Ceylon chicken curry is a simple Sri Lankan chicken curry popular in British Indian restaurants in the UK. It is made with chicken cooked in coconut milk-based curry in just 30 minutes. This creamy chicken curry has an excellent combination of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. This easy one-pot recipe is perfect for busy weekends.
About This Ceylon Chicken Recipe
This easy Ceylon chicken is made with authentic Sri Lankan flavors like coconut, green chilies, curry leaves, onions, and tomatoes. It is made from scratch. Unlike restaurant-style Ceylon chicken curry, no pre-cooked sauce or pre-cooked chicken is needed to make this curry.
The island of Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon when it was ruled by the British. That’s why this chicken curry is known on British Indian restaurant menus as Ceylon chicken.
To make this curry, 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 favorite Ceylon curry within 30 minutes.
For authentic flavor, Sri Lankan curry powder is added to this chicken curry. You can easily purchase it online. I have shared my version of this curry powder in this recipe post. This curry powder will give you the same Sri Lankan curry flavors with mild heat.
This 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 for Ceylon Chicken Curry
- Chicken - I have used boneless-skinless chicken. You can also use bone-in chicken.
- Onions - I have used shallot onions for this 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 tinned 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 (mild spicy in taste) 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 curry gets its unique aroma and flavor from curry leaves. Do not skip adding them.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
How to make Ceylon Chicken Curry
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lower the heat and add 150 ml of full-fat canned coconut milk. Combine. When it comes to a gentle boil, cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat.
- Serve with steamed rice or flatbread.
Tips to make the Best Chicken Ceylon
- 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.
- The curry thickens after some time. Add water to adjust the consistency, stir, and cook until it comes to a boil.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
Yes, you can. But the flavors will be different.
Variations that you can try
- For the Non-vegetarian version - Make it with shrimp, fish, lamb, or mutton.
- For Vegetarian Ceylon Curry - Make it with Paneer, Tofu, or Potatoes.
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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.
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.