Tender chicken, cauliflower, onions, bell pepper, and chilies roasted in the air fryer, then simmered in a simple stove-top robust curry sauce with fire-roasted tomatoes, coconut milk, and spices, creating the perfect chicken chickpeas vegetable curry.
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Easy and Flavorful Curry
If you are craving a healthy, protein-packed meal that's ready in 30 minutes. Try the Air Fryer Roasted Chicken Chickpea Vegetable Curry! It's a simple cooking process for a popular dish, using the air fryer to create perfectly caramelized chicken, cauliflower, red peppers, and onions.
Then, a simple yet flavorful curry sauce made with fire-roasted tomatoes, creamy coconut milk, and warming spices like turmeric, cumin, and coriander takes this dish to the next level. This chicken vegetable chickpea curry recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or relaxed weekend suppers, offering a nutritious and delicious option that satisfies!
So, gather your spices, fire up your air fryer, and prepare to be amazed by this easy and flavorful curry!
More Curry Recipes to Try
- Curried Chickpeas and Mushrooms with Spiced Brown Basmati Rice
- Curried Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Chickpea Cucumber Salad
- Curried Ground Turkey, Vegetables, and Olives
- Chickpeas and Egg Masala Skillet
Ingredients
Blend the ginger, garlic cloves, and fresh cilantro to make this delicious meal. Then, heat the aromatics with avocado oil and ghee until fragrant. Add the can of chickpeas, fire-roasted tomatoes, and coconut milk.
Next, air-fry the skinless, boneless chicken breast pieces with onion, red bell pepper, jalapeno, cauliflower forest, curry powder, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and avocado oil. When the chicken vegetable mixtures are cooked, simmer them with the stewed curry chickpeas.
See the curry chicken chickpeas vegetable recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the instructions and cooking tips below using the step-by-step picture guide.
Make the Curry Base
The food process is used to chop the aromatics conveniently. However, this can be chopped by hand as well.
The ghee avocado oil mixture with the aromatics creates the base for the curry, creating a nutty yet earthy depth.
The aromatics will sweat with no browning until the onions are translucent.
The sauce is made first since this will give the curry and chickpeas enough time to meld, creating a rich, flavorful sauce.
Roast the Chicken and Vegetables
Roasting the chicken and vegetables in the air fryer is a convenient way to caramelize them and add another level of flavor.
The vegetables and chicken are uniformly cut to cook evenly, creating golden brown edges. Here's how to cut chicken uniformly.
Parchment paper for the win! Because you can use it in your air fryer or oven. Plus, it makes cleaning up and transferring to the cutting board easier. Now, there are Air Fryer Disposable Paper Liners that do the same. (Note: This picture and the following are from an older version of this recipe)
Cut the vegetables and meat in a way that finishes cooking simultaneously; the roasting takes place evenly. Then, you remove the ingredients, keeping them on the parchment paper to cool off to the side.
Combine
Reducing the coconut milk and the fire-roasted tomatoes with curry powder will give the sauce a velvety, vivid orange look.
Roasting the jalapeno will give the curry great texture and flavor.
Add the garam masala at the end; it helps prevent a bitter curry with a bright, aromatic taste.
Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with cooking tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab. In addition, some related detailed steps can be found there. Learn how to butterfly chicken breast. In addition, learn why avocado oil is used in the air fryer instead of olive oil. Learn about prepping sweet peppers.
Serving Suggestions
This was great with crispy greens and green goddess dressing. The dressing has a pleasant citrus kick that compliments the curry. And what is a more perfect way than using naan to soak up the sauce? Delicious!
Alternatively, try serving it with Easy Spiced Brown Rice with Quinoa - a yellow-brown rice and quinoa side dish spiced with turmeric, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, cinnamon, coriander, and lemon zest. Excellent side dish for the Mediterranean, Middle-Eastern, African, and Indian Inspired main dishes and rice or Buddha bowls.
Or plate it with a side of brown or regular basmati rice, your choice of regular brown or white rice, naan, and or salad. You might find this even more delightful served on top of air-fried chunks of sweet potatoes.
Substitutions
Dairy Free
- Ghee - This easy and delicious recipe can be dairy-free by omitting the ghee and using only avocado oil. To give the dish that nutty taste provided by the ghee, add a small amount of toasted sesame oil to give a hint of nuttiness without overpowering the dish.
Gluten-Free
- This air fryer chicken recipe is already gluten-free.
Vegetarian
- Omit the chicken and increase the cauliflower for a fantastic vegetarian option.
Convenience
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic Cloves - Use ginger garlic paste, which may be found at your local Asian market or grocery stores.
- Canned Chickpeas - If you only have dried chickpeas, soak them overnight in a bowl of water with a small amount of baking soda, and they will double in size. ChefSteps suggests using ½ teaspoon of baking soda for every 1 cup of chickpeas.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - Use chicken thighs for a more flavorful dish.
Change Heat Level - Modify the chicken curry recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- Red Onions - Use red onions for a vibrant presentation.
Equipment
- Food Processor - To blend the aromatics quickly. I used the KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper for this recipe, which is great for chopping conveniently or making cold sauces and dressings.
- Enameled Dutch Oven - A great heavy bottom pot like the Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven that I used to prevent food from sticking to the bottom and provide even cooking and retention of heat. You can easily use a medium saute pan with tall sides if you do not have one.
