfect bunjal style curry, let the sauce cook all the way down until the curry is a bit dry. Or you may follow my recipe for a quick Bunjal Curry.

Equipment

• Food Processor or Blender: To make blend the curry paste.
• Large Pot: To cook the chicken curry.

Storage

Store leftover chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Uncooked or cooked, this curry paste can last up to one week in the refrigerator. Sometimes I make it ahead and freeze it for quick meals during the week. Don’t tell my mom I’m freezing my curry paste and may my grandmother in heaven look the other way as I write this!

Tips for the Perfect Curry Paste

The best chicken curry starts with a good curry paste. How you make it is key but also how you cook it. Here are some tips:

• Always start with a hot pot. Let your pot come up to temperature before adding your oil. This prevents your curry paste from sticking
• Use a lot of oil. Yes, I know I said a lot of oil. Don’t skim on the oil or the curry paste will burn.
• Fry/Cook your curry paste on high heat but watch it like a hawk. If it burns it will significantly alter the taste of your dish. Burnt curry is not tasty.
• Don’t cook the paste until it is completely dry. Leave a little bit of sauciness to coat the chicken pieces.

As I mentioned, before you can cook your curry paste ahead and stick it in the refrigerator or freeze it for future use. Sorry mom!

Frequently Asked Questions