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Caribbean Chicken Curry in a Bowl with a bowl with roti visible in the top right hand corner of the image.
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Guyanese Style Chicken Curry

Chicken curry, or curry chicken, is a staple throughout the Caribbean, with variations from country to country. This version uses a whole chicken, curry powder, roasted ground spices, fresh herbs, and aromatics to make an incredibly rich and flavorful curry.
Course Paleo, Whole30
Cuisine Guyanese
Keyword authentic guyanese chicken curry, chicken curry, chicken curry or curry chicken, chicken curry recipe, curry chicken, easy guyanese chicken curry recipe, guyanese chicken curry, guyanese chicken curry and roti, guyanese chicken curry ingredients, guyanese chicken curry potato recipe, guyanese chicken curry recipe, guyanese curry chicken, guyanese curry chicken recipe, guyanese curry powder, guyanese say chicken curry, guyanese style chicken curry, how to make guyanese chicken curry, indian chicken curry recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 200kcal
Author Althea Brown

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender
  • Large Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Chicken (about 5 lbs, cleaned and cut up)
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (garlic powder)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 scallions
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup cilantro (coriander leaves)
  • 1/4 cup parsley (leaves and stem)
  • 1-2 wiri wiri pepper (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cup water (or more if needed)
  • 3 tablespoon yellow curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons roasted ground cumin (geera)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 lb, peeled and diced)

Instructions

Season the chicken

  • Add the onion powder, granulated garlic, and salt to the chopped chicken. Mix well to evenly coat the chicken. You can also add 1 tablespoon of the blended herbs (green seasoning) from the step below. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, if time allows.

Make the curry paste:

  • Add the onion, garlic, scallions, cilantro (coriander leaves), parsley, wiri wiri peppers (if using), and 1/2 cup of water to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
  • Add the yellow curry powder, ground turmeric, ground coriander, roasted ground cumin (geera), garam masala, ground mustard, and paprika (if using). Mix well to form a paste. If the curry paste is too thick, add a little more water as needed.

Cook the Curry Paste

  • Heat a large pot over high heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Add the curry paste and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. If the paste begins to stick or burn, add a little water as needed.
    The curry paste is ready when it has reduced and thickened, but still has a little sauciness, and you can see the oil beginning to separate from the paste.

Add the seasoned chicken

  • Add the seasoned chicken and mix well until all the pieces are coated with the cooked curry paste. Continue cooking over high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent the chicken from burning or browning too much.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let the chicken cook in its natural juices. Alternatively, you can add 1/2 cup of warm water to the pot. After 10 minutes, stir the chicken, cover, and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced and thickened.

Add the Potatoes and Water

  • Add the diced potatoes and mix well with the chicken. Cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Once the liquid has cooked down, add 1 cup of water and increase the heat to high.
  • Cover and continue cooking, stirring often, until the chicken is fully cooked, the potatoes are fork-tender, and the curry sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
  • If the liquid cooks off before the potatoes are tender, add more water, 1/2 cup at a time, as needed. Continue cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken is fully cooked.

Serve the Chicken Curry

  • Once the potatoes are fork-tender, the chicken is fully cooked, and the curry sauce has thickened, remove from the heat. Serve with rice or roti.

Notes

  1. You may use 1/2 habanero pepper in place of the wiri wiri peppers.
  2. For a mild curry: When making this curry for my children, I leave out the wiri wiri or habanero pepper. I love a spicy curry, but I want my children to enjoy our traditional food without complaining about the heat. I enjoy my mild curry with pepper sauce on the side.
  3. To adjust the heat: Choose a curry powder that does not have chili listed as an ingredient. A mild yellow curry powder works well. Then increase the heat to your liking with fresh wiri wiri peppers, habanero peppers, chilies, or chili powder.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 422mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 384IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg