Chicken Curry

A low FODMAP chicken curry with chicken thighs, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, coconut milk, and spinach.

Prep 15 min

Cook 30 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Ingredients

Protein

• 1 1/4 lb (570 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Aromatics and Spices

• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (about a 1-inch knob)
• 1/2 cup scallion greens (~40 g), thinly sliced, plus more to finish
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala (check the label; avoid blends with onion or garlic powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure ground chili (such as cayenne or Kashmiri chili), or to taste; most chili powder blends contain garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

Sauce and Vegetables

• 1 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or chopped (about 200 g, ~1/4 cup per serve)
• 1/2 large red bell pepper (about 170 g), sliced (~43 g per serve)
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into thin coins
• 1 cup canned coconut milk, light or regular, with no inulin (about 240 ml, 1/4 cup per serve)
• 1 1/2 cups water or low-FODMAP chicken broth
• 4 cups baby spinach (about 120 g), loosely packed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

To Serve

• 4 cups cooked basmati rice (1 cup per serving)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup plain dairy-free coconut yogurt with no inulin or chicory root (optional, for drizzling)
• Lime wedges

Instructions

Bloom the Spices

1. Heat the garlic-infused oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the ginger and scallion greens. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring, until the ginger smells fragrant.
3. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, ground chili, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir for 30 seconds until the spices darken slightly and smell toasty. Keep the heat moderate so they don't scorch.

Sear the Chicken

1. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
2. Push the aromatics to the edges of the pan and add the chicken in a single layer. Let it sit for about 2 minutes to pick up color, then stir and cook another 2 to 3 minutes until the outside is no longer pink.

Simmer

1. Add the canned tomatoes, bell pepper, and carrots. Stir to coat everything in the spices.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Bring to a low simmer.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F / 74°C) and the carrots are tender. The sauce should thicken slightly and turn a deep golden color.
4. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
5. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt.

Serve

1. Spoon the curry over basmati rice.
2. Top with fresh cilantro, extra scallion greens, and a drizzle of coconut yogurt if using. Serve with lime wedges.

Tips & Substitutions

• Keep the coconut milk at 1 cup. Monash lists canned coconut milk as low FODMAP at 1/4 cup (60 g) per serve, light or regular. One cup across four bowls stays there, and the water or low FODMAP chicken broth makes up the volume. For a richer sauce, simmer it uncovered to reduce rather than adding more coconut milk.
• Read the curry powder and garam masala labels. Formulations vary, and some curry and garam masala blends include onion powder, garlic powder, or hing (asafoetida), so choose one without onion or garlic. Asafoetida (hing) is sold compounded with flour, so check that it is gluten-free and has no added onion or garlic, and use only a pinch. Plain blends of coriander, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, and chili are all low-FODMAP.
• Make it vegetarian with firm tofu or canned lentils. Swap the chicken for 14 oz firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed. For a bean option, use 1 cup drained, rinsed canned lentils (1/4 cup per serve, under the Monash low serve of about ⅓ cup (65g)). Canned chickpeas are limited to about ⅓ cup (80g) drained per serve, which is too little to carry a curry on its own.
• Thicken or thin the sauce. For a thicker curry, simmer uncovered for the last 5 minutes. For a looser, soupier sauce, add an extra 1/4 cup water at the end.
• Use bone-in thighs for deeper flavor. Brown 4 to 6 bone-in skin-on thighs in the oil, remove, build the sauce, then return them to braise for 35 to 45 minutes, until they reach 165°F (74°C) and the meat pulls from the bone.
• Skip jarred curry sauces and pastes. Most contain onion, garlic, or both. If you want a shortcut paste, look for one with no onion, garlic, or hing on the label.

Why This Works

Coconut milk at the Monash serve. Canned coconut milk is low FODMAP at 1/4 cup per serve. One cup across four bowls, thinned with water or broth, keeps the sauce creamy and each bowl at that serve.

Bloomed spices carry the flavor. A curry usually gets its depth from onion and garlic cooked down for 10 minutes. Blooming ground spices in hot oil for 30 seconds pulls their flavor into the fat and gives the sauce a savory base in less time.

Ginger and scallion greens replace the onion flavor. Fresh ginger is low FODMAP at this amount and brings warmth. Scallion greens give a mild onion note and are low FODMAP, unlike the white bulb. With strained garlic-infused oil (no garlic solids left in it), they stand in for the usual onion-and-garlic base.

Canned tomato within serve. Canned tomato is low FODMAP at 1/2 cup per serve (about 100 g). One cup across four bowls comes out to 1/4 cup per bowl, so the sauce gets body from the tomato.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. The curry freezes well for up to 2 months; freeze the sauce without the spinach and add fresh spinach during reheating for better texture.