This Pinoy Chicken Curry recipe is the Filipino version of the popular chicken curry dish. It is delicious and easy to cook. The sauce is rich, creamy, and flavorful. It goes well with warm white rice.
When you’re looking for a dish with explosive flavors, what recipe do you turn to? As Filipinos with a wide range of cuisines to choose from, this answer can most definitely vary. Our cuisine houses stews and soups as far as the eye can see, with varying colors, textures, and flavors per dish. But for those who love their food bold, earthy, and downright delicious can find all that and more in Pinoy Chicken Curry! Moist chicken in a concoction of deep and creamy flavors; there’s not much more you could ask for in a nice plate of chicken curry.
Filipino Chicken Curry usually uses bone-in chicken with skin on. I have been using this for my chicken curry as long as I can remember.
Not Your Traditional Chicken Curry
Other people refer to this as Filipino style chicken curry. This version is considered Filipino food. The ingredients used and not used in this recipe make this dish different from the traditional. Fish sauce, bell pepper, celery, and coconut milk or evaporated milk are some of the ingredients that can be found on Filipino chicken curry versions. Traditional chicken curry also has tomato, lemon juice, and yogurt, all of which are not utilized in this recipe.
The aroma of Pinoy chicken curry hits you before you can even lay your eyes on it. Fragrant and distinct, one knows immediately when it’s curry that occupies a busy kitchen! And they wouldn’t complain, either; Pinoy chicken curry is so tasty, it’s become a kitchen staple of its own. It may be true that it differs from the traditional chicken curry of India. But the ingredients that we’ve added or changed to this dish just make it all the more delightful, especially for those with classic Filipino taste palates!
How did chicken curry come into being in Filipino cuisine?
It can be traced several years back. The Philippines is considered as the melting pot of Asia. People of different race and origin call her home. Migrants, traders, and colonizers brought their culture, tradition, and food with them. There is also a possibility that the Sepoys might have introduced the dish. They are native Indian soldiers who settled in the Philippines sometime in the late 1700 for a military expedition.
How to Cook Pinoy Style Chicken Curry
Start by frying potato and chicken. Fried potato is best because it has a better texture. The same way goes with the chicken. Pan-fry these ingredients until the outer layer turns light brown. Set aside after frying.
The next thing to do is saute the aromatics. These are the garlic, onion, and ginger. You will know that it is ready when the kitchen starts to smell good. Put the chicken back into the pan and season with fish sauce. The curry powder can be added afterwards.
The chicken needs to be tenderized at this point. Pour water into the pot and let it boil. The recipe below suggests adding coconut milk towards the end of the process. However, you may combine it with water if preferred. Cook the chicken between low to medium heat until tender. Make sure that the cooking pot is covered to trap steam.
Add the fried potato and other vegetables afterwards. This is also the part in the recipe wherein coconut milk is added. It is your choice whether to add it earlier or later in the process.
By the way, make sure to adjust the taste by adding more fish sauce and ground black pepper if needed.
Tips
Can chicken curry be frozen?
This dish can be kept frozen for a week. If you plan to bring this for lunch at work, it is a good idea to divide it into serving portions before putting in the freezer. Make sure to thaw it the night before intended use. This will be more convenient for you.
Can chicken curry be left out overnight?
I do not suggest this option. Food kept longer than two hours in room temperature have higher risks of developing bacteria quickly. The food won’t be safe to eat at this point. In addition, coconut milk spoils quickly too. You will always want your food to be fresh and safe to eat all the time.
Can chicken curry be reheated?
There is no doubt that this dish can be reheated. It can be done through traditional methods such as cooking on a stove top. This can also be reheated using a microwave. Make sure to thaw or defrost the dish first if it comes out frozen.
Another Filipino Recipe that has a resemblance with Chicken Curry is Ginataang Manok. It refers to chicken cooked in coconut milk. A noticeable difference between the two dishes is the strong flavor of curry, which is brought about by the combination of many different spices.
Pinoy Chicken Curry makes use of a combination of curry powder, coconut milk, and fish sauce to taste.
Like we mentioned prior, yogurt and lemon juice play a key role in Indian curry’s tangy flavor. However, here, it’s coconut milk and curry powder in particular that lend their unique brand of taste to this dish! The latter, especially, is what gives our Pinoy chicken curry its inviting and bright yellow appearance. Curry is, after all, recognizable not only by its taste and smell, but by its charming visuals, too! Indeed, this dish is one that can appeal to all of your senses.
