This chicken curry with mango and tomato salad brings together tender chicken, fragrant spices, coconut milk and fresh herbs, then finishes with a bright, juicy salad. The curry tastes warm and comforting, while the mango and tomato salad adds a fresh, sunny contrast that keeps each bite lively.
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: 4
Dietary: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Pregnancy-friendly
By Matt TebbuttFrom Saturday Kitchen Recipes
This chicken curry with mango and tomato salad earns a Nutri-Score of B because it combines lean protein, vegetables, herbs and fruit with a coconut milk base. The dish includes fibre from the beans, courgette, tomatoes and mango, plus protein from the chicken and some natural sweetness from the fruit.
Ingredients
For the chicken curry
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 chicken, jointed, on the bone
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 Thai green chillies, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 400ml/14fl oz light coconut milk
- 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
- 100g/3½oz green beans, chopped
- 200g/7oz cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 courgette, sliced into ribbons
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1 large handful coriander, chopped
- 1 small handful mint, chopped
- pinch salt
- freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 1 mango, peeled and sliced
- 2 round tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp picked coriander leaves
Customise
- Chicken can swap for bone-in turkey pieces if needed.
- Green beans can swap for sugar snap peas or tenderstem broccoli.
- Mango can swap for ripe pineapple for a similar sweet, fresh salad.
Method
- Brown the chicken first. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them all over, then lift them out and set them aside. This gives the chicken curry a deeper flavour right from the start.
- Soften the onions and spice base. Add the onion to the pan and cook it gently until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, chillies, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, curry powder and ground coriander, then cook for 2 minutes while everything smells fragrant and warm. This stage can overlap with getting the mango and tomatoes ready for serving.
- Build the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock, and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Keep the heat low and let the chicken curry cook very gently for 20 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Add the vegetables at the right time. Stir in the green beans for the final 10 minutes of cooking. Add the cherry tomatoes and courgette for the final few minutes, then cook just until they soften slightly and still keep their colour.
- Finish with herbs and lime. Stir in the lime zest, lime juice, coriander and mint. Season with salt and black pepper, then taste and adjust the balance so the curry feels bright, fresh and well rounded.
- Assemble the salad and serve. Arrange the mango slices and thinly sliced tomatoes on plates or a serving platter, then scatter over the picked coriander leaves. Spoon the chicken curry beside it or over the top, and serve the mango and tomato salad straight away while everything is fresh.
Use the chicken curry as the main dish and the mango and tomato salad as the fresh finishing touch. For the best flavour, serve it while the curry is hot and the salad still feels cool and juicy.
- Can I make the chicken curry ahead? Yes. Cook the curry first, then reheat it gently and add the herbs and lime at the end for the freshest taste.
- Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken pieces on the bone? Yes, but reduce the cooking time so the chicken stays moist.
- Can I serve the salad separately? Yes. The mango and tomato salad works well as a bright side dish beside the curry.