Best Chicken Curry (Sri Lankan Chicken Curry)

Name: Best Chicken Curry (Sri Lankan Chicken Curry)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: 2 - 3 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil); ½ yellow onion (diced or sliced); 4 garlic cloves (minced or finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (minced or finely chopped); 6 - 7 curry leaves (or 2 bay leaves); 2 ½ tbsp roasted Sri Lankan curry powder (or unroasted is fine too); 1 cinnamon stick ((preferably Ceylon cinnamon) or ½ tsp ground cinnamon); ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste); 1 tsp cayenne pepper or kashmiri chili powder (less if you like it less spicy, please see recipe notes below); 1 tbsp paprika (NOT smoked paprika); 2 lbs chicken (whole chicken cut into sections OR any bone-in chicken thigh or leg pieces (large thigh pieces should be cut in half)); 2 serrano peppers (or regular green chili) ( cut length-wise, with or without seeds); 3 small roma tomatoes (cut into cubes (or 2 medium-sized regular tomatoes)); 2 tsp brown sugar (see recipe notes); 2 tsp lime juice or apple cider vinegar (see recipe notes); ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (see recipe notes); ½ cup water

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:40min

Make the BEST chicken curry you've ever had with this authentic Sri Lankan chicken curry recipe! Follow my tips and step by step instructions to make an everyday chicken curry that tastes truly authentic, complex, spicy, flavorful, and fragrant!EASY - This is a great starting recipe for novice cooks or those who are new to making curries. To make it easier, you can use boneless chicken, or chicken that has already been cut into sections.

Updated at: Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:55:00 GMT