This Indian-Filipino Chicken Curry recipe is famous in my family, and it’s easy to see why. Spicy, rich coconut curry infused with Indian spices and soy marinated chicken thighs makes for a delicious flavour fusion that everyone will enjoy.
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This curry is very special in my family. When I was around 12 years old, my parents needed help with my brother, who has Down Syndrome. Through some friends and connections they had in the community, my family was connected with Edna. She moved here from the Philippines and lived with us for many years, ending around when I turned 18.
She would often make homemade spring rolls in bulk and on some evenings make a big batch of her famous curry. Her friend from India had shared the initial recipe with her, and adaptations were made to use some more local ingredients (coconut milk and soy sauce). From her, I’ve adapted it a bit for ease of cooking (fishing for whole spices after its cooked is not my favourite) and to suit my husband’s tastes. It’s a bit spicer and uses less coconut milk, but it’s still absolutely delicious.
Edna was such a warm and beautiful woman, and took excellent care of my brother and us. She was hired to help with my brother, but she never hesitated to harass me when I was up to no good. I still remember how she’d call out “Lorenaaaaaa” when she knew I had done something I wasn’t supposed to.
When I was around 16, Edna was diagnosed with breast cancer, and after chemo and surgery, she was in remission. Another 2 years later, she was diagnosed with (I believe) pancreatic cancer, and it was stage 3 by time they caught it. Another year went by and she passed away surrounded by friends.
My brother still always asks for Edna’s curry, and I feel so blessed that we are able to enjoy it even after she is gone (even though none of us have truly been able to completely replicate it).
I like to think of this as an Indian-Filipino curry, but we will always call it Edna’s Curry.
We miss you – Lorena.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique complex flavour: The flavours in this curry are unique, blending some Filipino techniques and flavours with Indian curry.
- Not spicy, so family-friendly for the braver kids in your life: The curry gets plenty of flavour from other spices, I like to add a dash of homemade habanero powder to my bowl but my husband prefers it mild. If you use Indian chili powder instead of Kashmiri, be aware that it might be a lot spicier! Know your spices.
- Makes great leftovers: We eat the ‘bone-in’ pieces with dinner and save the boneless pieces for lunches the next day. The flavour is even more incredible the next day and it freezes well too!
Tips for Best Results
- Don’t skimp on oil! I know it’s TEMPTING to reduce the oil and save calories, but oil is a necessary ingredient in Indian food as it carries the spices and they will not properly infuse into the food without it. You’re also much more likely to burn your onions/tomato/curry if there isn’t enough oil.
- Toast your spices: This recipe instructs you to toast your spices until fragrant in a small frying pan before blending. This “wakes up” the spices – improving the flavour and making the spice shine!
- Brown the onions: So much flavour is developed when you slowly brown and caramelize onions. It’s basically a requirement in Indian food, so don’t skip it!
- Develop flavour as you cook: Allowing the oil to separate from the curry ensures that the water has completely evapourated and the result is a deeply flavourful curry sauce. It’s an indicator that the spices have been completely absorbed by the ingredients and it is ready to eat.
- Use “curry cut” bone-in chicken. You can either ask your butcher to do this or cut the chicken yourself into 2-3″ pieces. This increases surface area for increased flavour and makes it easier to serve/eat. I noticed a big difference in flavour when using curry cut chicken.
- I cut the chicken thighs in half by cutting 2/3 of the meat from the bone. Some cut “curry style” chicken through the bone but I prefer this to avoid getting bits of bone in the sauce. With drumsticks, cut a slit on one side along the bone to increase surface area.
What You Need to Make Chicken Curry
- “Curry-cut” skinless chicken legs (4 whole legs) – or a combination of thighs and drumsticks. You can add a few more to the mix if you want to serve more people! Curry cut helps with increasing flavour and easier to serve/eat pieces of chicken.
- Soy sauce (4 tbsp) – essential in Filipino cooking, especially for marinating. This imparts a bit of umami flavour that carries through the curry to the end. Use gluten-free tamari as an easy GF sub.
- Ginger (3 tbsp, divided) – another Filipino essential as well as a highly used spice in Indian cuisine.
- Coriander seeds (1 tsp)
- Cumin seeds (1 tsp)
- Cloves (6 each)
- Green cardamom (10 each)
- Neutral oil (4 tbsp)
- Garlic (1 tbsp minced)
- Tomatoes (4 romas or a combination of other tomatoes)
- Kashmiri chili powder (1.5 tsp – or a mix of kashmiri and Indian chili powder)
- Full-fat coconut milk (300 ml) – don’t buy lite, it’s only watered down (which is a waste of money) and may contain thickeners to replicate the “thickness” of the full-fat version. Just use a bit less of the can if you want to lighten it up.
How to Make Indian-Filipino Chicken Curry
Step 1: Marinate chicken
Add the curry cut, skinless chicken to a freezer bag along with 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger and 4 tbsp soy sauce or GF tamari. Toss to coat, seal the bag, and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before you want to cook.
Step 2: Toast spices for masala
Add 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 6 cloves, and 10 cardamom seeds to a hot pan and toast for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Step 3: Grind spices
Discard the husk of the cardamom (keep seeds). Either using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind up the toasted spices until finely ground or desired consistency reached. set aside.
Step 4: Brown the onions
In a large saucepan, heat 4 tbsp neutral oil over medium-low until rippling. Add in a 2″ cinnamon stick and 2 large onions that have been finely chopped. Gently cook the onions until deeply browned.
Step 5: Keep going!
Browning the onions can take between 8-20 minutes, depending on your heat and how often you stir. I prefer if it takes a bit longer, as it develops the most flavour.
Step 6: Add in garlic and ginger
Once the onions are browned, add in 1 tbsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp minced ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 7: Add in tomatoes
Stir in 4 chopped tomatoes and ½ tsp salt.
Step 8: Cook down tomatoes
Cook for 8-12 minutes until all of the water has evapourated from the onions and the oil begins to separate from the curry.
Step 9: Stir in spices
Add in the masala spice mix and ½ tbsp chili powder. Stir well and cook for another 30 seconds to wake up the spices.
Step 10: Add in chicken, salt, and the marinade
Stir in the marinated chicken (and the marinade) along with the remaining ½ tsp salt.
Step 11: Cook 1 hour
Bring to a simmer then cover, cooking over low heat for 1 hour.
Step 12: Add coconut milk
After 1 hour has elapsed and the chicken is very tender, stir in the coconut milk. Bring back to a simmer then turn off the heat. Taste for salt and spices and serve over basmati rice.
Looking for more Indian food recipes?
Edna’s Curry | Indian-Filipino Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the curry cut, skinless chicken to a freezer bag3 along with the ginger and soy sauce or tamari. Toss to coat, seal the bag, and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before you want to cook.
- Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, and cardamom seeds (discard the husk) to a hot pan and toast for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Either using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind up the toasted spices until finely ground or desired consistency reached. set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low until rippling. Add the cinnamon stick and onion. Gently cook the onions until deeply browned.
- Once the onions are browned, add in the garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes and half the salt. Cook for 8-12 minutes until all of the water has evapourated from the onions and the oil begins to separate from the curry.
- Add in the masala spice mix and chili powder. Stir well and cook for another 30 seconds to wake up the spices before stirring in the marinated chicken and the marinade. Add the remaining salt and bring to a simmer then cover, cooking over low heat for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour has elapsed and the chicken is very tender, stir in the coconut milk. Bring back to a simmer then turn off the heat. Taste for salt and spices and serve over basmati rice.
