Chicken and Chickpea Curry

For an easy one-pot meal, this chicken and chickpea curry is the recipe you need. It's simple to put together, freezes very well and makes for a perfect weeknight supper. Imagine juicy, tender chicken with chickpeas in an aromatic tomato and creamy coconut curry sauce. So good. Topping with cooling yoghurt, fiery sliced chillies, fresh coriander and crunchy toasted almonds really takes it to the next level.

Curries are so warming, nourishing and comforting. The best part is they are rarely complicated or time-consuming and this one really isn't. (Try my almond butter chicken curry or quick fish curry with coconut milk and lemongrass if you need more inspiration)They are perfect for a busy weeknight meal and made in one pan so there is minimal washing up.

This is a great healthy meal too. It is full of fibre and protein - and you can easily add more vegetables. I love having a fridge forage and using up what I have in my veg drawer. You can also easily turn it into a vegetarian or vegan chickpea curry. Just swap the chicken for paneer or halloumi for vegetarians. Alternatively, use an extra-firm tofu and plant-based yoghurt for vegans.

Why you will love this recipe:

• It is a quick and easy one pot meal. You can have it on the table in 45 minutes.
• It is full of flavour and texture. Imagine tender chicken and chickpeas in a spiced tomato and creamy coconut sauce. All topped off with cooling yoghurt, fresh herbs and crunchy almonds.
• It can be made ahead. Ideal for meal prep and busy weeknights.
• It is nutritious, full of fibre and protein. Plus it is a great way to eat more vegetables. 
• It can easily be adapted for vegetarians and vegans. Simply swap the chicken for paneer or halloumi (vegetarians) or tofu (vegans). Great for meat-free Mondays!

Ingredients:

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Vegetable oil - you want a flavourless oil for the base of this curry. Sunflower or rapeseed oil also work well.

Onion - I use a white onion but you can use red or a shallot if you prefer.

Salt - I recommend Maldon Salt for the best flavour. Their garlic and/or chilli flavoured options are great for adding extra garlic or spice.

Garlic cloves - three cloves add a delicious garlic flavour. You can adjust according to taste.

Ginger - fresh ginger adds a warming flavour to this chicken and chickpea curry.

Spices - the combination of garam masala and ground cumin creates an aromatic, mild curry sauce. 

Chicken thighs - I recommend free-range chicken thighs. You need them to be skinless and boneless as they are sliced into strips. They have a very tender texture.

Tomato purée - this intensifies the tomato flavour in the curry sauce. 

Chopped tomatoes - I always have a tin in my larder as they are so versatile. Mutti are my favourite.

Chickpeas - these are a great way to bulk out this chicken and chickpea curry. Plus they add extra fibre and protein.

Coconut milk - opt for full-fat for best results. This gives a creamy texture and a subtle sweetness.

Fresh spinach - great to add a hit of veg into the curry with no prep or effort required as it just wilts into the sauce.

To serve:

Basmati rice - I love serving this chicken and chickpea curry with fluffy basmati rice. You can use a microwaveable pouch to save time (and washing up!)

Yoghurt - a dollop of yoghurt is the perfect topping. It has a tangy, cooling flavour which complements the warming spices.

Coriander - a sprinkling of coriander brings a delicious fresh flavour and pop of colour. 

Flaked almonds - these bring texture to this chicken and chickpea curry. I like to toast them lightly first to really bring out the flavour. 

Red chilli - this chicken and chickpea curry is fairly mild. Garnishing with sliced chilli means the spiciness of each portion can be adjusted to taste. 

Substitutions and Variations:

Chicken: diced skinless, boneless chicken thighs are the most tender. However, you can use diced chicken breast if you prefer. Turkey works really well too. Alternatively, use leftover roast chicken (or turkey) and add it later with the coconut milk. Make sure it is piping hot before serving. 

Chickpeas: you can swap the chickpeas for all sorts of different cooked tinned lentils and pulses. Butterbeans, lentils, cannellini beans, flageolet beans… the choice is up to you! You can also use jarred chickpeas (or beans) like Bold Bean Co. Just make sure you use the equivalent drained weight of 240g as you would get in a tin (or if you love chickpeas, just add the whole jar. It will still work and be delicious)

Garlic and Ginger: if you don’t have fresh garlic and/or ginger, you can use the paste versions. You can also get jars of garlic and ginger paste together.

Vegetables: this chicken and chickpea curry is great for packing in extra vegetables. I love adding diced red, yellow and/or orange peppers with the onion. You can also add roasted butternut squash or sweet potato. Alternatively, swap the fresh spinach for cavolo nero - bear in mind it will need to simmer for slightly longer as it takes longer to wilt.

More Variations:

Chilli: I have kept this chicken and chickpea curry fairly mild. For a spicier curry, add diced fresh chilli after softening the onions. Alternatively, add a generous pinch of chilli flakes, chilli powder or cayenne pepper with the spices. 

Fresh herbs: if you aren’t a fan of coriander, you can use roughly chopped parsley. Finely sliced chives or spring onions also work well.

Lemon: for a zesty finish, squeeze over the juice of a lemon or add a sprinkling of lemon zest. Alternatively, serve with wedges of lemon so people can add their own. 

Dairy: a dollop of yoghurt adds a cooling, tangy flavour. You can swap for sour cream or crème fraîche if you prefer. Just make sure you use full-fat varieties for the best results.

