Air fryer Chicken Curry

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.

Jump to:

• 📋 What do we need?
• 📺 Watch how to make it
• Air Fryer Cake Barrel
• 🍽️ What to serve it with
• 🍲 More fantastic curry recipes
• Air Fryer Chicken Curry
• 💬 Reviews

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.

👩‍🍳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.

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Air Fryer Chicken Curry

By: Nicky Corbishley

Chicken, peppers and onions cooked in a creamy coconut curry sauce - this easy curry is made completely in the air fryer. It's all ready in less than 30 minutes!

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Calories 388 kcal

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 of 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
• ▢ 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 half-way through the cooking time). Then remove and put to one side for later.
• 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 of 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 – I’m using balti., 2 cloves garlic - minced, 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/paste, 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 - *optional*
• Serve on top of rice, topped with fresh coriander and chillies
  Rice, Fresh coriander, Air fried chillies (or use sliced fresh chillies)

Video

✎ Notes

Note 1: Don't want to use curry paste?

If you prefer not to use curry paste, use a mixture of 1 tbsp sunflower oil/ghee mixed with 2 tbsp mild curry powder (go hotter if you prefer), 1 tbsp ground coriander, ½ tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, this recipe can be made ahead, then cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Reheat in in a pan, over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout.
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.

Number of servings

Using a cake barrel means you can only get so much liquid in there before it overflows. The 8 inch tin makes enough curry to feed my family of four. Unfortunately that's the maximum number of servings you can get out of this recipe using the air fryer. 
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

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 412mgPotassium: 1165mgFiber: 3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1462IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 5mg

Keywords air fryer cooking, easy curry

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Hi I’m Nicky

I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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