Slow Oven Coconut Chicken Masala

A gentle, fragrant chicken curry slow cooked in the oven until the chicken turns spoon tender and the sauce becomes rich and silky. It’s the kind of comfort dinner that’s been made in our kitchen for decades, always served over rice.

Some recipes aren’t “found” so much as they’re lived in.

This coconut chicken curry has been cooked in my kitchen for decades. It’s familiar in the best way. The warm spice of cardamom and cinnamon in the pan, onions melting down slowly, the little hit of tomato, and then coconut milk turning it all into something soft and steady.

It’s not flashy. It’s faithful.

I love it most when it’s slow cooked in the oven, because the chicken doesn’t just cook, it relaxes. By the time it’s done, it falls apart at the touch of a spoon and the sauce is deeply comforting. Always served over rice, and always with that quiet feeling of home.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 120 min · Cuisine: Indian · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Chicken

• 800 g to 1 kg chicken breast, diced into large chunks
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (plus extra as needed)
• Salt, to taste

Whole Spices

• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick

Aromatics and spices

• 1½ to 2 onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp ginger (fresh grated or paste)
• 2 tsp garlic (minced or paste)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp garam masala

Sauce

• 1 tin tomato 400gram, diced (or 1 cup chopped tomatoes)
• 1 tsp tomato puree (tomato paste)
• 150 ml water
• 400 ml coconut milk

To Serve

• Steamed rice.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan forced). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large oven safe pot or deep pan. Season chicken with salt, then fry for 3 to 4 minutes just to colour the outside. Remove chicken to a plate.
2. Add a little more oil if needed. Add the cardamom pods and cinnamon stick and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. (If you prefer a smoother curry, lift them out after blooming. If you don’t mind finding them later, leave them in.)
3. Add onions and cook for 8 to 12 minutes until soft and golden, stirring often.
4. Stir in ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, and garam masala. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
5. Add diced tomato and tomato puree. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in 150 ml water and stir well, scraping up the base of the pot.
6. Return chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer on the stove, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 65 to 95 minutes. (The longer it cooks, the more it will fall apart.)
7. Remove from oven, place back on the stove over low heat. Stir in coconut milk and gently simmer 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt (and heat, if you like).
8. Serve over hot rice.

Notes

Make ahead: Even better the next day.

Freezer friendly: Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently.

Chicken options: Thighs work beautifully and become even more tender.

Heat control: Start with ½ tsp cayenne, then increase at the end if you want more warmth.