Delicious & Easy Chicken Curry In Air Fryer

This Easy Chicken Curry in Air fryer recipe is creamy, full of curry flavor, and much easier to make than you might expect. The chicken cooks with onion, garlic, fresh ginger, curry powder, and heavy cream, giving you a rich sauce without having to keep a pot simmering on the stove.

The whole meal takes about 40 minutes, including prep, and the curry is served over cooked rice. If you want another easy chicken dinner, try this Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Thighs Recipe next. Keep reading because this air fryer chicken curry is surprisingly simple to put together, even with the sauce made right in the air fryer.

Jump to:

• Video Tutorial
• Try This Easy Chicken Curry in Air Fryer
• Why You’ll Love It
• Ingredients
• How to Make Easy Chicken Curry in Air Fryer
• Recipe Tips
• What Can You Serve With This?
• FAQs
• Recipe

Video Tutorial

Try This Easy Chicken Curry in Air Fryer

If you usually make curry on the stovetop, this is a fun way to use the air fryer for something completely different. I like that the chicken, onions, aromatics, and creamy curry sauce are all cooked in stages in the same air fryer container.

The garlic and fresh ginger give it plenty of flavor, while the heavy cream makes the sauce richer at the end. Served over rice with all that curry sauce spooned over the top, it makes a really comforting dinner without a long list of ingredients.

Why You’ll Love It

• Easy to make: There are only a handful of ingredients, and everything cooks in stages in the air fryer.
• Creamy sauce: Heavy cream is added toward the end to give the curry a richer finish.
• Plenty of flavor: Fresh ginger, garlic, onion, and curry powder keep the sauce simple but flavorful. You can add additional herbs and spices like coriander and turmeric if you like. Tomato paste or tomato purée also works. You can switch out the curry powder for curry paste.
• Complete meal: The chicken and curry sauce are served over cooked rice, so you don’t need much else with it.

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken drumsticks: I like using boneless chicken here because there are no bones to deal with when you’re eating the curry. Cooking the chicken first also gives it a head start before it goes back into the sauce.
• Curry powder: One tablespoon gives the sauce its main curry flavor. I like that you don’t need a cupboard full of separate spices for this one.
• Fresh ginger: Fresh ginger works really well with the garlic and curry powder. I’d stick with fresh here because I like the stronger, brighter flavor it gives the sauce.
• Full fat heavy cream: This goes in during the final stage of cooking and turns the curry into a creamy sauce. Two tablespoons is enough to add richness without making the sauce overly heavy.

How to Make Easy Chicken Curry in Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/200ºC. Place the chicken in a metal container suitable for the air fryer (like a cake barrel insert) and cook for 10 minutes.

2. After 10 minutes, remove the chicken from the air fryer and transfer them to a separate large bowl.

3. Place finely chopped onions in the air fryer container and air fry for 3 minutes.

4. After 3 minutes, add chopped garlic and ginger to the onions. Add curry powder and mix well.

5. Place the chicken on top and add half a cup of hot water. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

6. After 5 minutes, add heavy cream to the chicken and mix well. Cook for another 7 minutes.

7. The total cooking time will be 25 minutes. In a serving dish, arrange the rice.

8. Place the chicken on top and pour the resulting sauce over them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or dill.

Recipe Tips

• Use a metal container that fits comfortably inside your air fryer.
• Keep an eye on the curry toward the end because different air fryers can cook at slightly different rates.
• If the curry isn’t as browned or thick as you want, increase the temperature by 25°F and continue cooking in 5-minute increments.
• If it starts browning too quickly, reduce the temperature by 25°F and extend the cooking time.
• Give everything a good stir when adding the cream so it combines properly with the curry sauce.
• If you happen to have any leftover curry chicken, you can store it in the fridge for 3-4 days max. Simply reheat in the microwave or air fryer.

What Can You Serve With This?

• Basmati rice
• Warm naan bread
• Cucumber salad
• Sautéed spinach

FAQs

Recipe