A creamy and mild leftover chicken curry recipe using roast chicken leftovers or store bought rotisserie chicken!
It's quick (prepped and cooked in less than 30 minutes), easy, and perfect for busy weeknights!
You can use leftover roast chicken or roast turkey in this easy leftover chicken curry! Serve it with homemade pilau rice and naan bread for a delicious curry night feast!
Use vegetables to bulk the curry out, so it doesn't matter how much leftover chicken you have to use. Less chicken, just use more vegetables!
👩🍳More chicken leftovers? Try my easy leftover chicken tacos next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Simple leftover roast chicken curry recipe.
- Bulk it out with vegetables.
- Mild and creamy to suit the whole family.
- Freezer-friendly.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Chicken - 300 - 400g of leftover roast chicken pieces. If you have less chicken, add another sliced pepper, or other vegetables like courgettes or aubergines.
Olive Oil - for frying.
Onion - one brown onion, finely chopped.
Garlic - 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped.
Ginger - roughly 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger.
Pepper - red, orange, or yellow pepper, sliced.
Curry Powder - use a good quality mild or medium curry powder, depending on individual taste.
Mango Chutney - gives the curry a fruity flavour boost.
Creme Fraiche - use full-fat creme fraiche or swap for coconut cream. Half-fat creme fraiche may split on heating.
Salt & Pepper - for seasoning.
Coriander - freshly chopped for garnish
Recently boiled water - to loosen the sauce if needed.
🔪 How to make chicken curry with leftover chicken
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat the oil in a shallow casserole or large frying pan and gently cook the onions, garlic, ginger, and sliced red pepper for 4-5 minutes.
Two: Add the curry powder and stir into the onion mixture.
Three: Mix in the mango chutney, creme fraiche, salt & pepper and simmer on a low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Four: Add a few tablespoons of boiling water to loosen the sauce (I used 2 tablespoons) then stir in the leftover chicken. Garnish with coriander before serving.
💭 Expert tips
- This is a great base recipe you can use with a variety of leftover meats, such as turkey, lamb, or beef.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for another day. If you don't have enough chicken, make up the difference with more vegetables.
- Use full-fat creme fraiche only. Half-fat creme fraiche will split on heating and become grainy.
- Curry often tastes better the day after you make it as the flavours have more time to come together.
🍴 Serving suggestions
This simple leftover chicken curry is delicious with homemade pilau rice, cauliflower rice, or turmeric rice, as well as naan bread, chapatis, lime pickle, and raita. I often serve a vegetarian curry with it too, like this tasty chickpea and spinach curry.
Love dessert? Zingy no-bake lemon curd tarts would be my go-to dessert after a curry!
📖 Variations
- Swap the red pepper for a can of drained chickpeas.
- Add a handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking. The residual heat will wilt the spinach in minutes.
- Like your curries hot? Use hot curry powder and add a chopped red chilli or chilli powder.
- Mix in leftover cooked vegetables such as green beans, sweet potato, butternut squash, or cauliflower. It's a great way to bulk out the curry if you don't have much chicken.
- Swap the creme fraiche for coconut milk or coconut cream.
- Sprinkle over garam masala, sultanas or cashew nuts before serving.
🥡 Storage
Store: The curry can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat: In the microwave until piping hot.
Freeze: Allow to cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! Ensure the cooked chicken has been stored correctly in the fridge in an airtight container.
Yes, you can! It's a quick and easy alternative to using leftover roast chicken.
This recipe has been developed using cooked chicken. If you would like to make a curry with raw chicken breasts, try my mild chicken curry recipe instead!
😋 More curry recipes
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Recipe
Easy Leftover Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger peeled and grated
- 1 Red Pepper Deseeded and sliced
- 2 tablespoon Curry Powder mild or medium
- 150 g Mango Chutney
- 150 g Creme Fraiche full-fat (or use coconut cream)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon Boiling Water optional
- 1 tablespoon Coriander chopped
- 300 g Leftover Chicken shredded or sliced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a shallow casserole or large frying pan and gently cook the onions, garlic, ginger, and sliced red pepper for 4-5 minutes until soft.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves, 1 teaspoon Ginger, 1 Red Pepper
- Add the curry powder and stir into the onion mixture.2 tablespoon Curry Powder
- Mix in the mango chutney, creme fraiche, salt & pepper and simmer on a low heat for 4-5 minutes.150 g Mango Chutney, 150 g Creme Fraiche, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Add a few tablespoons of boiling water if you wish to loosen the sauce (I used 2 tablespoons) then stir in the leftover chicken. Garnish with coriander before serving.2-3 tablespoon Boiling Water, 300 g Leftover Chicken, 1 tablespoon Coriander
Notes
- This is a great base recipe you can use with a variety of leftover meats, such as turkey, lamb, or beef.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for another day. If you don't have enough chicken, make up the difference with more vegetables.
- Use full-fat creme fraiche only. Half-fat creme fraiche will split on heating and become grainy.
- Curry often tastes better the day after you make it as the flavours have more time to come together.
- Swap the red pepper for a can of drained chickpeas.
- Add a handful of baby spinach at the end of cooking. The residual heat will wilt the spinach in minutes.
- Like your curries hot? Use hot curry powder and add a chopped red chilli.
- Mix in leftover cooked vegetables such as green beans, sweet potato, butternut squash, or cauliflower. It's a great way to bulk out the curry if you don't have much chicken.
- Swap the creme fraiche for coconut milk or coconut cream.
Ned
My wife is a huge fan of curry, so I decided to make this for her and she loved it!
Tara
Oooh, such a wonderful use of leftover roast chicken! The flavors sound amazing, especially with the addition of the mango chutney.
Gloria
This is a great way to use leftover chicken. Curry is always a hit in our house. I know the family will love this for dinner.
Toni
I really love how quick and easy this is!! Perfect for busy nights!
Mimi
I love it when you can make a new dish from leftovers. This dish was so delicious. Can't wait to make it again.