Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Chef Mireille
Caribbean Curry Chicken
My mom’s homestyle Caribbean Curry Chicken is my #1 most popular recipe. This is the old fashioned stove top method. However, you can easily adapt it to a slow cooker or an Instant Pot and I guarantee it will become a family favorite!
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So let’s talk curry… Do you say Curry Chicken or Chicken Curry? Many British colonized countries like India and Guyana say Chicken Curry. However, most of the Caribbean usually says Curry Chicken.
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It really doesn’t matter what you choose to call it as long as you try this delicious recipe. It is my #1 recipe. On Pinterest, I love to look at the photos of everyone else who has tried this recipe. I feel so proud that it is being made in other family repertoire’s as well as my own!
So what are you going to learn today?
What is Curry?
Curry means different things to different people. For some, it is a cooking method, while others only think of curry as the spice blend used. Even that has a lot of variation from country to country and even region to region within the same country. The curry powder used to make Jamaican Curry Chicken bears little resemblance to the curry powder used in Malaysia.
In fact, that is one of the cookbook ideas I have rolling around in my head. Would you be interested in learning how to cook many different curries from around the world, all packaged nicely in a neat little book? Let me know in the comments if this is a cookbook you would love to own?
Caribbean Curry Powder
Many of you are probably most familiar with Indian curry recipes. Despite the differences in various regional Indian curries, you will still find a distinct flavor difference between Indian and Caribbean curries.
Whole spices are rarely, if ever, used in Caribbean curries. It is usually only ground curry powder and occasionally someone might start it off with some whole cumin seed.
Caribbean curry powder usually has a higher concentration of sweet spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cardamom, with a strong cumin flavor.
The two most popular brands of curry powder that Caribbeans use available in the US are Chief & Lalah’s Madras Curry Powder, available at Caribbean markets or on Amazon (see links below).
Just as in India, curries vary from state to state. In the Caribbean, curries vary from island to island. In fact, Trini curry is known for having a lot of sauce. My Mom calls it Curry Soup ????
In the French islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and formerly French Dominica, it is often called Colombo. If you see Chicken Colombo there, it is basically Curry Chicken. There is no relation to Sri Lanka though it has the city name. It is believed curry was introduced to these islands by traders from Bengal so I have no idea how it got its name. Regardless, if you would like to try French Caribbean style Chicken Colombo, you can use this French Caribbean Curry Powder recipe and use the same methodology below.
Caribbean Curry Cooking Methods
In addition to the curry powder, there is two more differences in Caribbean style curries:
- Green Seasoning
- Marinate
One of the main tenets of Caribbean cooking is that we marinate everything. Meat is rarely, if ever cooked without marinating first. Most common is marinating overnight, although you can marinate for less if you are stuck for time. With this long marinating time, the food gets a lot of flavor and very little salt is needed.
Green Seasoning is like the English/French Caribbean version of sofrito. Basically a bunch of green things is mixed together and most Caribbean cooking if nothing else is marinated with some green seasoning. You can try my Green Seasoning Recipe here or use the store bought version.
With Caribbean Chicken Curry being marinated in all those ingredients that goes into Green Seasoning, any wonder why it’s my fan favorite recipe!
Complete the meal like we would in the Caribbean with rice, green salad and Fried Sweet Plantain.
This is not a super spicy curry. This is because hot sauce is always served with our food in the Caribbean. In the Dutch Caribbean, we use sambal. You can try this curry with my Starfruit Sambal Recipe, like I did!
Caribbean Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken pieces with bone cut into bite size pieces
- a few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme
- 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper split in half
- 6 tablespoons curry powder
- 2 tablespoons green seasoning
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 lb. potato cut into bite size pieces
- 3 cups water
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley See Notes
Instructions
- Combine chicken, thyme, Scotch Bonnet pepper, green seasoning and 4 tablespoons of the curry powder.
- Place in a ziploc bag, seal and shake to coat the chicken well. Place in refrigerator overnight.
- Heat oil. Add chicken pieces and fry for 3-5 minutes until a little browned. Remove from pot.
- Add onion, garlic and remaining curry powder. Fry 1-2 minutes, until onions are softened.
- Add water and salt and return the chicken pieces to the pot. Make sure you include the Scotch Bonnet from the marination.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add potatoes and cook another 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
- Add parsley and salt, as needed. Stir to combine.
- Serve with rice or roti.
Video
Notes
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Mir, do you know any Caribbean store in Manhattan? I want to get buy the curry powder & green seasoning.
Kalustyans – they have foods from every culture – that's why I love going there!
I will check it out. I guessed you would suggest Kalustyans. 🙂
Awesome preparation, looks yum…
Yummy chicken curry… but thinking about spices too.. lets check once in Aamzon . Right Mireille?
Delicious curry chicken, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.
Delectable curry and nice pictorial..
Been looking for a good curry recipe can’t wait to try it
I am sure you will love it
Interesting to learn how curries in different parts of the world are prepared. Just like the chicken curry here in Kenya will have a bit of the Indian influence.. but is not too spicy. Though personally I may not want to own the cookbook you have in mind, as I don’t prepare non vegetarian dishes, I would like to gift to someone who does.
Good to know- maybe I’ll do 2 and include a vegetarian one! Thanks
I love all the spices in this recipe!! It makes it so flavorful and delicious!
thanks yes it is so delicious
This look so delicious! The Australian summer just finished so it’s time to gear up the comfort food recipes. This curry would go down so well in my household!
yes This Caribbean Curry Chicken recipe definitely screams comfort food
I love all the different flavours in this! And I love your green seasoning, it looks so fresh and I bet it brings a lovely freshness to this curry too! Will definitely have to try this.
yes the green seasoning is so versatile to add to just about any savory recipe
I like your easy to follow recipe. Being vegetarian, I often follow chicken recipes using Quorn pieces. Your recipe would work perfectly . I need to google where to find the curry powder.
I hope you can find the curry powder in your neck of the world!
I am just a huge lover of curry. This sounds incredible and I can’t wait to try it.
You must let me know how you enjoy it when you do!
Mir, what a fabulous post, such a wealth of information there, I loved reading it and watching ur recipe video, I am huge fa of caribbean food and am definitely going to make this curry!
I am glad you love Caribbean food also and can’t wait to hear your feedback when you try it
Great information here! Curry has always been a bit of a mystery to me, so thank you for your explanation. This chicken dish looks so delicious!
This is a very simple recipe for you to start your curry making journey on!
Looks fantastic!
thank you – it is – you should definitely give it a try!
This recipe is perfect but I used coconut milk instead of water it was very delicious. Thks for the recipe.
Sure – the coconut milk would make it so nice and creamy. My mom never used coconut milk in her version, but I know many people do.
Just made the green seasoning with herbs from the garden , Cant wait to taste the result.
great. The curry chicken will taste even better with homemade green seasoning
Very informative and can’t wait to try your Caribbean Chicken Curry. Brilliant idea on a book regarding curries from different countries and regions. Having been in the military and traveled across the Mediterranean and Asia I have broaden my palate. I look forward to a book from you regarding curries. Thank you.
thank you so much. I hope you enjoy it an that book is definitely on the 5 year plan 🙂
I love chicken curry and tried it many times. But your recipe is so good.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. This is my family recipe and it’s my go to comfort food recipe. So glad you love it as much as I do 🙂
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.