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    Home » Recipes » Curry

    Easy Chicken Pathia Curry Recipe

    Published: Sep 13, 2021 · Modified: Jan 25, 2023 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Chicken pathia pin image.

    An easy takeaway-style chicken pathia curry! Deliciously tangy, sour, and sweet, all in one bite! Best of all it's on the table in just 30 minutes.

    Serve with pilau rice, naan bread, and plenty of mango chutney. You might also like my easy chicken rogan josh recipe!

    Chicken pathia curry with rice.
    Chicken Pathia Curry

    Chicken pathia curry is a popular medium-hot sweet and sour curry.

    The tangy sourness in this tomato-based chicken curry comes from the use of tamarind paste and lime juice, which is balanced perfectly by the sweetness of the brown sugar. It's a real flavour explosion in every bite!

    👩‍🍳 Love curry? Check out my delicious prawn bhuna recipe too!

    Jump to:
    • ✔️ Why should you try it?
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Top tip
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓ FAQs
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✔️ Why should you try it?

    • Quick and easy medium hot chicken curry.
    • Tangy and sour tomato-based curry sauce.
    • Freezer-friendly.
    • Easily doubled to feed a crowd.

    🛒 Ingredients

    Ingredients to make chicken pathia curry.
    • Chicken - 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bitesize pieces.
    • Olive Oil - for frying.
    • Garlic - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. If you love garlic, use a couple more!
    • Onion - a medium brown onion, which has been finely chopped.
    • Red Chilli - I use a mild chilli in this curry, but if you like things hot use a hotter variety like birds eye.
    • Ginger - finely grated.
    • Spices - including cinnamon, medium curry powder, chilli powder, smoked paprika, fenugreek and tamarind paste.
    • Lime - the juice of half a lime is used in this recipe.
    • Brown Sugar - light brown sugar helps to balance the tangy sour tomato based sauce.
    • Passata - My family prefer smooth sauces so I use passata. Alternatively, you can use a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes instead.
    • Tomato Puree - for a concentrated tomato flavour boost.
    • Water - a small amount of water helps to thin the curry sauce out. if you prefer your sauces thick, just leave this out!

    🔪 Instructions

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan or shallow casserole and fry the garlic, onion, chilli and ginger for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat.
    2. Add the chicken breast pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes until they change colour.
    3. Stir in the cinnamon, curry powder, chilli powder, smoked paprika, fenugreek and tamarind paste.
    4. Pour in the passata, add the tomato puree, squeeze in the lime juice and spoon in the sugar. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on a medium heat. If you want to thin the sauce out a little, add 100ml of boiling water from the kettle and stir it in.
    5. Serve with chopped coriander, rice, mango chutney, and naan bread.
    Step by step photo instructions for making chicken pathia.

    💭 Top tip

    If you can't get hold of tamarind paste, increase the quantity of lime juice and brown sugar to double that stated in the recipe card.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Serve the chicken pathia curry with pilau rice (or plain boiled basmati rice), naan bread, mango chutney, and raita.

    If I'm serving this at one of our family curry nights, I'll make a vegetarian curry to serve alongside it, like this creamy halloumi curry or easy Quorn curry.

    📖 Variations

    • Make it hotter by doubling the amount of chilli powder and using a hotter fresh red chilli.
    • Swap out the chicken for king prawns, lamb or beef.
    • Up the veggies and add a handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking. The residual heat will wilt the spinach into the curry sauce.
    • Make a vegetarian pathia curry and use Quorn pieces or 2 cans of drained chickpeas.
    Chicken pathia curry in a red pan.

    🥡 Storage

    Store: The pathia curry can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Reheat: In the microwave until the curry is piping hot.

    Freeze: The chicken pathia can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow the curry to cool before freezing. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating.

    ❓ FAQs

    What is pathia curry?

    The traditional Pathia (pronounced without the h - Patia) originates from Persia. This dish has been adapted by Indians over the years, and is now one of the UK's best-loved curries, served in curry houses and takeaways nationwide.

