Chicken Ceylon (Sri Lankan Chicken Curry)

A bowl of Chicken Ceylon Curry scattered with fresh curry leaves and green chillies

5 from 6 votes

Chicken Ceylon (Sri Lankan Chicken Curry)

This light, creamy and tangy curry is the essence of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). An amazing blend of colour, flavour and fragrance. An intense burst of authentic Sri Lankan taste.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main

Cuisine: Sri Lankan

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Calories: 819kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cinnamon stick
20 curry leaves (fresh)
1 onion
5 green chillies (chopped)
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp ginger (grated)
2.2 lb chicken thigh fillets (boneless & skinless - cut into chunks)
1 cup tomato passata (or chopped tomatoes)
1 tbsp tomato concentrate (puree)
4 tbsp Sri Lankan Curry Powder (use my recipe (linked here), or see links in the main body of this recipe)
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or paprika)
1½ tsp salt
1 can coconut milk (14oz/400g)

Garnishes

Fresh curry leaves, cilantro and chopped green chilli optional

Instructions

Heat a pan with the oil until hot. Add the fresh curry leaves and cinnamon stick and let them sizzle for 1 minute.
Add the onion and chillies and fry until the onion is soft and lightly golden.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the chicken, curry powder and chilli powder and stir until everything is coated.
Add the tomato puree, tomato passata, stir well and bring to a simmer.
Pour in the coconut milk, salt and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 35 minutes (uncovered) until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce nice and creamy.
If it's too watery, turn up the heat and simmer more vigorously until it's reduced and creamy. That's it! Your Ceylon chicken is ready.

Notes

I enjoy pairing this curry with generous servings of fluffy basmati rice and garnishing it with curry leaves, fresh chilies, or a handful of cilantro leaves (including the stems). Indian breads also complement it perfectly.

You can also serve it with fresh Indian coconut chutney, spicy pickles, or a simple salad on the side.
For storing in the refrigerator, the curry can be kept in airtight containers for up to 5 days. On a personal note, I accidentally consumed this very curry three weeks after making it, and fortunately, I was perfectly fine after a nervous wait! However, I do not recommend doing this—it's just a story I wanted to share. :)
To store in the freezer, portion the curry into single servings and place them in airtight containers. It can be stored in the freezer for at least 3 months.
When reheating, make sure to heat it until piping hot either in the microwave or on the stove after completely defrosting it. If reheating from frozen in the microwave, adding 1/4 cup of water on top can help prevent the sauce from drying up too much.

Nutrition