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!
2chicken breastsapprox 350g/12.3 oz chopped into bite-size chunks
1large onionpeeled and chopped into chunky wedges
1red bell pepperchopped into chunky pieces
pinchsalt and pepper
2heaped tbspof your favourite curry pasteI’m using balti.*see note 1
2clovesgarlic minced
2tspminced ginger
1crumbled chicken stock cube
2tbsptomato pureepaste for US
300ml(10.5 oz) passata
300ml(10.5 oz) tin full-fat coconut milk
1tbspcornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry*optional*
To Serve:
rice
fresh coriander
air fried chilliesor 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 chillies
rice, fresh coriander, air fried 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 servingsUsing 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)