- Large Mixing Bowl - Combine and season the chicken and vegetables before air frying them.
- Air Fryer - For conveniently roasting the chicken, vegetables, and chili pepper, I used the Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Indoor Grill for this recipe. However, if you don't have one, you can use your oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces; keep an eye on browning and stir the ingredients to brown evenly.
Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the chicken curry recipe in a 2-inch shallow container to cool down quickly. Then, store in an air-tight sealing container. The meal will last up to four days.
- Freezer - First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.
Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food. For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tikka roughly means small bits of meat or vegetables, while masala means a spice blend, aka curry. Together, you get the description of an Indian dish with bits of meat or vegetables in a curry. Traditional tikka masala is a delicacy of Indian cuisine in the global eye, and it has interesting roots stretching back centuries.
Its history is complex and diverse; some think it originated in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, while others contend its lineage traces all the way to the Mughal Empire.
However, this cooking method was created outside of India, possibly in the UK, by Indian migrants looking for an alternative way to make butter chicken. Regardless of where it came from, tikka masala has become one of the most beloved dishes worldwide.
Cooking tikka masala is usually relatively easy – marinated pieces of meat or paneer cooked in a spiced tomato sauce, giving you a simple dish. Also, many chefs have variations on this classic dish, adding things like cream, nuts, yogurt, or other spices to make it more unique.
Whether cooking it at home or eating out, tikka masala promises to tantalize your taste buds every time!
Authentic tikka masala recipes usually involve marinated chicken in a lemon yogurt sauce of garlic and ginger paste with various spice combinations like turmeric, cumin, chili powder, coriander, garam masala, and paprika.
Then the meat is cooked on an open flame, like a grill or tandoori oven, on skewers or seared in a pan until golden brown. Next, in a pan, you'll saute the aromatics, consisting of onions with spices and chilies. Finally, you'll add tomato paste and other spices and finish with cilantro.
If you've ever had the opportunity to order tikka masala and butter chicken in a restaurant, they both really do almost look the same. But there are a couple of interesting differences.
First, if you read the history of tikka masala from above, you would have learned that tikka masala didn't originate in India but possibly the UK. Butter chicken actually originated in New Delhi.
Second, they both focus on different ingredients. Tikka masala uses tomato paste, while butter chicken uses fresh tomatoes. Make one more tomatoey while the other is more buttery. Can you guess which one? Hahaha.
Avocado oil is neutral-tasting oil that can withstand heat over 400 degrees Fahrenheit before creating smoke, thus having a high smoke point.
Ghee is a clarified butter used mainly in India; during the process, the milk solids are caramelized, enhancing the taste of the oil before it is removed.
Indian Recipes
Looking for other Indian-inspired recipes like this? Try these:
- Quick Spicy Potstickers | Chili Momo Tibetan Style
- Best Fragrant Creamy Potato Coconut Curry Fish Soup
- Calabrian Lemon Yogurt Baked Chicken Thighs with Vegetables
- Curried Air Fryer Lamb Chops with Chickpea Cucumber Salad
Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for other one-pot meal recipes like this? Try these:
- Jerk Fajita Trio: 3 Must-Try Recipes for a Spicy Weeknight Cook-Up
- Air Fryer Chicken and Pork Belly Tacos | Easy & Crispy
- Air Fryer Jerk Shrimp Fajitas | Easy Caribbean in 20 Minutes
- Beituti Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowl | Quick and Easy
Video
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📖 Recipe
(New) Air Fryer Roasted Chicken Chickpeas Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 1 medium jalapeno
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1- inch ginger
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 cup crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Equipment
Instructions
- Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
- Prepare Your Side Dish: Begin with the side dish of choice. I commonly serve this with brown basmati rice. But you can serve it with your choice of rice, couscous, or a fresh salad.
- Make the Aromatic Paste: Cut the ginger into ½-inch pieces, blend with the garlic and cilantro in a food processor, and set aside.
- Make the Curry Base: Heat a Dutch oven with oil and ghee on medium heat and continuously sweat the aromatics for 3 minutes while stirring. Then, add chickpeas, fire-roasted tomatoes, and coconut milk and simmer on medium-high heat for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Prepare the Chicken: While the sauce simmers, butterfly the chicken breast and slice them into 3-inch pieces.
- Then, pat dry the chicken pieces with paper towels and set them aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Set the Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with a cooking time of 15 minutes.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Peel and large dice the onion and red bell pepper and add them to the bowl. Halve and add the jalapeno. Then, add the cauliflower florets and chicken breast pieces and toss with curry powder, salt, pepper, and avocado oil.
- Roast the Mixture: Place the mixture in the air fryer and toss halfway. Then, remove and slice the jalapeno and add it to the curry-stewed chickpeas along with the cooked chicken, vegetables, and garam masala and simmer for 3 minutes. Finally, taste and season for salt and serve.
Video
Notes
- Cilantro - For convenience, take a bunch of cilantro and grab a handful that would closely measure to the unit size you need, then twist off three inches of the leaves and your stems together. The rest of the leaves on the thicker stems are picked off. For this recipe, you can use the younger stems.
- Coconut Milk - Shake the can of coconut milk before using.
- Cooking the Chicken and Vegetables - Depending on the size of your air fryer, if smaller than 4 quarts, you may have to cook this in two batches.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
- Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
- Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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