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An easy Indian-inspired chicken curry made with yellow curry powder, garam masala, cayenne and chili flakes. Add chunks of sweet potatoes and fresh spinach, then simmer in a creamy spiced coconut sauce. Spoon the curry over steamed basmati rice and add warm naan. It’s so delicious! And, leftovers are even better the next day!
Some of my favorite dinners happen after a full day of recipe testing—when I just cook with what’s on hand and what sounds good. Recently my oldest brother mentioned he was craving Indian curry, and with the chilly fall evenings, a creamy curry sounded perfect.
I kept this one really simple: just curry powder and garam masala (such a good combo), plus coconut milk for that classic, creamy sauce. It comes together in under 30 minutes, and everyone loved it. A cozy, weeknight win for fall and winter!
These are the details
Ingredients
- chicken breast or thighs – I used boneless, skinless
- yellow curry powder
- garam masala
- cayenne pepper
- chili flakes
- salted butter
- yellow onions
- sweet potatoes
- coconut milk
- baby spinach – fresh or frozen works too
- cilantro
For Serving
- steamed basmati rice
- warm naan
- chili flakes
Kitchen Tools
This is pretty straightforward. I make my curry in a high-sided braiser or Dutch oven. You need a good knife to chop, plus a cutting board. That’s pretty much it.
Steps
Step 1: Season the chicken
If your chicken pieces are small, leave them whole (they’ll naturally break up as they cook). Or cube them if you prefer.
Add the chicken to a large braiser or Dutch oven. Sprinkle over the curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, chili flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Add half the butter and the onions; toss to coat.
Step 2: Start cooking
Set the pot over medium-high heat. Let the butter melt and begin to brown around the chicken; cook until the onions are soft and the spices are fragrant, 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Add sweet potatoes & coconut milk
Stir in the remaining butter and sweet potatoes. Then toss for 1–2 minutes to coat.
Pour in the coconut milk and 1 cup water (or broth). Mix in the cilantro, then simmer the chicken until it is cooked throughout and the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. The time will depend on the size of your chicken. Taste and adjust salt and heat.
Step 4: Finish the curry
Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1–2 minutes. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like, splash in a little extra water; if it’s thin, simmer a few more minutes.
Step 5: Serve
Spoon the curry over steamed basmati rice and ladle extra sauce on top. Finish with more cilantro (and lime, if you like). Warm naan on the side is perfect.
Leftovers
Like chili, curry is even better the next day as the flavors meld. Store airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Looking for other Indian inspired dinners? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs
Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Indian Chicken Sweet Potato Curry, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Indian Chicken Sweet Potato Curry
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 599 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, use to taste
- salt and chili flakes
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, chopped
- 3 cups canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- cooked rice, for serving
- fresh Naan, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a large Dutch oven or Braiser, toss the chicken with the curry powder, garam masala, cayenne, and season with salt and chili flakes. Add the onions and 3 tablespoons of butter. Set the pot over high heat. Melt the butter and cook until the butter begins to brown around the chicken and you are smelling those spices. 2. To the pot, add 3 tablespoons of butter and the sweet potatoes. Toss them around in the butter, mixing everything. 3. Reduce the heat to low. Add the coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water. Add the cilantro to the top. Partially cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the spinach. Season to taste with salt and chili flakes.4. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Top with fresh cilantro. We love this with a warm piece of naan.
This post was originally published on October 22, 2025
I really enjoyed the recipe, It is a quick Curry and I do think this plays a little part in the flavor.
It is very good and very filling. I am new to cooking from online recipes and look forward to making more of yours! Thank you.
