Chicken Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach
The scent of toasted cumin and coriander is my shortcut to another world. It takes me straight back to a humid afternoon in Chiang Mai, in a small open-air kitchen with a teacher named Lek. I remember the rhythmic sound of her pestle against the stone mortar as she crushed lemongrass and galangal. She taught me that the soul of a curry isn't in a long list of ingredients, but in the sequence—the 'bloom' of the spices in hot oil. This recipe is my Tallinn adaptation of that lesson. We build a deep, layered flavor base in minutes, transforming simple ingredients into something extraordinary. The result is a vibrant, creamy bowl that feels both deeply comforting and energizing, a perfect example of how cooking is self-care.
16Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 500 g chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 400 g can cooked chickpeas, rinsed
- 150 g fresh spinach
- 1 tsp, to taste sea salt
- ½ juice of half a lime
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 handful toasted cashews, roughly chopped
Nutrition Facts
Instructions
Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let them burn.
Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to 'bloom' the spices. This is key to developing a deep flavor. Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for one more minute.
Add the chicken pieces to the pot, season with salt, and cook until they are lightly browned on all sides.
Pour in the coconut milk and add the rinsed chickpeas. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh spinach by the handful until it wilts into the sauce. Finally, stir in the fresh lime juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted cashews. It pairs beautifully with quinoa or brown rice.
Chef's Tip
For an even deeper flavor, toast the whole cumin seeds in a dry pan for a minute until fragrant before grinding them. This simple step awakens the essential oils and adds a remarkable aromatic dimension to the final dish.
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Chicken Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 500 g chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 400 g can cooked chickpeas, rinsed
- 150 g fresh spinach
- 1 tsp, to taste sea salt
- 0.5 juice of half a lime
Garnish
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 handful toasted cashews, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to let them burn.
- Stir in the curry powder, turmeric, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to 'bloom' the spices. This is key to developing a deep flavor. Then, stir in the tomato paste and cook for one more minute.
- Add the chicken pieces to the pot, season with salt, and cook until they are lightly browned on all sides.
- Pour in the coconut milk and add the rinsed chickpeas. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh spinach by the handful until it wilts into the sauce. Finally, stir in the fresh lime juice.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted cashews. It pairs beautifully with quinoa or brown rice.
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