This quick Chinese takeout-style chicken curry is so easy to make, with just 9 staple ingredients and 15 minutes in the kitchen. But that small investment in time yields big rewards—an incredibly flavorful curry stir-fry with lots of tasty sauce!
Chinatown Memories
When I was growing up, my family would drive through Manhattan’s Chinatown at least once a month, whether it was for weekend dim sum, visiting family, or just heading into the city. We’d drive in via the Holland Tunnel, and in minutes, we’d be surrounded by familiar Chinese restaurants and seemingly endless fruit and vegetable vendors.
On the way out of the city at the end of the day, we had a pretty reliable tradition of stopping off at one of Chinatown’s mainstay takeout restaurants (like NY Noodletown) to order dinner to take home. My sister would go for the Cantonese roast meats—Char Siu Pork, Soy Sauce Chicken, and Roast Pork Belly. My mom would get braised beef with tofu, and my dad would order a special seafood congee with lots of scallions and ginger.
As you can probably tell from all the links above, we’ve covered several of these favorite dishes on our blog. But we haven’t yet covered one of my favorites—a really quick takeout-style Chicken Curry, served over lots of steamed rice.
Chicken curry was one of the dishes that I always looked forward to on any trip to Chinatown, and it’s actually incredibly easy to make. You only need a handful of ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator, and it takes 15 minutes flat to prepare.
Just make sure to wear an apron or a black t-shirt, and use metal (as opposed to wood or bamboo) utensils to stir-fry this chicken curry dish. The turmeric and curry powder can leave stains. But of course, the risk is totally worth it.
Takeout Chicken Curry: Recipe Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken breast, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. For more information and preparing chicken for stir fries, see my dad’s post on Chicken velveting 101.
Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Add a couple tablespoons of oil, and then add the chicken to the pan in one layer. Stir-fry the chicken just until it turns opaque, and remove from the wok. Set aside.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok, and add the onions. Stir-fry for one minute, then stir in the chicken stock, curry powder, turmeric powder, sugar, and salt to taste.
Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water and mix until the cornstarch is dissolved. Stir it into the curry and stock mixture, and simmer for 1 minute, until thickened. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry. If it’s too thick, add more chicken stock.
For more detailed information on the many ways to use cornstarch to get authentic results at home with our recipes, see our post on How to Use Cornstarch in Chinese Cooking.
Add the cooked chicken back to the wok, and stir for another 30 seconds.
Serve your homemade take-out style chicken curry with steamed rice and a big spoon!
15-Minute Chicken Curry, Takeout-Style
Ingredients
- 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast (340g, thinly sliced)
- Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (divided)
- 1 medium onion (halved and sliced into small wedges)
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock (355 ml)
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken breast, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
- Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Add a couple tablespoons of oil, and then add the chicken to the pan in one layer. Stir-fry the chicken just until it turns opaque, and remove from the wok. Set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok, and add the onions. Stir-fry for one minute, then stir in the chicken stock, curry powder, turmeric, sugar, and salt to taste.
- Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water and mix until the cornstarch is dissolved. Stir it into the curry and stock mixture, and simmer for 1 minute, until thickened. If the sauce isn’t thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry. If it’s too thick, add more chicken stock.
- Add the cooked chicken back to the wok, and stir for another 30 seconds. Serve with steamed rice.
nutrition facts
Exactly same as the chicken curry at my local restaurant. Delicious and surprisingly simple to make
It is surprising, right Carole? So easy!
This came out great, as usual for the recipes I have tried on this site. I don’t eat meat, so I used vegetable stock and tofu instead of chicken. I drained the tofu, sliced it, put a little salt and pepper on it, and then baked it for about 20 minutes at 350. Then I followed the recipe and it was so reminiscent of what I had eaten when I worked at a chinese restaurant years ago!
Aw, so glad to hear that Andrea!
Such a simple recipe yet full of flavour. I added mushrooms to mine. Definitely 5 stars
Thanks so much, Jody!
Absolutely tasty. Been searching for a curry recipe that the whole family will eat and can say there was empty bowls all round. So quick and simple to cook. Also added bonus only expense is the chicken and onion as everything else already in the cupboard. So great on the purse! Highly recommend.
Thank you so much, Luisa—glad to hear everyone enjoyed! This is definitely a quick and relatively economical recipe. :)
Been looking for a chinese curry recipe for ages as in the past have bought a paste. This is delicous just like my mum makes but actually better with a few tweaks.
Glad you were able to adapt the recipe to your liking, Maria!
I found this really really nice and az an old man new to this curry capper. I found it verry easy to cook snd clean jp after. So thank you. ##### five stars
You’re welcome, Francis!!