A Cozy Spicy Chicken Curry Adventure in My Kitchen

There’s something so satisfying about opening your pantry, seeing what kind of ingredients you have, and trying something new. Lately, food has been boring. I have been trying to expand my palette by cooking with more fresh ingredients, eating at more authentic restaurants, and thinking outside the traditional American food box. I am a big YouTube fan so I am often watching videos of other cultures. Lately, I’ve been hooked on watching the beautiful women from Uganda and Kenya prepare beautiful cuisines in their outdoor kitchens. It’s inspired me not only to have an outdoor kitchen at my next house but to try something different and make my own indoor kitchen exciting again. 

Cooking doesn’t have to be boring, and you don’t have to be a chef to cook; just cook what you enjoy and experiment with food!

One rainy Sunday afternoon, I did exactly that and made my spicy chicken curry, and honestly, I was skeptical at first, but really proud of how it turned out!

Earlier that morning, I spent time cleaning my backyard and tending to my little strawberry patch. Working hard and hungry, I was actually excited about Sunday dinner. BOOM! The rain started, and we had a power outage right as I was preparing dinner! I was a little bummed because I thought I wouldn’t get the chance to cook at all. Luckily, the power outage lasted for about an hour, and dinner was back on!

The idea for this chicken curry really came from wanting to use up a jar of curry powder that had been sitting in my cabinet for ages. I didn’t want it to go to waste. I also had some chicken wings in the freezer, but I wasn’t sure what to do with them besides the usual grilling, baking, or air frying. So I decided to get creative! I didn’t have all the traditional ingredients for a classic curry, but I made it work with what I had on hand. I watched a few quick videos for inspiration, but didn’t stick to any strict recipe. I marinated the chicken wings with chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic. While they soaked up all that flavor, I chopped up fresh veggies: diced tomatoes, sweet red pepper, onion, more garlic (because why not?), plus cabbage and carrots for extra texture and color.

      I fried the marinated wings until almost crispy, which kept them tender but with delicious crispy edges, even after simmering. For the curry mixture, I sautéed the onion, garlic, red pepper, cabbage, and carrots with the tomatoes and spices: curry powder, chili lime powder, salt, and pepper. To thicken it up, I added a cup of milk and coconut flour, an experiment that worked perfectly!

  I seasoned to taste and added more curry til I thought it was curried enough. I'd never had curry before BTW, so the sauce just tasted, what I thought to be, just right! Once the sauce was rich and fragrant, I added the crispy chicken and let it all simmer until the flavors came together beautifully. I served it all on an acacia wood plate alongside fluffy white rice, a warm, comforting Sunday supper that made the rainy day feel extra cozy.

IT WAS DELISH!💋

It wasn’t traditional, but it was mine, and that’s what makes cooking exciting. If you’ve ever felt unsure about making curry, trust yourself, use what you have, and don’t be afraid to experiment. You might surprise yourself just like I did!

What’s the best dish you’ve ever improvised? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!