This warm, comforting
Filipino Chicken Curry recipe is a one-pot dinner the
whole family will love! Featuring hearty vegetables, tender chicken, and
a cozy curry sauce, it’s the ultimate comfort food perfect for busy
weeknights and special occasions.
Growing up in a Filipino household, I find most Filipino foods to be comfort
foods. From classic
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
served over
Garlic Rice
to
Lumpia and
Filipino Mac Salad, the sweet, salty, and sour flavors of the Philippines are always
soothing and satisfying.
Sometimes I like to make Filipino-American food that is a fusion of
different cuisines (as the wonderful flavors of Filipino cuisine are often
a blend of Spanish, Chinese, and other Asian influences). I love traditional
Filipino Kare Kare, which is an oxtail curry. And, I’m a huge fan of both
Thai curry and Indian curry. So I created this
Filipino Chicken Curry to celebrate the best of a Filipino
flavor profile along with comforting curry.
🌟 Why This Filipino Chicken Curry Works
You will fall in love with this Filipino-style chicken curry recipe!
-
One-Pan Wonder: Everything cooks in one large pot. Less
mess and flavors fully infused. -
Hearty and Satisfying: Juicy chicken and tender
vegetables make this a hearty and satisfying meal. Perfect for chilly
nights. -
Versatile Ingredients: Use any cut of chicken and swap
vegetables to suit your taste. -
Family-Friendly Appeal: The mild curry spice makes this
recipe family-friendly. Adjust the heat to your preference.
🛒 Filipino Chicken Curry Ingredient Notes
-
Chicken: Use 2 pounds of mixed chicken cuts. I like
skinless, boneless thighs and drumsticks. Chicken breasts or skin-on,
bone-in thighs are also great. -
Vegetable Oil: For browning veggies and chicken,
vegetable oil is preferred. Olive or canola oil can be substituted. -
Chicken Stock: Use homemade or store-bought chicken
stock or broth. Water can substitute, but increase spices for more
flavor. -
Aromatics: Minced fresh garlic and finely diced
onions are essential. Shallots offer a milder flavor alternative to
onions. -
Vegetables: Chopped carrots, red bell pepper, green
bell pepper, and baking potato add heartiness and health. -
Coconut Milk: Adds creaminess to the curry sauce and
flavor marries well with the spices and fish sauce. - Fish Sauce: Adds umami and an Asian-flavored twist.
-
Seasonings: Include curry powder, paprika, salt, and
pepper.
✅ Step-by-Step Filipino Chicken Curry Instructions
A full list of ingredients with measurements and detailed cooking
instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Here are some step-by-step photos so you can see how to make this delicious
Pinoy chicken curry.
-
Start by lightly sautéing the carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes in the
pan over medium-high heat with vegetable oil. -
Once the veggies are slightly browned (about 2-3 minutes), remove them
from the pan and transfer them to a large bowl. Set the bowl aside.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken and transfer to a large bowl; set aside.
NOTE: At this point, if there are brown bits at the bottom
of the pan, pour in a little chicken stock or water and use a wooden spoon
to scrape up any brown bits. If there are burnt dark brown bits, you can
remove them with a spoon and discard; you don’t want burnt bits of garlic
and onion in the curry.
6. Lower the heat to medium heat. Pour in the chicken stock, fish sauce, and
coconut milk.
7. Add the curry powder, ground paprika, kosher salt, and ground black
pepper.
8. Stir together gently until all spices and liquids are combined.
9. Return the chicken to the pot. Lower the heat to simmer on medium-low.
10. Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes.
11. Check on the chicken halfway through and use tongs to turn the pieces
over to the other side; return the cover and continue cooking.
12. Return the vegetables to the pot and stir in.
13. Cook the chicken and vegetables, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes, until the
chicken is cooked through.
💡TIP: Chicken is considered cooked fully when a
meat thermometer
inserted into the thickest part of the meat, without touching bone, reads an
internal temperature of 165°F.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Indian curry?
