Trinidad Curry Chicken Recipe
Trinidad curry chicken is all about the marinade and the method: chicken seasoned with green seasoning, then a curry paste 'chunkayed' — fried in oil until it splits and turns fragrant — before the chicken goes in. The result is a deep, layered curry unlike any other island's.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken, cut into small pieces
- 4 tbsp Chief Green Seasoning, divided
- 3 tbsp Chief Curry Powder
- 1 tsp ground geera (roasted cumin)
- 1 tsp amchar masala (optional, for depth)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed (optional)
- 1 whole hot pepper, plus Bertie's Pepper Sauce to serve
- Salt to taste, about 2 cups water
Preparation
1. Marinate. Season the chicken with half the green seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Rest at least 2 hours, or overnight.
2. Make the curry paste. Mix the curry powder, geera, and amchar masala with 1/3 cup water into a paste.
3. Chunkay the curry. Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and the remaining green seasoning; cook 1 minute. Add the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the oil separates and the raw smell cooks out. Splash in water if it sticks.
4. Add the chicken. Stir the chicken in to coat it in the curry. Cover and let it cook in its own juices for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. Simmer. Add the potatoes and about 1 1/2 cups water. Drop in the whole pepper, cover, and simmer 25–30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens. Adjust salt.
How to serve it
With paratha roti (buss up shut), dhalpuri, or plain white rice — and plenty of pepper sauce on the side.
Tips
- The chunkay makes or breaks it: undercooked curry tastes raw; fry the paste until the oil glistens on top.
- Small pieces, big flavor: Trini-style small-cut chicken absorbs more curry than large pieces.
Find Chief curry powder, green seasoning, and Bertie's in our Trinidad & Tobago collection.
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