This Ceylon chicken curry is a total crowd-pleaser. I mean, it's no wonder it's a British Indian restaurant staple. This Sri Lankan chicken curry is easy to make, ready in 30 minutes, and tastes amazing. A perfect balance of sweet, savory, spicy flavors, and creamy coconut milk, this recipe is a family-friendly dinner option for curry lovers. Here's how to make it with step-by-step photos and a quick video tutorial.
I love how quick and easy it is to make this Ceylon chicken in one pot. Clean-up is a breeze, which is always a bonus in my book. This chicken curry is perfect for a cozy weekend dinner. Pair it up with steamed rice or Naan. Trust me, you're going to love it.
This easy Ceylon chicken curry recipe is made with authentic Sri Lankan flavors like coconut, green chilies, curry leaves, onions, and tomatoes just like Madras Chicken. It is made from scratch. Unlike restaurant-style Ceylon chicken curry, no pre-cooked sauce/curry base or pre-cooked chicken is needed to make this curry. I have many chicken curry recipes made from scratch that you might enjoy like Chicken Pathia, Chicken Bhuna Masala, Chicken Balti, and Dishoom's Chicken Ruby.
About Ceylon Chicken
In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make Ceylon Chicken. This chicken curry is from Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon when it was under British rule. That’s why this chicken curry is known on British Indian restaurant menus as Ceylon chicken.
To make this chicken curry, the chicken is stir-fried with onions and other spices and finally cooked with tomatoes and coconut milk. Coconut milk adds perfect creaminess to the curry and balances the spicy flavors. You can make this British Indian restaurant's favorite Ceylon curry within 30 minutes.
Ceylon curry is often considered "hot" in terms of spiciness. But you can always adjust the heat as per your taste while making it at home. I have shared some tips in the post to reduce the heat of the curry.
Similar British Indian Restaurant Chicken curries that you may like are
Ingredients Notes
For authentic flavor, Sri Lankan curry powder is added to this Ceylon curry. You can easily purchase it online. I have shared my version of this curry powder in this Ceylon chicken recipe post. This curry powder will give you the same authentic Sri Lankan-style chicken curry flavors with mild heat.
- Chicken - I have used boneless-skinless chicken (breasts or thighs both work well). You can also use bone-in chicken.
- Onions - I have used shallot onions for this Ceylon chicken recipe. You can substitute it with red onions, or yellow onions.
- Ginger and garlic - I have used fresh ginger and garlic for the recipe. You can substitute it with store-bought ginger-garlic paste.
- Tomatoes - I have blended fresh tomatoes. Substitute it with passata or blended canned tomatoes.
- Sri Lankan Curry Powder - Also known as Ceylon curry powder. It is a blend of several spices, such as cloves, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, cardamom, and curry leaves. I have shared my recipe for this curry powder (mildly spicy) in this post. Substitute with Madras curry powder but flavors will change.
- Kashmiri red chili powder - It is less spicy and gives a bright red color to the curry. If you like the heat, add ½ to 1 teaspoon spicy red chili powder with it.
- Coconut milk - I have used canned coconut milk. Substitute it with coconut milk powder (not desiccated coconut).
- Tamarind - You can substitute it with fresh lime or lemon juice.
- Curry Leaves - This Sri Lankan curry gets its unique aroma and flavor from curry leaves. Do not skip adding them.
For a detailed list of ingredients and measurements check the recipe card below. Here's how to make this recipe.
How to make Ceylon Chicken Curry
1) In a heavy bottom pan, heat 2-3 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add 1-inch cinnamon and 2 green cardamoms (open the pods and then add) to the oil. Sauté until aromatic.
2) Next, add 1 cup finely chopped onions, 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 1-2 green chilies, and 2 spring curry leaves. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and golden.
3) Add 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder (optional), and 2.5 tablespoon Homemade Sri Lankan Curry Powder (recipe in notes). Sauté on low heat for a minute or until spices release oil. If spices are sticking to the base, add 2-3 tablespoon of water, stir, and cook.
4) Add 500 grams of boneless skinless chicken (cut into bite-size pieces) and salt to taste. Cook, stirring continuously, until chicken turns from pink to white over medium heat.
5) Add 400 ml tomato passata and 1 teaspoon tamarind pulp or paste. Stir to combine. Gently scratch on the bottom of the pot with a ladle to remove any tiny bits of onions or spices sticking to the base. Let it come to a boil.
6) Lower the heat and add 150 ml of full-fat canned coconut milk. Combine.
7) When it comes to a gentle boil, cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat. Ceylon chicken is ready to serve. Serve with steamed rice or Naan bread.
