Skip to content
FriendsPantry

Burmese

Burmese chicken curry

Non-vegetarian

ကြက်သားဟင်း · kyet tha hin

Chicken slowly cooked in a deep red base of onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and paprika until the oil rises to the surface — a mild, savoury Burmese home curry.

Burmese chicken curry is a Burmese curry from Myanmar, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with onion, paprika and chicken pieces, skin-on. It serves 5 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking

No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h
Total
1 h 15 min
Serves
5
Level
Easy
Calories
574

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Blend the onions (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab) and ginger to a coarse paste.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the paste with the turmeric (opens in a new tab), paprika (opens in a new tab), chilli, cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and bay leaves (opens in a new tab) over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it darkens and the oil separates.

    This slow frying is the secret of Burmese curries — do not rush it.

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken, fish sauce (opens in a new tab) and salt and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes so the chicken releases its juices.

    • 10 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the water (and potatoes (opens in a new tab), if using), cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and the oil floats on top of a thick sauce.

    • 30 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and the juices run clear (74 °C in the thickest part).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Stir in the garam masala (opens in a new tab), scatter with coriander and serve with rice.

    • 1 min
    Fresh herbs scattered over a finished dish
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Myanmar · Well documentedMore food from Myanmar
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Braised, Sautéed
Taste
savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced, rich, mild
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Onion · Paprika · Chicken pieces, skin-on · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Turmeric
Techniques
Sautéing · Simmering · Braising · Bhunao

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom fish sauce
  • May contain: Crustaceansfrom fish sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

574 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 350 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 27%
  • Carbohydrate 7%
  • Fat 65%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy574 kcal164 kcal
Protein39 g11.2 g
Carbohydrate10.6 g3 g
Net carbohydrate8.3 g2.4 g
Sugars3.4 g1 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.3 g0.7 g
Fat41.4 g11.8 g
Saturated fat9.5 g2.7 g
Trans fat0.2 g0.1 g
Cholesterol150 mg43 mg
Sodium1170 mg335 mg
Salt equivalent2.9 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
588 mg
Calcium
68 mg
Iron
2.8 mg
Magnesium
68 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
116 µg
Vitamin C
11 mg
Vitamin D
0.4 µg
Vitamin B12
0.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
31 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: potato.
  • Red chilli flakes: Ground cayenne (FDC 170932) used as a stand-in for dried chilli flakes such as pul biber or Aleppo pepper.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The red oil on top is a sign of a well-made curry; spoon some off if you prefer it lighter.

Common mistakes

  • Frying the onion paste over high heat — it burns before it sweetens.

Serve with

  • Serve with rice, a sour soup and a crunchy vegetable salad (thoke).

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3, 4

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

You might also like