📍 Where this dish comes from: Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania · Lake Victoria
Discover the history of this region →
Discover the history of this region →
This chicken curry carries the same Zanzibar spice-trade legacy found throughout this book’s coastal dishes — cardamom, cinnamon, and coconut milk built into a genuine main-course sauce rather than a light accompaniment. Bone-in chicken pieces simmer long enough to turn fall-off-the-bone tender while the sauce reduces to something properly rich.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks skin removed
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, brown in batches, 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute.
- Stir in curry powder, cardamom, and cinnamon, cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add tomatoes, cook 5 minutes until broken down, scraping up any browned bits.
- Pour in coconut milk, bring to a simmer.
- Return chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer 20–25 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Season with salt, top with cilantro, and serve hot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Protein: 32g | Fat: 26g | Fiber: 2g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Health Benefits
- Chicken thighs provide complete protein along with iron and zinc.
- Coconut milk delivers MCTs, a fast-burning fat source popular in ketogenic diets.
- Cardamom and cinnamon carry compounds studied for digestive and metabolic support.
Pairs Well With
- Tanzanian Coconut & Herb Salad, Zanzibar Style
- Tanzanian Grilled Vegetables, Coconut Marinade