Tips to make the Best Chicken Ceylon
- Sri Lankan Curry Powder - To make homemade Sri Lankan curry powder: 4 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel, 2 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon uncooked basmati rice, 2 teaspoon black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 6 cloves, 5 cardamom pods, 2 spring curry leaves. Dry roast all the ingredients on low heat in a heavy bottom pan until aromatic. Let it cool down to room temperature. Grind it to a fine powder.
- Deseed the green chilies and add it to the curry to reduce the spiciness.
- Reduce the quantity of black peppercorns in the Sri Lankan curry powder recipe, if you prefer less spicy curry. My curry powder recipe will give you a mild spicy curry.
- Skip the addition of spicy red chili powder if you prefer a less spicy curry.
- Use full-fat coconut milk to prevent curdling of coconut milk in the curry. To substitute use heavy cream. But flavors will slightly differ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Serve this Sri Lankan chicken curry with homemade Sri Lankan bread known as pol roti, steamed rice, salad, and a pickle.
You can also serve it with Naan, Jeera rice, pulao, or any flatbread of your choice.
Authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry is made with fresh coconut milk, bone-in chicken, green chilies, onions, and tomatoes and is spicier compared to a British Indian restaurant’s Ceylon chicken.
On the other hand Restaurant Style Ceylon curry is thick, creamy, and less spicy compared to authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry. It is made with a pre-cooked curry base and pre-cooked chicken.
It is a mild spicy and creamy chicken curry. There is a balance of flavors that are sweet, spicy, and tangy in this Ceylon curry recipe. The chicken is cooked to perfection.
Add more coconut milk, stir to combine, and cook on low heat until it comes to a boil. The sweet flavor of coconut milk balances the spicy flavor of the curry.
Yes, you can. But the flavors will be different.
Other Popular Curry Recipes That You Might Like
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Recipe Card
Ceylon Chicken Curry
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pot with a lid
Ingredients
- 500 grams boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) cut into bite-size pieces
- 2-3 tablespoon oil
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1- cup finely chopped onions
- 1.5 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 2 spring curry leaves
- 1-2 green chilies slit (deseed the chilies, add as per taste)
- 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon spicy red chili powder optional
- 2.5 tablespoon Homemade Sri Lankan Curry Powder For recipe refer notes. If using store bought Sri Lankan Curry Powder, add only 2 tsp
- 400 ml tomato passata or blend fresh tomatoes or tinned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon tamarind pulp or paste substitute with fresh lime or lemon juice.
- 150 ml canned coconut milk
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat 2-3 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
- Add cinnamon and green cardamoms (open the pods and then add) to it. Sauté until aromatic.
- Next, add onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and golden.
- Add kashmiri red chili powder, spicy red chili powder (optional), and Sri Lankan Curry Powder (recipe in notes). Sauté on low heat for a minute or until spices release oil. If spices are sticking to the base, add a splash of water, stir and cook.
- Add chicken and salt to taste. Cook, stirring continuously, until chicken turns from pink to white over medium heat.
- Add tomato passata and tamarind pulp or paste. Stir to combine. Gently scratch on bottom of the pot with a ladle to remove any tiny bits of onions or spices sticking to the base. Let it come to a boil.
- Lower the heat and add coconut milk. Combine. When it comes to gentle boil, cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat.
- Serve with steamed rice or flatbread.
Video
Notes
- Sri Lankan Curry Powder - 4 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel, 2 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon uncooked basmati rice, 2 teaspoon black peppercorns, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, 6 cloves, 5 cardamom pods, 2 spring curry leaves. Dry roast all the ingredients on low heat in a heavy bottom pan until aromatic. Let it cool down to room temperature. Grind it to a fine powder.
- Deseed the green chilies and add it to the curry to reduce the spiciness.
- Adjust the quantity of black peppercorns from the Sri Lankan curry powder recipe, if you prefer less spicy curry. My recipe will give you a mild spicy flavor to the curry.
- Skip the addition of spicy red chili powder if you prefer a less spicy curry.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavors. It also prevents curdling of coconut milk in the curry. To substitute use heavy cream. But flavors will differ.
- The curry thickens after some time. Add water to adjust the consistency, stir, and cook until it comes to a boil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! I’m Preeti Nayak, and with over two decades of hands-on experience in Indian cooking, I’m excited to share my passion with you. As the author, photographer, and editor behind every well-tested, family-friendly recipe on this blog, my goal is to help you cook with confidence and bring the bold, authentic flavors of India to your table.
amisha singh
This ceylon chicken curry tastes great. Enjoyed cooking it for my fam.
Preeti
Happy to hear that. Try more recipes from our site.
Aditi Sharma
I had no trouble at all making this dish since you explained it so well. My dad was incredibly happy with how it turned out. Keep sharing such amazing recipes .
Preeti
Glad you and your family liked this dish.