Cluck Norris: Legend of the Spice Temple

Indian-Style Whole Chicken and Carrot Curry in Coconut Milk

2 hours 30 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerIndian
Herb's take

This Indian-inspired curry slow-cooks a whole chicken and sweet carrots in a boldly spiced coconut gravy. You’ll learn how to bloom spices for maximum flavor and coax the best texture from a whole bird, plus, your kitchen will smell phenomenal.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and black pepper.
  2. 02
    Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  3. 03
    Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 7 minutes.
  4. 04
    Add garlic, ginger, and serrano chili and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  5. 05
    Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and cayenne. Stir constantly for 1 minute to bloom the spices in the oil.
  6. 06
    Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, letting it caramelize slightly.
  7. 07
    Add carrots and toss to coat in the spice mixture.
  8. 08
    Return seared chicken (and any juices) to the pot. Tuck in the bay leaf.
  9. 09
    Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir well, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
  10. 10
    Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until chicken is very tender and carrots are soft.
  11. 11
    Uncover and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
  12. 12
    Stir in lemon juice and half the cilantro, and simmer for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  13. 13
    Remove bay leaf. Serve chicken and carrots with plenty of sauce, garnished with extra cilantro. Rice or naan optional but highly recommended.

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