An easy weeknight curry done in the air fryer. We just add in the ingredients at different stages and it all comes together beautifully. Plus it’s all ready in 30 minutes!
I like to serve this in a big bowl sprinkled with fresh coriander and chillies, alongside some naan bread or rice.
Chicken, peppers and onions cooked in a creamy coconut curry sauce. This is my easy recipe – using curry paste to speed up the process.
Yep, the air fryer doesn’t have to be used only for dry foods. You can make saucy foods too. You just need one additional piece of equipment – a cake barrel insert (more on this later).
The peppers and onions get slightly charred when cooking in the air fryer, which adds a lovely extra flavour dimension.
📋 What do we need?
- Curry Paste – I use a balti paste – which is medium heat. You can replace with your favourite Indian curry paste.
- Tomato puree – this is the same as tomato paste if you’re in the US
- Coconut milk – use full fat, as this will prevent the sauce from splitting.
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
👩🍳PRO TIP I like to air fry a few green Thai chillies for a few minutes (just until they start to blister) to serve as a topping.
Air Fryer Cake Barrel
- The key to making saucy recipes in the air fryer is to use a cake barrel with a handle that is suitable for your air fryer.
- You’ll need to measure the inside diameter of your air fryer basket to figure out which size cake barrel will fit your air fryer.
- I use the following (these are affiliate links):
- This 8-inch cake barrel is the perfect size for my air fryer.
- My air fryer is the Ninja Air Fryer Max.
- This size tin is large enough to make a medium-sized curry that serves 4 people (about a cup and a half per person).
- Don’t forget, when you’re lifting the cake barrel out of the air fryer, the handle will be hot! So be sure to use a tea towel to protect your hands.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Rice – pilau rice, onion fried rice, plain rice or cauliflower rice are all great options
- Naan bread or chapati – either shop bought (you can heat it in your air fryer for 3-4 minutes at 200c/400f) or homemade. I love garlic naan or peshwari naan
- Tomato and Onion Salad
- Easy Raita
🍲 More fantastic curry recipes
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Air Fryer Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 5-6 green or red birds-eye chillies
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee
- 2 chicken breasts approx 350g/12.3 oz chopped into bite-size chunks
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped into chunky wedges
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into chunky pieces
- pinch salt and pepper
- 2 heaped tbsp of your favourite curry paste I’m using balti.*see note 1
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 crumbled chicken stock cube
- 2 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
- 300 ml (10.5 oz) passata
- 300 ml (10.5 oz) tin full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry *optional*
To Serve:
- rice
- fresh coriander
- air fried chillies or use sliced fresh chillies
Instructions
- You'll need a cake barrel insert for your air fryer for this recipe. See post for details on this.
- If you'd like to serve the curry topped with the blistered birds-eye chillies, place the chillies in the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-4 minutes at 200C/400F, until starting to blister (shake halfway through the cooking time). Then remove and put to one side for later.5-6 green or red birds-eye chillies
- Add the oil to the air fryer cake-barrel, along with the chopped chicken, onion and red pepper. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper, then mix together to coat the chicken and onion in the oil and seasoning.1 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee, 2 chicken breasts, 1 large onion, 1 red bell pepper, pinch salt and pepper
- Place the cake barrel in the airfryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes at 190c/375f, shaking the basket once, halfway through cooking.
- Add in the curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Stir together and place back in the airfryer for 2 minutes.2 heaped tbsp of your favourite curry paste, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp minced ginger
- Add the crumbled stock cube, tomato puree, passata, and coconut milk. Stir together so everything is combined.1 crumbled chicken stock cube, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 300 ml (10.5 oz) passata, 300 ml (10.5 oz) tin full-fat coconut milk
- Place back in the air fryer for 10 minutes, stirring once, halfway through cooking.
- Remove from the air fryer, stir again. Check that the sauce is piping hot and the chicken is cooked though (slice open a piece of chicken and ensure it's no longer pink in the middle).
- If you want to thicken the sauce, stir in the cornflour slurry.1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry
- Serve on top of rice, topped with fresh coriander and chilliesrice, fresh coriander, air fried chillies
Video
Notes
Alternatively, reheat in the air fryer using the cake barrel, at 190c/375f for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Can I freeze it? Yes, make the recipe, then cool, cover and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat, as per the make-ahead instructions above. Ingredient swaps
- Swap the balti curry paste for your favourite. Korma and Tikka Masala sauce are great if you like it mild. Use Madras for a hotter curry.
- Add mushrooms, green beans and/or chunks of chopped tomato (add in at the same time as the chicken).
- Don’t want to use coconut milk? replace the 300ml (10.5 floz) coconut milk with 160ml (⅔ cup) chicken stock plus 120ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream.
However, if you did want to make an easy curry that serves more people, this easy chicken curry recipe (made in a pan, NOT the air fryer) is more scaleable. Nutritional information is per portion (serves 4)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Thank you for this Nicky, I’m just trying to get to grips with using my air fryer and this has given me much food for thought. The cake barrel is a game changer. I have a dual basket one with a slide in middle so I can’t just use the pan ( basket) on one side for a wet meal.
I really enjoy reading your tips and notes, thank you for sharing these. If I’m in a hurry, I know I can always click on the ‘jump to recipe’ but that’s when I’m ready to begin and have probably, previously enjoyed your ‘mine of useful information’.
Looking forward to buying a cake barrel with handle (mine will have to be the more square ish shape) and making more of these kind of dishes in my air fryer. I’ll probably go mad and buy two (for both sides of the grandzone).
I also appreciate your options re the curry paste alternative. Good to know the spice mix recipe if I’m out of paste.
The Christmas cake was again wonderful ( 4th year of making 2 cakes).
Thanks again Nicky …. hope you and your family have a great 2025 x
This is the tastiest curry I have ever eaten. Easy to follow instructions. We have a Ninja Speedi so didn’t need a cake barrel as this comes with a tub container. I made my own paste from the suggested alternative and it worked a treat. We followed the recipe which is for 4 servings and as there only 2 of us we also have another meal ready made.
Thank you Nicky for this fabulous recipe.
I don’t have a cake barrel, do I have to use one, can’t I use the air fryer tub itself?
Excellent recipe 10/10, will try it with other meats, have some mutton in the freezer which I think will be perfect!
Sorry, here is something with which (as a male) I have a problem in your recipe presentation. What I want is: 1. ingredients, 2. instructions, 3 notes related to the ingredients/instructions, 4. other matters of interest. After that, I can take or leave anything else. I do not have the time to start “digging” through something before I can use it. You are not the only purveyor of recipes, but it really bugged me this evening when I wanted to cook your “Air Fryer Chicken Curry”. Sorry for the negativity.
I am waiting for it to finish so can’t comment on how good it tastes although it looks delicious. I liked the way you listed the ingredients at the beginning so that I could be sure I had everything I needed and then repeated the approprieate ingredients at each stage so that I didn’t have to keep scrolling backwards and forwards through my phone to check on the quantity of what I should be adding. That is a stroke of genius. Thank you.
AMAZING THANKS
Delicious and easy to follow.
I never thought you could make a curry in the airfryer. It was delicious for a quick mid week curry.