Leftover Chicken Curry

Have you ever wondered what to do with the leftover roast chicken after a Sunday roast? 

Well, wonder no more! Transform those leftovers into this delicious leftover chicken curry!

I have made this curry delicately spiced ( like this mango chicken curry and salmon katsu curry) so the whole family can enjoy it, however, I will give you options further down in the post on how to raise the spice level if you like things a bit hotter.

Using leftovers is a great way to save money and cut down on food waste. Another of my favourite leftover recipes is this leftover lamb shepherd's pie.

• On the table in just 40 minutes: Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
• Gluten, dairy, egg and nut free: Making it ideal for people with a range of food allergies.
• Great for using up leftovers: Don’t let those last bits of chicken go to waste.
• Mildly spiced: So the whole family can enjoy it. (You can easily adjust the spice level too!)

• Leftover Cooked Chicken - Use the leftovers from a roast chicken. Alternatively, you can use a rotisserie chicken or buy pre-cooked chicken slices.  If you would like to try a curry cooking the chicken from scratch, check out this chicken & aubergine curry.
• Chicken Stock - You can either use a fresh chicken stock made from the chicken carcass or use a ready made stock. I love the Knorr chicken stock pots as they are gluten and dairy free.
• Tinned Tomatoes - Canned tomatoes help to form the curry sauce.
• Mango Chutney - Adds a slight sweetness to the curry. Depending on how spicy you would like the curry to be, you can either use a mild or hot version.
• Aromatics - onion, garlic and ginger.
• Spices - I have used mild curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder, cumin & ground coriander. For more heat, swap the mild curry powder for hot curry powder.
• Cornflour - Also known as cornstarch, this is used to thicken the curry sauce. Despite “flour” being in its name, cornflour is gluten free.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

⚡ Variations

• Swap The Protein - Instead of cooked chicken, you can also make this curry with leftover roast turkey, lamb or beef.
• Adjust The Spice Level - This curry is mildly spiced but leave out the chilli powder and use a mild mango chutney to make it even tamer. To heat things up a little, use hot curry powder, a hot mango chutney and increase the amount of chilli powder.
• Add Veg - Toss in some baby spinach towards the end of cooking or add any leftover veg from the previous day's roast dinner.
• Make It Creamy - Stir through some full-fat coconut milk once the curry has cooked for a creamy, mild flavour.

✏️ How To Make Leftover Chicken Curry

⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️

Step 1: Start by prepping the vegetables. Finely slice the onion and then grate the garlic and fresh ginger, using either a zest grater or the smallest holes on a box grater.

Step 2: Heat a large saucepan or frying pan on a low to medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, add in the onion and cook until the onion has softened and slightly browned.

Step 3: Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes. Keep stirring to make sure the garlic doesn’t stick to the pan and burn.

Step 4: Stir the spices into the aromatics mixture, let them toast and cook out for a couple of minutes.

💡 Tips & Tricks

• If you don’t have enough leftover chicken, bulk out the curry with extra vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers or chickpeas.
• If you can, make the curry the day before serving, leaving it in the fridge overnight before reheating when you are ready to eat. This will give the flavours time to really meld together and shine through.
• Use a teaspoon to peel the skin on the fresh ginger. Hold the teaspoon concave side up and scrape the ginger skin gently with the teaspoon's edge.
• Make your own chicken stock from the leftover chicken carcass.
• Add half a can of full-fat coconut milk, just before the curry finishes cooking to add some creamy deliciousness!
• Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) & sliced red chilli.

🥡 Storage, Reheating & Freezing

Storage

Providing you originally cooked the chicken the day before, this leftover chicken curry can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days.

Reheating

Reheat either on a low heat on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout.

Freezing

Leave the curry to cool, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, where it can be frozen for upto 3 months.

Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat as above.

🍴 Serving Suggestions

Serve this leftover chicken curry alongside some pilau rice and gluten free naan bread.

It is also delicious spooned over a crispy jacket potato.

💬 Recipe FAQs