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Leftover chicken curry in apna with rice and naan bread on the side.
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5 from 14 votes

Easy Leftover Chicken Curry

A creamy and mild leftover chicken curry recipe using roast chicken leftovers or store bought rotisserie chicken. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Course Main Course
Cuisine British, Fusion, Indian
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 301kcal
Author Beth Sachs

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Equipment

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary
  • 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 or Coconut Cream full-fat
  • 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 or Coconut Cream, 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

Top 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.
 
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.
  • 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.
 
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.
 
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.
 

Nutritional Information (Approximate)

Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 1117mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 976IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
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