With its fragrant blend of spices, this healthy Chicken & Aubergine Curry is packed full of flavour and makes a delicious, mouthwatering meal.
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I love experimenting and making curry dishes at home! Some of my other creations include King Prawn Balti, Quick Chicken Curry With Peppers & Mango Chicken Curry.
I had an aubergine sitting in the fridge feeling sorry for itself and thought it would work really well in a curry alongside some chicken and spinach, so set about to create this super tasty chicken & aubergine curry recipe.
Aubergine is quite a mild vegetable on its own, buts it's great at absorbing the flavours that surround it, so is perfect to use in a curry as it soaks up all the mouthwatering spices that are in the tomato gravy.
If you use a gluten-free stock, the curry is also gluten-free and dairy-free, so is ideal for anyone with those food allergies.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients Used
✋ Be sure to double check all packaging for allergens. ✋
- Chicken: I have used boneless, skinless chicken breast but you could just as easily use boneless chicken thighs too.
- Aubergine: Also known as eggplant in the US.
- Spinach: Works well in a curry and with aubergine. It's also full of iron so is really good for you. I have used fresh spinach but you can also stir through frozen spinach straight from the freezer.
- Aromatics: Onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies help form the base of the curry.
- Tomatoes: I have added tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato puree.
- Chicken Stock: I love using Knorr Chicken Stock Pots as they are gluten and dairy free. (Always double-check packaging)
- Spices: Garam masala, chilli powder, cumin, turmeric & ground coriander make up the spice blend for this curry.
- Oil: Use vegetable oil or any mild-tasting oil. You can use ghee but be aware that the curry will then not be dairy free.
- Coriander: Fresh, chopped coriander is delicious sprinkled over the top of the curry.
✏️ How To Make Chicken & Aubergine Curry
⬇️ For the full printable recipe, along with ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post ⬇️
To begin making this delicious chicken and eggplant curry, preheat your oven to 200˚C / 390˚F. Start by chopping the aubergine into small squares and toss them in 1 tablespoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Then, place them on a nonstick baking tray and roast them in the oven for 15 minutes until tender and slightly browned.
While the aubergine is roasting, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients. Finely chop the onion, garlic, green chilli, and ginger. Dice the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks, ready to be added to the curry.
Heat the rest of the vegetable oil in a large pan over low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Then, add the garlic, ginger, and green chilli to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Next, increase the heat to medium and add the chicken, tomato puree, and spices to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure that the chicken is evenly coated in the spices.
Then add the roasted aubergine, tinned tomatoes, and stock to the pan. Allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Just before serving, add the spinach to the pan and stir until all the spinach has wilted into the curry.
Your delicious and fragrant chicken and aubergine curry is now ready to be served hot, garnished with fresh coriander if desired. Enjoy!
💡 Tips & Tricks
- I would really recommend getting a meat thermometer. As soon as the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74˚C / 165˚F it is cooked and safe to eat - no more dry and overcooked chicken!
- You can also make this recipe using leftover, cooked chicken. Just add it at the same time as the chopped tomatoes and stock, ensuring it reaches the temperature above before serving.
⚡ Variations
Adjust The Spice Level
The great thing about homemade curries is you can control the heat! Prefer more spice? Use hot chilli powder instead of mild and garnish with fresh, chopped green chilli.
If you like things a little milder, just halve the chilli powder and chillies used. A dollop of natural yoghurt swirled through the curry also helps to cool things down a bit.
Make It Vegan
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock & simply swap the chicken for another protein like firm tofu or chickpeas. You can also add more vegetables instead. Peppers, mushrooms or potatoes work well.
🔪 Equipment
🥡 Storage
Leftover curry keeps really well. If you leave it in the fridge overnight, it gives the flavours even more time to meld together. Any leftover curry can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a saucepan on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout.
You can also store the curry in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
This chicken and aubergine curry goes really well with some pilau, basmati or keema rice with lamb and gluten-free naan bread.
Add some popadoms and chutneys for the full takeaway experience.
💬 FAQ
Yes! If you want to make the curry milder and give it more of a Thai flavour, add half a tin of full-fat coconut milk when adding the spinach.
Yes, you can make chicken and aubergine curry ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. To reheat, simply warm it up in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.
Yes, simply roast the aubergine in the oven. Fry off the onion, garlic, ginger and green chilli in a saucepan, then add to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. Add the spinach just before serving.
💫 Love this recipe? It would be great if you could leave a 5 ⭐ rating and comment below! Thanks x 💫
📖 More Indian Inspired Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Chicken & Aubergine Curry
Equipment
- Meat thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 650 g skinless, boneless chicken breast chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 1 large aubergine chopped into bite-sized chunks
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 2 medium green finger chillies finely chopped
- 2.5 cm fresh ginger finely chopped
- 400 g chopped tomatoes tin of
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 90 g spinach
- 200 ml gluten-free chicken stock I have used Knorr stock pot
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt to roast with the aubergine
Spices
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
To serve
- fresh coriander to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C / 390˚F.
- Chop the aubergine into small squares, and toss in 1 tablespoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Place on a nonstick baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Finely chop the onion/garlic / green chilli/ginger.
- Dice the chicken breast into bite-sized chunks and make up the stock.
- Heat the rest of the vegetable oil in a large pan over low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic, ginger & green chilli to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium, add the chicken, tomato puree and spices to the pan and cook for 10 minutes stirring regularly to coat the chicken in the spices.
- Add the cooked aubergine, tinned tomatoes and stock to the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spinach just before serving and stir until all of the spinach has wilted into the curry.
- Serve the chicken and aubergine curry hot, garnished with fresh coriander if desired.
Notes
- I would really recommend getting a meat thermometer. As soon as the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 74˚C / 165˚F it is cooked and safe to eat - no more dry and overcooked chicken!
- You can also make this recipe using leftover, cooked chicken. Just add it at the same time as the chopped tomatoes and stock, ensuring it reaches the temperature above before serving.
Let me know what you think of this recipe!