    What is tamarind paste?

    Tamarind paste is made from a sour, dark, sticky fruit that grows in a pod on a tamarind tree. Popular in Indian and Thai recipes, it gives dishes a distinctly sour flavour. 

    How spicy is pathia?

    Pathia is a medium hot curry with a nice spicy kick to it!

    😋Related recipes

    More delicious curry recipes to try!

    • Lamb Balti
    • Leftover Chicken Curry
    • Chicken Korma
    • Chicken Pasanda
    • Keema Matar
    • Fruity Mango Chutney Chicken Curry
    • King Prawn Masala Curry

    Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!

    Recipe

    Chicken pathia curry with coriander.
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    5 from 8 votes

    Easy Chicken Pathia

    An easy takeaway-style chicken pathia curry! Deliciously tangy, sour, and sweet, all in one bite! Best of all it's on the table in just 30 minutes.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine British, Indian
    Keyword chicken pathia, sweet and sour curry
    Prep Time 8 minutes
    Cook Time 22 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 369kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scales
    • Chopping Board
    • Knife
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 3 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
    • 1 Onion finely chopped
    • 1 Red Chilli chopped
    • 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger peeled and grated
    • 4 Chicken Breasts diced
    • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoon Medium Curry Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Chilli Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • ½ teaspoon Fenugreek
    • ½ teaspoon Tamarind Paste
    • ½ Lime juice only
    • 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
    • 400 ml Passata
    • 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
    • 100 ml Water optional
    • 2 tablespoon Fresh Coriander chopped

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a non stick frying pan or shallow casserole and fry the garlic, onion, chilli and ginger for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat.
    • Add the chicken breast pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes until they change colour.
    • Stir in the cinnamon, curry powder, chilli powder, smoked paprika, fenugreek and tamarind paste.
    • Pour in the passata, add the tomato puree, squeeze in the lime juice and spoon in the sugar. Simmer for 10-12 minutes on a medium heat. If you want to thin the sauce out a little, add 100ml of boiling water from the kettle and stir it in.
    • Serve with chopped coriander.

    Notes

    Top Tip:
    If you can't get hold of tamarind paste, increase the quantity of lime juice and brown sugar to double that stated in the recipe card.
     
    Variations:
    • Make it hotter by doubling the amount of chilli powder and using a hotter fresh red chilli.
    • Swap out the chicken for king prawns, lamb or beef.
    • Up the veggies and add a handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking. The residual heat will wilt the spinach into the curry sauce.
    • Make a vegetarian pathia curry and use Quorn pieces or 2 cans of drained chickpeas.
     
    Storage:
    The chicken curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in the microwave until the curry is piping hot. The chicken pathia is also freezer friendly.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Chicken Pathia
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    369
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    10
    g
    15
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Trans Fat
     
    1
    g
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    145
    mg
    48
    %
    Sodium
     
    306
    mg
    13
    %
    Potassium
     
    1443
    mg
    41
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    19
    g
    6
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    11
    g
    12
    %
    Protein
     
    51
    g
    102
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    1126
    IU
    23
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    36
    mg
    44
    %
    Calcium
     
    55
    mg
    6
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    More Easy Curry Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Beth

      September 13, 2021 at 11:52 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow! This sounds absolutely wonderful and perfect for dinner tonight! My family and I are going to love this. Looks so flavorful and very tasty! Can't wait to make this!

      Reply
    2. Natalie

      September 13, 2021 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      Oh wow, I'm seriously hungry now. This looks delicious. Perfect dinner for colder days. The flavors are amazing. I love added cinnamon and curry. I have to make this.

      Reply
    3. Mindee Taylor

      September 13, 2021 at 12:26 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious flavor! Loved this unique dish!

      Reply
    4. Gina

      September 13, 2021 at 12:28 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is the perfect use for the tamarind paste I've had in the pantry for months now! Thanks for getting me to try something new and delicious!

      Reply
    5. Katherine

      September 13, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      Oooh so many amazing flavors in this curry.

      Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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