Chicken, Cauliflower and Potato Curry

A comforting family-style chicken curry made with tender chicken breast, cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, warming spices, and a gentle finish of Greek yoghurt in a rich, spoonable sauce.

Curry nights in our house began as a way to stretch two chicken breasts into a meal that felt like plenty, and they stayed on the table because everyone kept asking for them. The onions cook down slowly, the spices bloom in the tomato paste until the whole kitchen smells warm, and the potatoes simmer long enough to soften into the sauce and thicken it. The cauliflower takes on the flavour around it, the chicken stays tender in a rich tomato base, and a spoonful of Greek yoghurt stirred through at the end softens the spice and brings everything together. I nearly always make more than we need for one night, because a container of it in the fridge turns a hard day into an easy dinner.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 40 min · Serves: 6 · Cuisine: Indian · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Chicken, Cauliflower and Potato Curry

• 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated, optional
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 400 g tinned diced tomatoes
• 400 ml water or chicken stock
• 500 to 600 g potatoes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3/4 to 1 cup Greek yoghurt
• Fresh coriander or parsley, optional, to serve
• Cooked rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan, sauté pan, or pot over medium heat. A wide base gives the curry room to simmer rather than crowd.
2. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and translucent but not browned. This is where the sweetness of the sauce begins, so give it the full time.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger, if using, and cook for about a minute until fragrant. Keep it moving so the garlic does not catch and turn bitter.
4. Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, turmeric, garam masala, chilli flakes if using, salt, and black pepper.
5. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute, until the spices smell warm and toasted and the tomato paste has darkened slightly. Cooking the spices and paste in the oil now is what gives the finished curry its depth, so do not rush this step.
6. Pour in the tinned tomatoes and the water or chicken stock, scraping up anything caught on the base of the pan.
7. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer. The sauce will look thin at this stage, which is what you want, as the potatoes will thicken it as they cook.
8. Add the potatoes to the sauce and stir to submerge them.
9. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are just beginning to soften at the edges. Giving them a head start means everything finishes cooking at the same time.
10. Add the cauliflower florets and the chicken pieces, stirring gently so everything is coated in the sauce.
11. Cover and simmer for another 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through, the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, and the cauliflower is just soft with a little bite still left in it.
12. If the sauce tightens more than you would like, add a splash more water or stock to keep it loose and spoonable.
13. Reduce the heat to low, or take the pan off the heat for a moment, so the sauce is no longer at a hard simmer. This is the single most important step for a smooth finish.
14. Stir a ladleful of the warm sauce into the Greek yoghurt in a separate bowl first, then add it back to the pan. Tempering the yoghurt this way keeps it from splitting.
15. Stir gently until combined and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes, without letting it boil.
16. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more salt if the curry needs lifting.
17. Spoon the curry over cooked rice.
18. Scatter with fresh coriander or parsley if using, and add an extra spoon of yoghurt on top for anyone who likes it a little cooler.

Notes

Chicken thigh works just as well as breast and stays even more tender. Use the same weight, cut into bite-sized pieces, and add it at the same point.

Full-fat Greek yoghurt gives the smoothest, richest finish. Lower-fat yoghurt is thinner and more likely to split, so keep the heat low and temper it carefully if it is all you have.

The heat lives entirely in the chilli flakes, so the curry is gentle without them and as spicy as you like with more.

Peas, spinach or green beans are all at home here. Stir them in with the cauliflower to stretch the curry further or use up what is in the fridge.

For a meat-free version, leave out the chicken and add a drained tin of chickpeas along with the cauliflower.

This curry is meant to be loose and spoonable rather than thick and reduced, which is what makes it so good over rice. If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer it uncovered for the last few minutes before adding the yoghurt.

Serving Suggestion

This curry is made for spooning over steamed rice, though a batch of Golden Capsicum & Turmeric Rice turns it into something a little more special. Warm Greek Yoghurt Flatbreads are ideal for scooping up the sauce, and a bowl of Simple Yoghurt Sauce on the side lets everyone add a cool, creamy finish to their own plate.

The Grace Table Tip

Keep the curry slightly saucy before it cools. The potatoes will continue to absorb flavour as it sits, which makes it especially lovely the next day.

This curry keeps and freezes beautifully. Cool it completely, then store in the fridge for up to three days or portion into containers and freeze for up to three months. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce, and avoid a hard boil so the yoghurt stays smooth.