Ceylon Chicken Curry Recipe
A fragrant Sri Lankan chicken curry that balances earthy spices with a subtle tang from tamarind and goraka. The slow simmer melds coconut milk and aromatic herbs into a silky sauce, while the marinated chicken stays tender and flavorful. Perfect for a comforting family dinner that showcases authentic home cooking.
Recipe by Eroshan (Kolamba)· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: TikTok(view original)
Rate this recipe
Save this recipe to your cookbook
Saving public recipes is free. Keep the source, add notes, and find it again without searching the feed.

Watch the recipe video
Video plays from the original creator's platform. View the original video
Prep Time
Cook Time
Servings
One recipe link, ready for anywhere
Use it in Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, email, or a creator bio. It always opens this recipe and keeps the original source attached.
Publishing this recipe elsewhere? Add a visible credit link back to this page.
Publisher & backlink kit+
Give publishers a useful, properly credited asset. Backlinks only happen when another site chooses to publish and credit it.
Download the card, upload it to Google Lens, then use the outreach message for relevant uncredited copies. Contact only sites that actually reuse the asset.
About this saved recipe
Source-aware card
ReelsMeals turns tiktok.com into a kitchen-friendly checklist while keeping the original source attached.
Cooking context
1 hr 20 min estimated total time for 4 servings.
Explore related saves
Ingredients
No main ingredients listed.
Chicken Marinade
- 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs
- 0.04 oz turmeric powder
- 0.05 oz crushed black pepper
- 0.53 oz tamarind paste
- 0.21 oz salt
Curry Base
- 0.53 oz coconut oil
- 4 clove garlic cloves
- 0.35 oz fresh ginger
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 leaf pandan leaf
- 3 pod cardamom pods
- 3 clove cloves
- 1/4 oz roasted chilli powder
- 0.14 oz roasted curry powder
- 1 9/10 oz onion
- 1 9/10 oz tomato
- 1 piece garcinia cambogia (goraka)
- 1 cup water or thin coconut milk
- 1 7/10 fl oz coconut milk
- 0.11 oz crushed black pepper
Instructions
- 1Mix turmeric, black pepper, tamarind paste and salt into a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken thighs, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to 12 hours. Remove from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking.
- 2Heat coconut oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 3Add curry leaves, broken pandan leaf, cardamom pods, and whole cloves; stir briefly until they sizzle and release their aromas, about 30 seconds.
- 4Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes.
- 5Stir in the chopped tomato and the goraka piece; lower the heat, cover, and cook until the mixture softens and breaks down into a thick base, roughly 8–10 minutes.
- 6Add the marinated chicken to the pan, turning pieces to coat them in the base.
- 7Pour in 240 ml of water or thin coconut milk so the liquid reaches about halfway up the chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
- 8Uncover, season with additional salt if needed, and add the remaining crushed black pepper. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken without rapid boiling.
- 9Reduce the heat to low and stir in the 50 ml of coconut milk. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, ensuring the sauce is well combined and does not boil.
- 10Remove from heat and serve hot with rice or flatbread.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Marinate and temper
Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, up to 12 hours, then let it come to room temperature before cooking.
Brief aromatics sauté
Sauté the crushed garlic and ginger only until fragrant, about 1 minute, before adding the spices.
Liquid level and simmer
Add water or thin coconut milk until it reaches about halfway up the chicken, then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Made this recipe?
Tap a star to rate it — ratings help other cooks decide what to make next.
Rate this recipe
This recipe card was structured automatically from the original source. Always check the source for allergens or details the extraction may have missed.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Ceylon Chicken Curry?
- About 1 hour 20 minutes in total: 30 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Ceylon Chicken Curry recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Ceylon Chicken Curry recipe come from?
- It was shared by Eroshan (Kolamba) on tiktok.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.