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Curry Chicken Thighs Dinner Bone-in Recipe

Name: Island Foods Express Curry Chicken Thighs Dinner Bone-In Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 1 cups plain yogurt (whole or Greek); 2 tbs fresh lemon juice; 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 2 tbs fresh ginger, grated; 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp garam masala; 1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked); 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 0.25 tsp chili powder or cayenne (optional, for heat); 3 tbs vegetable oil or neutral oil; 1 tbs unsalted butter; 1 cups yellow onion, medium, finely chopped; 2 tbs tomato paste; 1 cups diced tomatoes (canned, 14 oz / 400 g); 1 cups chicken stock or water; 0.5 cups coconut milk (full fat) or additional stock; 1 tsp brown sugar or honey (optional to balance acidity); 0.25 cups fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish); 4 pieces lime wedges (for serving); 3 cups basmati rice or steamed rice; 4 pieces naan or flatbread

Inspired by Island Foods Express

Time1h 30m

Serves4

Make Curry Chicken Thighs Dinner Bone-in Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Marinade & Seasoning

6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 cups plain yogurt (whole or Greek)

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

4 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

2 tbs Fresh ginger, grated

2 tsp Ground coriander

2 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Ground turmeric

1 tsp Garam masala

1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

1/4 tsp chili powder or cayenne (optional, for heat)

Cooking Sauce

3 tbs vegetable oil or neutral oil

1 tbs Unsalted butter

1 cups yellow onion, medium, finely chopped

2 tbs tomato paste

1 cups diced tomatoes (canned, 14 oz / 400 g)

1 cups chicken stock or water

1/2 cups coconut milk (full fat) or additional stock

1 tsp brown sugar or honey (optional to balance acidity)

1/4 cups fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

4 pieces Lime wedges (for serving)

To Serve (optional)

3 cups basmati rice or steamed rice

4 pieces naan or flatbread

Method

Marinade & Prep

Prepare chicken

Pat the 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Make 2 shallow slashes in the thickest part of each thigh to help the marinade penetrate.

Make marinade

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 tbs lemon juice, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbs grated ginger, 2 tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp paprika, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp chili powder (if using). Stir until smooth.

Marinate

Coat the chicken thighs thoroughly with the yogurt-spice mixture, making sure to get marinade into the slashes and under the skin where possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours or up to overnight for best flavor.

Cooking Sauce & Chicken

Preheat and sear

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large ovenproof skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter until shimmering.

Sear chicken

Remove excess marinade from the chicken (shake off but don’t wipe completely). Place thighs skin-side down in the hot pan in a single layer, pressing slightly to ensure contact. Sear until the skin is deeply golden-brown, 4–6 minutes. Flip and cook the undersides for 2 minutes. Transfer the seared thighs to a plate and set aside.

Build the sauce

Reduce heat to medium. Add the finely chopped onion (about 1 cup) to the pan and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes. Stir frequently and scrape up browned bits. Add 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens slightly.

Add tomatoes and spices

Add 1 cup diced tomatoes (canned) to the pan and stir to combine with the onion and tomato paste. Pour in 1 cup chicken stock (or water) and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Stir in 1 tsp brown sugar or honey if using. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer and taste; adjust salt if needed.

Return chicken to pan

Nestle the seared thighs back into the sauce, skin-side up. The liquid should come partway up the sides of the thighs but not cover the skin—adjust with more stock if necessary.

Bake to finish

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake uncovered until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part, about 20–25 minutes depending on thigh size. Spoon some sauce over the thighs halfway through to keep them moist but maintain crispy skin as much as possible.

Rest

Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Let the chicken rest in the sauce for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and flavors to meld.

Finish & Serve

Garnish and adjust

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lime if desired. Stir in chopped cilantro (about 1/4 cup) for freshness.

Serve

Serve the curry chicken thighs over cooked basmati rice (about 3 cups cooked) or with naan. Provide lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Spoon extra sauce over the chicken and rice. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 3 days.