We all have those days when we can’t be bugged to do anything more than vegetate in front of the TV and move as little as possible. But you still need to eat and ordering in means you’re going to have to brush your hair and change into semi-decent clothes and that’s just too much of an effort. Your stomach is growling and it wants real food, but the thought of standing over a stove… ugh… it’s enough to make you want to crawl back into bed.
This is where having a slow cooker comes in handy. All you need to do is dump in some ingredients, give it a stir, close the lid, press some buttons and wait out the couple of hours or so it takes to cook up a hot, homecooked meal. Just queue the latest season of whatever you feel like watching on Netflix! And if you’re craving for some curry, our lazy slow cooker chicken curry recipe is the bees knees. Not only is it super simple to put together, it’s also pretty delicious. Just don’t forget to make some rice in the rice cooker (also fuss free), defrost some frozen roti canai, or check to make sure your loaf of bread is still good to eat.
Now, don’t get us wrong. Lazy slow cooker chicken curry is perfect for when you want to make like Bruno Mars and sing the Lazy Song. But if you have a million other things to do on the other hand, kids to chase after, a house to clean and the in-laws coming around for dinner in a couple or so hours, this recipe will also save the day.
Just a little prep time
Unfortunately, you still can’t get away with zero prep, but we’ve made this easy. No one wants to find themselves eating onion skin, after all. The most difficult thing you’ll need to do is peel and grate some ginger. No matter how lazy or busy you’re feeling, you will need to put in a few minutes of non-complicating prep time to prepare a really good meal. And, in all honesty, a few minutes is all you really need. That, we reckon, is a pretty good bargain for making a really good lazy slow cooker chicken curry that will be ready in just a couple of hours, right?
And you know what? Lazy slow cooker chicken curry is gluten-free and also pretty healthy as far as curries go. There’s zero oil and you don’t have to break a sweat sautéing the spices beforehand. Sure, the curry purists may gasp and glare at you, but this is a lazy curry after all!
So, come on, let’s get your lazy butt of that sofa and make some food! You’ll be back in front of the television in no time. Pinky swear.
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken pieces (we used 4 drumsticks & 4 thighs, but feel free to use your favourite cuts)
- 40g (1/2 cup) chicken curry powder
- 1 ½ tsp (3) star anise
- ½ tsp (10) cloves
- ¾ tsp (8) cardamom
- 2g (1) cinnamon stick
- 210g (3) tomatoes, cut in half
- 45g ginger, peeled
- 28g (7 cloves) garlic, peeled
- 170g (1 large) red onion, quartered
- 520g (1 large) potato, peeled & quartered
- 35g (3 stems) coriander, chopped roughly into 5cm lengths
- 20g (1/2 cup) fried shallots
- 200ml coconut milk
- 120ml (½ cup) water
- 11g (2 tsp) salt
Making lazy slow cooker chicken curry in ten easy steps!
- Grate peeled ginger using a small holed grater.
- Using the flat of a knife or cleaver, smash garlic cloves.
- Add all ingredients into your slow cooker except for the coriander and fried shallots.
- Give all the ingredients a really good stir to make sure everything is thoroughly and evenly coated.
- After stirring, make sure your potatoes are at the bottom of the pot so they will absorb the liquids and cook thoroughly.
- Set your slow cooker to cook for 2 hours on high temperature.
- Once the slow cooker is done, check to see that your potatoes are soft and cooked through. Cook for a little longer if necessary.
- Add in coriander and fried shallots, reserving about 1 tablespoon of fried shallots for garnishing.
- Stir coriander and shallots through the curry.
- Serve lazy slow cooker chicken curry with the reserved fried shallots sprinkled all over the top.
Extra tips
- Look for already peeled garlic at the supermarket and that’s one less thing for you to do!
- You can use fresh, boxed or canned coconut milk, whichever is most convenient.
- It’s not magic – there will be more liquid in the pot post cooking thanks to the chicken juices. However, if you’ve gone for very bony cuts, you may end up with a little less. Add a little bit more water to your dish if needed.
- No homemade fried shallots? Even the supermarket ones will do fine. Get your most favourite brand!
- If you have time to spare, slow cook this recipe on low temperature for 4 hours instead and you’ll be rewarded with an even more intense flavour.
- Curry always tastes better the next day. Let cool thoroughly before refrigerating. You can also freeze curry for emergency eats a week or a month down the road.
Delicious curry in just ten steps with all those legit ingredients? You would think we were crazy until you try it for yourself. So go on, give it a go. Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family or guests, you’ll be so thrilled to find a truly fuss free chicken curry recipe that tastes as good as it looks that this just may end up as your go-to curry recipe from now on, whether or not you’re having a lazy or dreadfully busy day. Any recipe that gives us a little more time for ourselves is a win in our books!
What are you eating your lazy slow cooker chicken curry with? We want to see your pictures, so don’t forget to tag them with #butterkicap! Now, where’s that TV remote?
