Trinidadian Curry Chicken

 

When I was 7, my parents moved our family to Haiti for a couple years.  My dad worked for the World Team child sponsorship program.  I loved every min of being there.  It is by far my favorite childhood memory.  I still love the Caribbean and every time I go to that area I feel like Im going home.  I love the music, the energy, the people, and of course the food.  There was a lady named Madame Teelom that worked for my family while we were there.  She did a lot of the cooking and cleaning to help my mom.  She was a fantastic cook! I will be posting some recipes in future posts that I have from years of trying to recreate her dishes.

Trinidadian Curry Chicken

I never had curry in Haiti, but since then I have been drawn to all things Caribbean, even in Vancouver.  I go every year to the Caribbean festival and it was there that I first tasted Caribbean curry, specifically Trinidadian curry.  I freeking love it!  Since then I have sought out Caribbean restaurants in the Vancouver area and one I found called “D Roti Shak” makes the best curry chicken I have tasted so far!  After I tried it for the first time, I had to try to make it at home.  So I searched the web for a recipe.  I found a good one at Caribbean Pot and the Pioneer Woman has a Trinidadian friend who gave her a recipe that is really good.   This recipe I am posting below is kind of a mix of the two and comes closest to my favorite curry chicken, I guarantee you wont need another.  My daughter told me that she could eat this for the rest of her life lol.  And that’s saying something… I know I often say this, but I cant even tell you how good your house will smell as you make this.  So good!

Trinidadian Curry Chicken

 This is what your curry will look like (above) after you cook the curry spices and add the veggies.  Below is what the dish will look like after the veggies have cooked down into a sauce and the chicken has released it juices, making a delicious gravy.

Trinidadian Curry Chicken

This recipe is made with legs or thighs.  Dont try it with breast meat!  I did and it was terrible.  Never again, the sauce gets all weird and I don’t know why.  You can make it with boneless thighs though and its very good. That way you can take a good amount of the fat off before you cook it.  I dont know about you, but I hate chicken fat.  Its disgusting.

If you have a Caribbean market in your area, check it out for some Trinidadian Curry Powder and Green Seasoning.  You can still make the recipe without these but they just give it that extra yumminess, you know?

Trinidadian Curry Chicken

Side Note about Meat for this Trinidadian Curry Chicken:

Debbie and I are firm believers in quality ingredients.  Choosing quality meat is especially important for the health of our families and for the health of our planet.  We always choose grass fed or free range meat and local whenever possible.  We’re so thankful for companies like Butcher Box who sell quality grass fed and pasture raised meats and who truly care about the welfare of the animals.  As an animal lover and a carnivore, that makes a BIG difference to me.  What’s even better is that Butcher Box also has a fabulous price point and your order gets delivered directly to your door!

If you click the link below, you will get 10$ off your first order and free bacon!

(we earn a small commission when you purchase through our link and we so appreciate your support) 

Trinidadian Curry Chicken

4.56 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main
Cuisine: Caribbean
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Cooks with Cocktails

Ingredients

  • 8 - 10 Chicken Pieces - I like thighs , but you can use whatever you like, just dont use breast meat it wont turn out.
  • 1/2 medium Onion finely diced
  • 1 large Tomato diced
  • 2 Tbsp Green Seasoning*
  • 2 Green Onions chopped
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper cut in half and seeds removed
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 tsp ground Cumin
  • 2 Tbsp Curry Powder (if you can find curry from Trinidad use it. I use Chiefs brand)
  • 1 - 2 cups Water
  • *If you dont have Green Seasoning you can use a Tbsp each of: Thyme , Cilantro, and Shallots

Instructions

  • Mix the Chicken in the chopped Onion, Tomato, Green Seasoning, Scotch Bonnet Pepper (just throw the two halves in) and Salt and Pepper. Cover and marinate overnight if possible, but for at least 2 hours.
  • When your ready to cook the chicken, heat the Coconut Oil on medium high heat. Add the Curry Powder and Cumin to the oil and fry for a couple mins. It will get a bit dry. Add a 1/2 cup of water and cook for a couple mins more. Take one of the Scotch Bonnet halves out of the marinade and add it to the spices. You can use both halves if you like but with only one half, my girl can eat it no problem and it still has a little kick.
  • Pull the Chicken out of the marinade and shake off any veggies that stick and set aside. Drain the liquid from the left over veggies otherwise it gets weird when you cook it. Add the veggies to the spices and continue to cook. Cover and turn the heat down to medium.
  • Keep cooking the Onions and Tomatoes until they start to melt into a sauce. Keep adding a bit of water here and there if you need to. It can take a while for the Tomatoes to melt into a sauce. You want this to turn into your gravy and its best if its not really chunky.
  • Add the Chicken to the skillet and stir to coat it with the gravy. Cover and let it cook for about 20 mins. Check it every once in a while to stir and add water if needed. The Chicken will release its juices so you shouldnt need too much water.
  • After 20 mins, check the Chicken. If there is no pink in the middle, your done!
  • Scoop out the Curry Chicken and serve it with rice or a Roti or both. Enjoy!

 

 

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