The difference between curries is a subtle shift in seasonings and
spices. Filipino curry may include soy sauce, fish sauce, coconut
milk, and/or vinegar. Thai curry often includes coconut milk, but not
vinegar, and comes in a wide array of yellow, green, and red curries.
The Indian curry flavor profle often includes fresh chillies and
spices. Most curries begin with garlic, ginger and/or onions as the
base.
No, this chicken curry is different, but is a similar comforting
Filipino curry. Kare kare is usually made with oxtail, beef tripe, and
pig parts, and has a thick savory peanut sauce. This Filipino Chicken
Curry is a lighter coconut milk based curry with chicken pieces and
lots of vegetables.
Allow the food to cool down, then store in an airtight container in
the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
🍽 Serving Ideas for Filipino Chicken Curry
I love to serve this one-pot wonder Filipino chicken curry over rice.
Serve it over our
Instant Pot Garlic Rice,
Instant Pot Basmati Rice, or even
Adobo Fried Rice.
For a full Filipino meal experience, serve this curry with
Pancit Bihon,
Lumpia,
and
Turon
for dessert.
🍷 🥂 Wine Pairings for Filipino Chicken Curry
The sweet, sour, salty, and umami flavors of Filipino food tend to pair
well with light-bodied red wines. A Pinot Noir or a
Gamay wine would pair deliciously with this Filipino
chicken curry recipe!
🍳 Essential Kitchen Tools and Equipment
Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools you’ll need:
-
Large Skillet or Dutch Oven: A must-have for cooking
everything together. I use my
Lodge enameled cast iron casserole
with a lid. -
Measuring Cups: Essential for accurate liquid
measurements. A
measuring cup
is perfect. -
Wooden Spoon: Use a
wooden spoon
to stir the ingredients as they cook. -
Tongs: Use
kitchen tongs
to flip the chicken during cooking. -
Thermometer: You’ll need a
meat thermometer
to check on the doneness of the chicken meat.
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Explore More Filipino Recipes
- Chicken Kare Kare
- Filipino Pork Adobo
- Chicken Inasal
- Filipino Ube Desserts
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a
comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Filipino Chicken Curry Recipe
From 5 votes
By
Marlynn Schotland
6 servings
Pin
chicken and crisp vegetables. Perfect on its own or over rice.
Equipment
- 1 large pan or Dutch oven
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Filipino Chicken Curry
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Ingredients
3x3x
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
-
2 medium baking potatoes (or 1 large), peeled and cut into cubes
or small wedges - ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
- 2 pounds chicken (mix of thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 can (15-ounces) coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Heat oil in a large pan, skillet, or Dutch oven over medium-high
heat. Add the carrots, both bell peppers, potatoes and sauté just
until the edges are browned, about 2-3 minutes. - Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
-
Add the onions, garlic, and ginger to the pan and sauté just for 1
minute, to soften. - Add the chicken and brown on all sides.
-
Once the chicken has browned, remove from the pan and transfer to a
bowl. Set aside. -
If there are browned bits of charred garlic, onions, and ginger on
the bottom of the pan, pour a little chicken stock into the pan
and scrape up with a wooden spoon. If there are a LOT of browned
bits, go ahead and carefully use the wooden spoon to remove them
from the pan. If there are a few browned bits, it’s okay to leave
them in for now. -
Add the remaining chicken stock, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Stir
to combine. - Add the curry powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir.
-
If you see a lot of browned bits still in the curry sauce at this
point, feel free to strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve or
strainer into a large heatproof bowl. Discard the brown bits and
return the curry sauce into the pan. -
Add the chicken back to the pan/pot, lower the heat to medium,
cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. Check on the chicken halfway
through and use tongs to turn the pieces over to the other side;
return the cover and continue cooking. -
At 20 minutes, uncover and add the carrots, bell peppers, and
potato back to the pan. Cook uncovered for about 5-6 minutes, or
until the chicken is all fully cooked through (see Notes). - Serve immediately over rice.
Notes
Makes approximately 6 servings.
Chicken doneness: Chicken is fully cooked