But taste-wise, it’s definitely the use of coconut milk, or gata, that stands out. We know for a fact that incorporating coconut milk into our food is not a foreign concept. Across the country and particularly in the Bicol region, gata works as a star ingredient in a number of dishes. It’s especially popular when the dish you’re making involves an element of spice and piquancy! Mixing the sweetness of coconut milk with a chili-fueled kick makes for the perfect marriage of bold flavors. And Bicolano cuisine knows just how to use this combination well — in a myriad of ways!
Other Dishes that Makes Use of Coconut Milk
Apart from your Pinoy chicken curry, utilize your chicken further in this Chicken Gizzard Bicol Express! In the former, you’ll be making use of the “traditional” meat cuts: your chicken wings, thighs, legs, and breasts. But, as the name suggests, the main ingredient of this Bicol Express is Chicken Gizzard! Gizzards are the organs chickens use inside their stomach in order to more quickly and easily break down their food. These small organs are quite popular as street food, but may come across as slightly intimidating to new eaters. Regardless, chicken gizzards’ rich taste and unique mouthfeel add to the tasty experience of each dish that you wouldn’t want to miss out on!
And of course, could you ever go wrong with a hearty plate of laing? This dish is part coconut milk, part taro leaves, and all-around yummy! When you want something a little lighter than Pinoy chicken curry but long for that same indulgent gata taste, you need not look further past this dish. Inexpensive and simple to make, laing has won the hearts of not only Bicolanos but Filipinos across the country. And it’s sure to satisfy your creamy cravings, too!
Did you enjoy this Pinoy chicken curry recipe? Here are other curry recipes that will surely be a hit, too!
There are so many different types of curry you can choose from! Whether you’re opting for something more Pinoy style or more faithful to the original version, each type of curry will definitely have you feeling satisfied.
Pork Katsu Curry
For starters, why not forgo the chicken and try out pork instead? Not just any pork, either—pork tonkatsu! Katsukare is one of Japan’s most popular dishes, and for good reason. After all, the combo of a juicy, crispy pork cutlet with yummy curry sauce and a warm cup of rice gives off a vibe of warmth. As such, this pork katsu curry will make for the perfect comfort food for you to enjoy! Skip the takeout menus and going out, and opt instead to enjoy this perfect bowl of warmth from the comfort of your own home.
Seafood Curry
And if it’s a seafood meal you’re after, you can’t go wrong with this seafood curry! Mussels and shrimp come together and soak up all the nutty and mildly spicy flavors of this fantastic dish. Over a warm cup of white rice, this seafood curry would fill you up just as easily as chicken or pork could. Your shrimp would mix perfectly with the crunchy and crisp bell peppers, and not just taste delicious, but look delicious, too! Much like your favorite Pinoy Chicken Curry, each bite of this dish will only leave you wanting more.
Try this Pinoy Chicken Curry Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Pinoy Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken cut into serving pieces
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 piece potato cubed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 piece red bell pepper sliced
- 2 pieces long green pepper
- 1 piece onion chopped
- 2 thumbs ginger cut into strips
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose cream optional
- 1 cup water
- fish sauce and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry potato for 1 minute per side. Remove from the pan. Set aside.
- Using the remaining oil, saute garlic, onion, celery, and ginger until onion softens.
- Add the chicken pieces. Saute until the outer part of the chicken turns light brown.
- Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Continue sautéing for 1 minute.
- Pour-in coconut milk and water. Let boil.
- Add curry powder. Stir until the powder is completely diluted. Cover the pot and continue cooking between low to medium heat until the liquid reduces to half.
- Add the red bell pepper and pan fried-potato. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce and ground black pepper as needed. You can also add all-purpose cream if desired.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve and enjoy!
Santi says
Awesome recipe. Easy to follow. Great taste.
Maryann says
Love turning to your recipes for easy to make Filipino food. I love that ingredients are easy to find and cooking time is quick and easy to follow
Vanjo Merano says
Maryann, thank you for the feedback. See you around.
Cristina Napili says
I was craving for the Pinoy style chicken curry and your recipe didn’t disappoint, craving was very much satisfied????????????. Thank you.
Vanjo Merano says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
Patricia says
I always turn to Panlasang Pinoy for my favorite Filipino recipes. Especially for the fact that I am a newbie on cooking, your website is always a delight to look for recipes to cook!:) Keep up the great work! And thank you very much for posting recipes:)
yenjourney08082015 says
Thanks for sharing, I will cook this recipe later.
Vanjo Merano says
You are welcome.
erica says
can i omit the celery in this recipe?
Vanjo Merano says
Erica, it is recommended, but not required.
jasymd says
Used frozen Gabi instead of potato and I add it last and simmer til soft.
Vanjo Merano says
Gabi will work too. It provide a nice thick texture to the dish.