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A bowl of chicken curry served with a side of rice and naan on a light wooden countertop, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.

Best Chicken Curry From Scratch UK-Style Comfort

A rich, deeply spiced chicken curry built the way UK curry houses do it a slow-cooked blended base gravy, properly bloomed spices, and garam masala added at the end for a bright finish. One pot, freezer-friendly, better than a takeaway.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, British-Indian
Calories: 342
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base Gravy
  • 3 large Onions roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp Neutral Oil
  • 6 cloves Garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 inch Fresh Ginger roughly chopped
  • 400 g Tinned Plum Tomatoes one tin
  • 300 ml Water
  • 1 tsp Salt
Curry
  • 700 g Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs cut into large chunks
  • 2 tbsp Neutral Oil
  • 2 tbsp Curry Powder mild, medium, or hot
  • 1 tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala added at the end
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Purée
  • Fresh Coriander small handful, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Large Pot for base gravy and curry
  • 1 Stick Blender or Jug Blender to blend the base gravy smooth
  • 1 Instant Read Thermometer for checking doneness
  • 1 Wooden Spoon for stirring

Method
 

Build the Base Gravy
  1. Cook the Onions Heat 4 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 18 minutes until deeply golden and jammy. Add garlic and ginger for the final 2 minutes.
    Sliced onions, minced garlic, and ginger cooking in a large pot over medium heat, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.
  2. Simmer and Blend Add tinned tomatoes and water. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend until completely smooth. Stir in salt. Set aside.
    Simmering tomatoes and water in a pot before blending into a smooth sauce, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.
Cook the Curry
  1. Sear the Chicken Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned. Does not need to be cooked through.
    Chicken pieces searing in a large pot over medium-high heat until lightly browned, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.
  2. Bloom the Spices Reduce heat to medium-low. Push chicken aside, add curry powder, turmeric, and cumin to the oil. Stir constantly 30 to 40 seconds until fragrant.
    Spices blooming in oil next to seared chicken pieces in a large pot, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.
  3. Simmer Stir chicken through spices. Add tomato purée and base gravy. Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes.
    Chicken simmering in a rich tomato and spice sauce inside a covered pot, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.
Finish
  1. Adjust and Finish Check the sauce consistency and measure the thickest piece of chicken with an instant-read thermometer. The chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) internally before serving. Simmer uncovered if the sauce is too thin, or add water 2 tbsp at a time if too thick. Stir in garam masala off the heat. Rest 2 minutes and garnish with coriander.
    Finished chicken curry garnished with fresh coriander in a pot, prepared for chicken curry from scratch.

Notes

Can I make the base gravy ahead?
Yes, up to 4 days ahead, stored in the fridge. Cuts active cooking time to about 20 minutes on the day.
 Curry too watery?
Simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 more minutes to reduce.
Storage?
Fridge up to 4 days airtight. Freezes well up to 3 months.
Reheat?
Stovetop: medium-low, covered, with a splash of water, 5 to 6 minutes. Microwave: covered, medium power, stirring halfway, 2 to 3 minutes.
Spicier version?
Increase curry powder to 3 tbsp and add 1 tsp chilli powder with the spice bloom.