Image Description: A bowl of curry with soup, vegetables, and chicken pieces. Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D’mytrek Brown, Props from Meilen Ceramics.
This quick curry gets a delightful, caramelized touch from honey. If you prefer a spicier kick, add a generous pinch of cayenne pepper. Keep some crusty bread nearby to soak up the extra sauce, or serve it alongside a mound of rice for an effortlessly comforting meal.
Ingredients Serves 4 3 tablespoons ghee, coconut oil, or extra-virgin olive oil 1 large red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges 1 piece of ginger (about 2 inches long), peeled and finely grated 4 garlic cloves, crushed Kosher salt 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon garam masala 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons honey 1 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes 1 15-ounce can of coconut milk 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (approximately 1½ pounds in total), cut into 1-inch-thick pieces ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Preparation Step 1 In a large wide saucepan, heat the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, turning occasionally until the undersides are golden brown, which should take about 2 minutes. Add the grated ginger and crushed garlic, then cook and stir until they become softened, approximately 2 minutes. Season with salt. Add the garam masala, bay leaf, and red pepper, and cook until fragrant, around 30 seconds. Stir in the honey and cook until it’s slightly caramelized, about 1 minute.
Step 2 Add the whole peeled tomatoes along with their juices and bring everything to a boil. Use a wooden spoon to smash the tomatoes down until they are no larger than 1-inch pieces. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the sauce thickens, which should take 8–10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens further, approximately 20–25 minutes. Taste and season with salt if needed. Add the chicken pieces and reduce the heat to low. Cook, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, which should take 8–10 minutes. Season with salt.
Step 3 In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, a generous pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water.
Step 4 Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the curry. Before serving, top with the chopped cilantro.
Step 5 Make Ahead: You can prepare the curry (without the yogurt sauce) up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
