Easy Rotisserie Chicken Curry: Quick Microwave Meal for Two
Sneak Peek: Easy Rotisserie Chicken Curry is a simple weeknight dinner of mildly spiced tomato-y chicken curry made with leftover rotisserie chicken. This makes about three servings, so you can quickly and efficiently cook it in a microwave.
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If you enjoy Indian food but don’t want a too rich (no heavy cream), or complicated recipe, you’ll love this mild version of Chicken Masala that I call Chicken Curry. You don’t have to cook it in a microwave, but it’s so easy; it’s perfect for those nights when you are too tired to cook or clean up.
I adapted this recipe from Cotton Country, a Jr. League cookbook from Decatur, Alabama. I know. It’s an unlikely place to pick up a curry recipe. Consequently, I’m not making any claims about the authenticity of this recipe.
Four Reasons Why You Should Add This Recipe to Your “Quick and Easy” Recipe Collection
- It’s perfect for 1-3 people. You won’t have to eat this for a week if you cook only for yourself.
- Leftovers freeze well. Don’t forget to double-wrap.
- You will save time using a microwave because the amounts are small. You don’t need to stand over a stove watching and stirring. Remember that microwaves vary wildly in power and cooking patterns. My microwave has 1000 watts of power for comparison.
- This recipe is good for leftover cooked chicken or turkey (rotisserie or otherwise).
Ingredients and Substitutions
- COCONUT OIL: If you don’t have coconut oil, substitute vegetable oil such as avocado, canola, or olive oil.
- ONION: Use yellow onions, white onions, or frozen chopped onions.
- CELERY: I don’t know of a good substitute for celery. Fortunately, it stays fresh for weeks, especially when wrapped in aluminum foil.
- GARLIC: You will get the freshest garlic flavor with fresh garlic cloves. However, the chopped garlic sold in a bottle or jar will suffice.
- CURRY POWEDER: Did you know that curry powder is a mixture of spices, like chili powder is a mixture of spices? That means that every brand uses a different formulation.
- Curry powder may contain coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, mustard, and black pepper, among other things. You can even make it yourself with this homemade curry powder recipe.
- GARAM MASALA: I’m guessing this might be the only ingredient you don’t have in your kitchen. It’s an aromatic Indian spice mixture that is good for many things. At our house, we especially like Garam Masala spice in rice. It’s readily available in most supermarkets, or you can mix some up.
- FLOUR: Use either bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour.
- CHICKEN STOCK OR BROTH: If you don’t have any homemade or store-bought broth, use a chicken-flavored bouillon cube or paste combined with hot water.
- TOMATOES OR JUICE: I used to make this with tomato juice, but I like a cup of canned diced tomatoes much better. V-8 is a good substitute if you don’t want pieces of tomato in your curry. Or, make tomato juice with tomato paste: 1 can of tomato paste + 4 cans of water. Whisk well.
- WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: A dash of Worcestershire adds umami flavor.
- SRIRACHA SAUCE: Some people call this rooster sauce. Leave it out if you don’t care for spicy food.
- LEFTOVER COOKED CHICKEN: Although you could use chicken pieces, I prefer diced rotisserie chicken. It’s faster and easier to eat.
How To Make Easy Chicken Curry in a Microwave
NOTE: Use 100% or HIGH power for every step in this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Easy Chicken Curry
I always keep this mildly spicy and saucy chicken in my freezer. It is one of my favorite comfort foods after a long workday on a cold winter night.
If you want comfort food, try this Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Soup. Make this Easy Potato Chip and Chicken Casserole with Cheese if you have leftover potato chips. Get your Tex-Mex fix with Simple Baked Flautas with Chicken and Spinach.
Serve over Basmati or Jasmine rice, and add a vegetable or green salad for a balanced and relatively healthy meal. Serve Naan bread on the side to take this dish over the top.
Parting Thoughts: I hope you enjoy this recipe and find it helpful when you want to cook something other than fancy food. The microwave is one of my best friends in the kitchen, and it can be yours, too, especially if you often cook in smaller quantities.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Easy Rotisserie Chicken Curry
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (13 g) chopped onion
- ¼ cup (25 g) chopped celery
- ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
- ½ tablespoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (227 g) chicken stock
- 1 cup (243 g) diced tomatoes in juice, canned
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 shakes Sriracha sauce Leave this out if you don’t like spicy.
- 2 cups (298 g) cooked chicken, diced (I use rotisserie chicken)
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoons coconut oil, ¼ cup (13 g) chopped onion, and ¼ cup (25 g) chopped celery to a medium microwave-safe bowl. I use a 2-qt. batter bowl. Microwave on HIGH for three minutes.
- Add ½ teaspoon chopped garlic, ½ tablespoon curry powder, and ½ teaspoon Garam Masala to the veggies. Stir and microwave for two minutes on HIGH.
- Sprinkle 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour over the softened vegetables and stir to distribute evenly and break up any lumps.
- Whisk 1 cup (227 g) chicken stock and 1 cup (243 g) diced tomatoes in juice, canned into the veggies. Season with ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 shakes Sriracha sauce. Microwave on HIGH for five minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Add 2 cups (298 g) cooked chicken, diced and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warm throughout.
- Serve immediately over Jasmine or Basmatic cooked rice.
Notes
Directions for cooking on a stovetop
- Melt oil in a large skillet or shallow saucepan. Add onion and celery to the pan and saute vegetables until soft but not brown.
- Add garlic, curry powder, and Garam Masala and saute one more minute.
- Sprinkle flour over softened vegetables and distribute evenly.
- Whisk broth and tomatoes into veggies. Season with Worcestershire sauce and Sriracha sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add chicken and heat until warm throughout.
- Serve immediately over Jasmine or Basmati cooked rice.
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.