This easy Slow Cooker Cape Malay Chicken Curry with Yellow Rice is a delicious, comforting meal perfect for busy days. Packed with aromatic spices, tender chicken, and crispy potatoes, it’s a hearty dish that you can customize with common ingredients. The fragrant yellow rice complements the curry perfectly for a satisfying dinner.

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Recipe Ingredients

For the Curry

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil (1 oz)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 5 cloves
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp each ground white pepper, coriander, and cumin
• Seeds from 8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick, halved
• 1 large red chilli, halved, deseeded, and sliced
• 400g can chopped tomatoes (14 oz)
• 2 tbsp mango chutney (1 oz)
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 12 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, cut into chunks
• Small pack of coriander, chopped

For the Yellow Rice

• 50g/2oz butter (3½ tbsp)
• 350g/12oz basmati rice (2 cups)
• 50g/2oz raisins (½ cup)
• 1 tsp golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• 1 cinnamon stick, halved
• 8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

How To Make Slow Cooker Cape Malay Chicken Curry With Yellow Rice

1. Prepare the Curry: Heat the slow cooker if necessary. Heat the oil in a large, wide pan. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and cloves, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add all the remaining spices and the fresh chilli, stir briefly, then tip in the chopped tomatoes with 1½ cans of water, plus the chutney and crumbled stock cube.
2. Cook the Curry: Add the chicken thighs and potatoes to the pan, stir to combine, and transfer everything into the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 3 hours. Stir in the chopped coriander just before serving.
3. Make the Yellow Rice: About 10 minutes before serving, melt the butter in a large pan. Add the rice, raisins, sugar, turmeric, and white pepper, then pour in 550ml/19fl oz water and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the rice undisturbed for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with the curry.

Recipe Tips

• Use bone-in chicken thighs: They stay tender and juicy while cooking, adding extra flavor to the curry. Avoid using boneless chicken as it can dry out in the slow cooker.
• Grate the ginger and garlic finely: This helps them blend into the sauce and ensures the flavors infuse throughout the curry, giving it a smooth texture.
• Don’t skip the mango chutney: It adds a sweet, tangy balance to the spices and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
• Cut potatoes into even chunks: This ensures they cook evenly and don’t turn mushy. Aim for bite-sized pieces to match the chicken.
• Let the rice sit before serving: After cooking, turn off the heat and let the rice sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. This helps it firm up and prevents it from being too sticky.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

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