Chicken Cauliflower Curry

Name: Chicken Cauliflower Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on (1.2kg)); 1 large cauliflower (560g, cut into florets); 2.5 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1.5 cup canned tomatoes (390g); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 ¾ cups chicken stock (420ml); ¼ cup pumpkin puree (60g, optional, or coconut cream ); 3.5 oz spinach (100g); 2 tablespoon grated ginger ( 30g peeled); 1 small yellow onion (40g); 2 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon garam masala; 1 - 2 tablespoon fresh red chilli or to taste; 4 oz fine green beans (120g); 2 tablespoon natural yoghurt

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My chicken cauliflower curry is super easy to make and packed with flavor. It is a high protein, low carb dinner the whole family will enjoy. My teenagers tell me that it tastes better than Indian takeout!

Roasted chicken thighs and cauliflower florets in a curry sauce and green beans.

I love a healthy, balanced dinner, and this Indian-inspired chicken curry with cauliflower is one of my favourites.

Not only is it out-of this-world delicious because I make my own (very easy!) curry paste. It is also a high-protein, high-fibre meal that is satisfying and filling.

My family goes wild for Indian curry and we often ordered take-out from our local restaurant. Now, we prefer to make our own. This way, we can use quality ingredients, eat more vegetables and consume no MSG or added sugars.

And here is another reason why this recipe rocks: It is hands-off. Instead of simmering the curry on the stove, you put it in the oven and carry on with your to-do list while it cooks. No stirring necessary.

If you like curry flavours, try my Thai green curry, this super quick keto chicken curry and this keto chicken tikka masala.

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What's To Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestion
Storing Leftovers And Meal Prep
More Tasty Chicken Recipes
Recipe

What's To Love About This Recipe

I know that chicken curry made in the oven is a little unusual. But by roasting, the cauliflower becomes golden brown and tastes wonderfully nutty. This makes all the difference!

Also, the chicken is a feast of textures. The thighs have crispy skin and beautifully tender meat infused with curry flavor.

And last but not least, you don't even have to add a side of rice because this recipe is a meal all on its own! This means it is naturally low in carbs (and good for your waistline).

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need:

Chicken thighs: I bought bone-in chicken thighs, but boneless thighs work as well. Thigh meat is darker and much tastier than chicken breast. It becomes incredibly tender in the oven and does not dry out like chicken breast. In my opinion, it is perfect for chicken curry.

Vegetables: Cauliflower, spinach and green beans. The cauliflower has to be fresh and not previously frozen. You could buy prepared florets in a bag to save time on the preparation. The spinach leaves and the beans add colour and crunch.

For the sauce: Tomatoes, chicken stock and pumpkin puree. The pumpkin is optional, but I highly recommend it.

And here are the most important ingredients: everything that goes into the homemade curry paste!

Ingredients for the spice mix in a bowl.

We need onion, garlic, chili and ginger, all finely chopped.

And then we want the following spices:

mustard seeds
cumin seeds
ground coriander
ground cumin
ground turmeric
paprika
garam masala

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

It is simple to make a chicken and cauliflower curry. Here are the basic steps. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method.

Raw chicken thighs and cauliflower in a casserole dish.

STEP 1

Toss the cauliflower florets and chicken skin-side up in a deep roasting tray with olive oil and sea salt, then bake in the oven.

The ground spice mixture in a mortar with a pestle.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, make the curry paste. Use a pestle and mortar or blend everything in a small blender.

Frying the curry spice mixture in a frying pan.

STEP 3

Fry the paste over medium/low heat until the flavours release. Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, stock and optional pumpkin puree. Simmer to reduce.

Chicken thighs in a casserole with the curry sauce.

STEP 4

Remove the chicken and cauliflower and pour the tomato curry sauce into the casserole dish. Place the chicken back inside and continue roasting.

Adding the cauliflower florets back into the tray alongside the chicken thighs and curry sauce.

STEP 5

Add the cauliflower back in, spoon over the sauce and bake until the chicken is crisp.

Adding the spinach leaves into the chicken curry.

STEP 6

Towards the end, add the spinach and let it wilt.

Serve with blanched green beans and a dollop of natural yogurt.

Katrin's Top Tips

The pumpkin may sound like an unusual addition to the curry sauce, but I dare you to trust me and give it a go. It lends a wonderful richness and thickens the sauce at the same time.

Also, a word about the spices. Omitting one or 2 of the spices because you have run out won't ruin the curry. As long as most of the spices are there, this chicken cauliflower curry recipe WILL TASTE GREAT.

Variations

I used chicken thighs with the skin on for maximum flavour. Of course, the recipe also works with chicken breast. Please note that breast meat cooks much quicker in the oven. It only takes 20-30 minutes.

To make the chicken curry extra creamy, add coconut cream or plain yoghurt to the sauce. This would tone down the heat as well.

If you have a cucumber to hand, why not turn the yoghurt topping into a raita? Here is a raita recipe that we often use.

Broccoli (florets or tenderstem) work well in place of green beans.

Want to bulk up the recipe? I suggest adding a can of chickpeas to the sauce. I did this recently when my son had friends over. Teenage boys are hungry!

A serving bowl with chicken and cauliflower curry topped with a dollop of yogurt.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make it on the stovetop?

Of course. For a cauliflower chicken curry on the stovetop, fry the chicken thighs in a frying pan until browned and set aside. Make the curry sauce as described in the recipe, then add the chicken to the sauce and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes. Next, add in the cauliflower and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Add the spinach and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

My kids like to eat this chicken cauliflower curry over basmati rice.

My husband and I prefer to eat it on its own. There is no need to add a side of cauliflower rice because the recipe already contains the cauliflower florets! It is perfectly filling.

Sometimes, we serve it with homemade keto naan bread.

Storing Leftovers And Meal Prep

Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat single servings in the microwave. Of course, this way the chicken skin won't crisp up. For crispy skin, reheat the curry in the oven (200C / 400F) for around 5 minutes.

Meal Prep Tip: If you meal prep an entire batch of this curry to freeze or serve later in the week, I recommend cooking it 10 minutes less and omitting the beans. On the day you heat it in the oven to eat, add those 10 minutes on and prepare the beans fresh. This way, the beans stay crunchy and the cauliflower does not become mushy.