Hey Christy,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
Good, but not really what I expected? It was definitely more like a Thai yellow curry than an Indian curry — way too much liquid. I added chili crisp and lime and it definitely needed it, otherwise it would have been bland. Doesn’t really seem like this recipe was tested at all
Hi Cassie,
Thanks for trying this recipe and your feedback, sorry to hear you didn’t love it. I promise the recipe was thoroughly tested, it is not meant to be thick:)
Few edits I made and am very happy! I would also simmer lid off to help with liquid volume, but would still cut the total liquid down pending how you like/want it
– Started onion and butter BEFORE adding chicken
– Added Turmeric and Garlic Powder to spices
– Had some tomato paste that needed to be used and carmelzied that before adding liquid
– Added 3-4 tbsp of Maple Syrup
– Threw a cinnamon stick in during simmering
Hey Wesley,
Wonderful! Love that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for sharing back!
This was delicious and easy to make! It was soupy enough to serve over rice in bowls but definitely was a hearty meal not just a bowl of soup. The flavors were wonderful. Next time I will be a little braver and spice it up a bit more. Loved the addition of spinach at the end. This was a complete meal and has joined the rotation in our house!
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Monday! Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
AMAZING!!! Made this tonight – didn’t add broth and used cornstarch slurry to thicken – and all my husband kept saying was “wow!” Thanks so much for sharing! We loved it!!!!
Hey Sheri,
Amazing! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, thanks for making it! Happy Sunday!
I have never made curry, from a non Hello Fresh meal, and loved this! I’ll add a ton more veggies next time. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to use the whole can of coconut milk/ cream- or just the liquid. I used 2 whole cans which took awhile to cook down; thus my chicken (breast pieces) dried out a bit- all to be expected. I should have pulled them out of the pot. Looking forward to making it again!
Hey Morgan,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was a hit. Have the best week!
Oh My goodness this was delicious. I was craving it at 930 the next morning and gave in. I’ve never had curry aside from the pre made cubes in the box at the store. But this… the spices and coconut milk .. What delicious warm spicy flavor and texture.
Hey Linda,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you!
This was a huge hit for my family! I used 4 cups of coconut milk as to not waste the left over half can, and subbed the water with a 16oz can of pineapple pieces and juice as I enjoy a similar curry dish that contains pineapple. We will be making recipe again and again!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you!
This was perfect on a cold rainy fall night. The smell was so warming. I added a bit of cornstarch and upped the potatoes and spinach because I like them both. Really delicious! My husband will be sorry he wasn’t home tonight.
Hey Wilson,
Wonderful! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well! Happy Friday!
Not my favorite recipe, and I love HBH recipes. I didn’t add the water and still needed to thicken it up with some cornstarch. It lacked something but thankfully my husband liked it.
Hi Janine,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
I made this mostly just as the recipe said. Because of some of the comments, I left out the water. I figured I could always add it in. But because it was still very thin I added a little cornstarch slurry and it was fabulous! So much flavor! It was enough for 3 meals for the 2 of us. And it got better each meal! Definitely a keeper!
Thanks so much, Nancy! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you making it!
Will definitely be making this again! I appreciated how this had the sweet potatoes and spinach in it for some extra veggies. A few modifications I made: I “bloomed” the spices first in the oil over heat to create a richer taste and a more aromatic and flavorful base. Then, sautéed the onions to allow them to soften and sweeten properly, and next added the chicken. I also reduced the butter in half. When making this again, I would omit the water since the broth of the coconut milk was already really soupy.
Hey Monika,
Thanks for testing this recipe out, I’m thrilled it was a success for you. Happy November!🍂🍁
Should you use sweetened or unsweetended coconut milk?
Hi Simone,
I like to use unsweetened coconut milk.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Ok this is delish. I didn’t have that amount of chicken on hand but I added more sweet potatoes and kept the rest of the proportions. I expect to make this again. Have you done this with less butter? Just thinking about trying to cut calories but I would hate to lose the flavor….
Thanks so much, Laura! I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Sure, you could reduce the butter. Have a great week!
The flavor is awesome and I love the sweet potatoes! I should have used full fat coconut milk because it ended up pretty soupy- will try that next time.
Thanks so much, Sarah! I appreciate you trying this dish and your feedback! Have a great week ahead!