When you need to avoid spicy foods because your gut can’t handle it (or if you’re allergic to chilies) this recipe will satisfy your craving for intense flavor (or if you’re missing Indian food), without being hard on a sensitive or inflamed gut.

As long as you’re at the stage in your healing where you can tolerate some of the stronger spices (like ginger and garlic), this recipe should be okay for you. It’s also a great way to introduce kids to curry! The turmeric in this recipe is also anti-inflammatory.

Jini’s Gut-Friendly Chicken Curry Recipe – with Vegan Options

chicken curry recipe

Jini’s Chicken Curry with peas & squash, garnished with cilantro

  • 2 Large chicken breasts or equivalent amount of dark meat (or mix of both)
  • 1 diced onion if you can tolerate it (optional)
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 2 cups of chicken broth (or use water with a chicken or veggie bouillon cube dissolved into the water)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp garam masala (with no chilies or curry powder added)*
  • 1.5 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
  • 1 tsp Himalayan or celtic sea salt
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil or coconut oil (or ghee) for frying chicken
  • 1 cup frozen peas

To thicken sauce:

  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 tbsp. organic cornstarch

Dissolve cornstarch by stirring briskly into cold water, when completely dissolved, pour mixture into hot curry sauce; stir while pouring in.

1. Beat chicken breast with a wooden mallet to tenderize, then cut into bite-size pieces. If you’re having rice with your curry, then get your rice cooking now. Cooked, sprouted quinoa also pairs nicely with this curry.

2. Melt 2 tbsp oil or ghee in a large frying pan on medium heat. If you have a huge, high-sided pan, or oven-top roaster, then you will be able to make this entire curry in the same pan/pot.

3. If you’re using onion, then add the diced onion to the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes. Then add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt to taste. Stir-fry quickly until chicken is browned, then remove with slotted spoon to a large bowl.

4. In the pan where you just cooked the chicken, add the coconut milk, chicken broth, tomato paste, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, ginger and salt. Stir well and whisk to blend, heat to a simmer.

5. When sauce is simmering, stir in the cornstarch/cold water mixture to thicken the sauce.

6. After sauce has simmered for a few minutes, stir in the honey, lemon juice, add the cooked chicken pieces (and onion) and simmer for another 5 minutes.

7. Add the frozen peas and simmer for 2 minutes. Salt to taste – you might want to add a bit of extra salt if the curry is being eaten with rice. You can also add some black pepper if you tolerate/like it.

Serve with steamed/boiled rice, millet, or quinoa and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serves 4-5 people.

*You may have to just test out some garam masala blends to find one without added chilies or curry powder. I find that Gujarati or Northern India spice suppliers usually have a very mild or chili-free blend, whereas Sikh or Southern India suppliers tend to be spicy-hot. Or you can
make your own chili-free garam masala.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can replace the chicken with your choice of parsnips, potato, cauliflower, tempeh, yellow beans or lentils. Pre-cook your veggies and add them at Step 7. In the photo below you can see I also added some delicious squash and shiitake mushrooms for added veggies.

chicken curry recipe

Gut-Friendly Curry with Extra Veggies

Comment below if you decide to give this chicken curry recipe a try!