Nuts: you can swap the flaked almonds for roughly chopped almonds if you prefer. Alternatively, peanuts and cashews also work well. Be sure to toast them first to really bring out the flavour.

Crispy onions: a sprinkling of crispy fried onions adds a delicious crunchy texture and onion flavour.

Here's how to make One Pot Chicken and Chickpea Curry:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan set over low-medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, or until softened.

TWO: Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring, before adding the spices. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes before adding the diced chicken.

THREE: Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden on all sides.

FOUR: Stir in the tomato purée and cook out for 1 minute, stirring to coat the chicken. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

FIVE: Simmer for 2-3 minutes before adding the coconut milk and chickpeas. Stir well and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.

SIX: Stir the spinach for the final 2 minutes. It should gently wilt into the curry. Serve warm with rice, garnished with a dollop of yoghurt, toasted flaked almonds, freshly chopped coriander and sliced red chilli. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips:

Spice level - I have kept this chicken and chickpea curry fairly mild. This means it is a great family friendly meal. If you like your curries spicy, you can add extra heat with the sliced chilli garnish. Alternatively, add a generous pinch of chilli flakes, hot chilli powder or ground cayenne with the other spices.

Texture - the toasted almonds add a wonderful crunchy texture. Other nuts like peanuts and cashews work really well. Alternatively, a sprinkling of crispy onions is delicious. I tend to use shop-bought for ease.

Make ahead - if you want to meal prep like a pro, this chicken and chickpea curry is perfect. Simply leave to cool completely before covering and chilling for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot. You may need to add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

How to toast nuts 

Toasted nuts are a great way to add flavour and texture, taking pretty much any dish to the next level. I know you can buy nuts pre-roasted but it is very simple to do yourself and find they are the most delicious when freshly toasted.

How to toast nuts in the oven

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan. Tip your nuts on a non-stick baking tray and spread in an even layer. Pop in the oven for about 8 minutes, shaking the tray half-way through, or until very lightly golden. Check after 6 minutes to make sure they aren’t burning (or they will be bitter). For smaller nuts, watch extra closely as they will toast quicker.

How to toast nuts in a pan

Tip your nuts into a cold non-stick pan (big enough so they are in one layer). Set over a low-medium heat and dry-fry until golden-light brown and fragrant, tossing occasionally. For small nuts like pistachios, flaked almonds and pine nuts, it will be 3-5 minutes. Large nuts like pecans and walnuts are likely to take around 8 minutes. The exact timings will depend on the heat of your pan. Just remember to watch closely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you like the sound of this chicken and chickpea curry, you will love my almond butter chicken curry. Also don’t miss my chicken katsu curry and tomato, chickpea and spinach curry.

Made this recipe and loved it?

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Chicken and Chickpea Curry

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This delicious chicken and chickpea curry is the perfect easy mid week meal. Imagine juicy, tender chicken with chickpeas in an aromatic spiced tomato and creamy coconut curry sauce. All finished off with crunchy toasted almonds, cooling yoghurt, spicy chillies and fresh coriander. So good… 

• Author: Margie Nomura
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 3-4 (depending on sides e.g. rice and naan) 1x
• Category: One Pot Dishes
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Indian-inspired

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the curry:

• About 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• A pinch of salt
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 thumb size piece ginger, grated
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin  
• 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced into chunks
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (200g)
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
• 200ml full-fat coconut milk
• Handful fully-prepared fresh spinach

To serve:

• Cooked basmati rice for 4 people (usually I do 75g uncooked per person or use 2 microwavable pouches)
• About 2 tbsp full-fat yoghurt
• A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• About 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds, for sprinkling
• 1 red chilli, sliced (deseeded, if desired)

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Instructions

1. Heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan set over a low-medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, or until softened.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring, before adding the spices. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes before adding the diced chicken.
3. Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden on all sides.
4. Stir in the tomato purée and cook out for 1 minute, stirring to coat the chicken. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 2-3 minutes before adding the coconut milk and chickpeas. Stir well and leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir the spinach for the final 2 minutes. It should gently wilt into the curry.
6. Serve warm with rice, garnished with a dollop of yoghurt, toasted flaked almonds, freshly chopped coriander and sliced red chilli. Enjoy!

Notes

Spice: this is a mild curry. You can leave the seeds in the chilli garnish if you prefer something spicier. 

Make ahead: you can make this chicken and chickpea curry ahead of time. Simply leave to cool completely before covering and chilling for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot. 

Make it plant based: you can easily adapt this chicken and chickpea curry for vegetarians and vegans. For vegetarians, swap the diced chicken for paneer or halloumi. For vegans, use an extra-firm tofu with a plant-based yoghurt. 

Serving suggestions: I love to serve this chicken and chickpea curry with fluffy basmati rice. You can also opt for jasmine rice which has a delicate floral flavour. Brown rice is great for nuttiness. Warm naan or flatbread is delicious instead (or as well as). Ideal for mopping up the creamy spiced coconut and tomato curry sauce. 

To store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container (tupperware) in the fridge for 3 days.

To reheat: Reheat the curry either in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave until hot all the way through (including the chicken).

To freeze: this curry freezes well. Let it cool completely then transfer to an airtight container like a freezer bag or tupperware. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost it overnight (or through the day) and then reheat in a saucepan on the hob until bubbling hot. I sometimes add a splash of water to loosen it if needed.