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Home Collections Curries

African Chicken Curry – Kuku Paka

By:Nagi
Published:23 Oct '23Updated:23 Oct '23
83 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Are you ready to discover the world’s easiest curry?? As in, a real one, made from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This chicken curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Except it’s African. And you can get everything from regular grocery stores!

Freshly made pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

African chicken curry – Kuku Paka

Kuku Paka is an African-Indian coconut chicken curry that’s popular with Indian communities in East African countries such as Kenya and Tanzania. Kuku means chicken in Swahili and Paka means delicious in Punjabi. Fun to say. Delicious to eat!

This is a recipe that’s going to make curry lovers extremely happy because it tastes like a legit Indian curry but it’s much easier to make. No hunting down unusual spices! Just regular pantry ones – cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli – combined with ginger, garlic, coconut milk and canned tomato.

Curry connoisseurs will be dubious. How can it taste legit if you don’t have to run all over town trying to find an obscure spice to make it?? Answer: because millions of Africans can’t be wrong!

Kuku Paka (African chicken curry) for dinner

Serving Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Ingredients in Kuku Paka – African chicken curry

Just swing by your regular grocery store and you’ll find everything you need!

The chicken

The sauce gets a lot of flavour from the chicken because it doesn’t use chicken stock. So I really urge you to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces as they are fattier and juicier so they add more flavour into the sauce. I like to use a mix of thighs and drumsticks, but you could just use one or the other.

However, you can use boneless thighs and breast, though my caveat is that the sauce won’t be quite as flavourful. Directions in recipe notes!

Ingredients in Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Kuku paka sauce

And here’s everything else you need:

Ingredients in Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  • Spices – Cumin, coriander and turmeric for flavour. Chilli or cayenne pepper for spiciness! It’s not a super spicy curry but if you’re concerned about the amount of chilli, reduce or omit then you can add it in at the end, bit by bit.

  • Onion, ginger and garlic – Aromatic flavour base. I really urge you to use fresh ginger and garlic, but if you’re out and you are determined to still make this, then substitute with 1 teaspoon of powder instead (add with the other spices). I get it, I’ve been there!

  • Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are more water and less coconut. I use Ayam (89% coconut). Low fat coconut milk will work but sauce will be thinner and not as good coconut flavour. You can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with splash of water, add with coconut.

  • Canned tomato – Use crushed or finely diced to ensure it breaks down in the simmer time for this recipe. Also, if you know the brand you use is quite sour (economical brands can tend to be) add a smidge of sugar.

  • Coriander / cilantro – Some for stirring in, some for garnish. If you’re a coriander hater, substitute with baby spinach or parsley.

  • Fresh lemon juice – Just a bit, stirred in at the end, to brighten up the sauce a bit. If you don’t have lemon on hand, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar.


How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Traditionally, the chicken is char grilled before simmering in the sauce which adds extra flavour. To keep this Monday-night friendly, I’ve opted to pan sear. If you fire up your grill for the chicken, I’ll be impressed!! 🙂

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Season and sear – Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, sear to brown the skin, then remove onto a tray. The skin side of the thighs will take around 4 to 5 minutes, then just cook the flesh side for 1 minute to seal the surface. As for the drumsticks, just do the best you can! I brown 3 sides, about 2 minutes on each side.

    The chicken will still be raw of the inside which is fine because they finish cooking in the sauce.

  2. Sauté aromatics and spices – Next, give the onion a head start on the sautéing before adding the ginger and garlic. Once the onion is softened, add the spices and cook them for 30 seconds. This steps makes the flavour in the spices bloom!

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Sauce – Add the coconut milk, tomato and salt, then stir.

  2. Return chicken into the pot, including any juices on the tray. Arrange the chicken so it is submerged as best as possible, though if some is poking out that’s ok as it will steam-cook. Also, the chicken will shrink a bit as it cooks so they will fit better.

How to make Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)
  1. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, then 20 minutes with the lid off which will allow the sauce to reduce and thicken. Give it a stir every now and then to ensure the base isn’t catching.

  2. Finish & serve – Just before serving, stir in the fresh lemon juice and half the coriander leaves. Serve over rice, garnished with the remaining coriander leaves!

Pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

Dunking roti into Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

How to serve Kuku Paka

A sauce this good demands rice for soaking! Basmati rice is recommended, though you can use any plain rice, faux rice or even garlic rice (IMAGINE THAT!!).

Then to take it over the top, add a side of flatbreads for dunking / mopping. Homemade would be great. But I’ve opted for frozen store bought that’s actually Malaysian roti, not African. But that flaky buttery flatbread is 100% at home here, as it was with the Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup (this roti is going global!)

It too comes from regular grocery stores and I love that it’s cooked from frozen in a pan. And flakes = extra sauce mopping abilities.

Roti or not, I really hope you try this recipe. It’s astoundingly good! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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Freshly made pot of Kuku Paka (African chicken curry)

African coconut chicken curry – Kuku Paka

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 45 minutes mins
Total: 1 hour hr
Main
african
4.85 from 26 votes
Servings4 – 6
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. Are you ready to discover the world's easiest curry?? As in, a real one, made from scratch. Introducing – Kuku Paka! This chicken curry in a tomato coconut spiced sauce tastes like an Indian curry. Except it's African, and you can get everything you need from your regular grocery store.
For a strictly traditional version, sear the chicken over charcoal for chargrilled flavour before adding into the sauce. To make this Monday-night-friendly, I've just pan-seared. Serves 4 hearty appetites or 5 to 6 regular servings.

Ingredients

Seasoned chicken:

  • 4 chicken thigh fillets , skin-on and bone-in (~250g/8oz each) (Note 2)
  • 4 chicken drumsticks (~150g / 5oz each) (Note 2)
  • 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

The curry:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable, canola or other plain oil) (Note 1)
  • 1 onion , finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 2 tsp ginger , finely minced
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp pure chilli powder or cayenne pepper , reduce or omit to taste (Note 3)
  • 400g / 14 oz coconut milk , full-fat (Note 4)
  • 400g / 14 oz crushed canned tomato
  • 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup (lightly packed) coriander/cilantro leaves (sub parsley or baby spinach, or omit)

Serving:

  • Basmati rice or other rice, and/or flatbreads or roti (pictured, Note 5)

Instructions

  • Season chicken – Pat chicken dry using paper towels then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
  • Brown chicken – Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate (it will still be raw inside). Then brown the drumsticks as best you can. I do 3 sides, 2 minutes each side. Transfer to the plate.
  • Sauté aromatics – Turn heat down to medium high. Add the onion and cook for 1 minute until softened. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli. Stir for 30 seconds.
  • Sauce – Add coconut milk, tomato and salt. Stir, then return chicken into the pot (including juices on the plate). Submerge chicken as best you can.
  • Simmer 30 min – Once the sauce comes to a simmer, reduce the heat so it’s bubbling gently. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the base doesn't catch.
  • Finish & serve – Stir in lemon and half of the coriander. Lade into bowls and serve garnished with the rest of the coriander!

Recipe Notes:

1. Coconut oil will give this extra coconut flavour, but you can use regular oil.
2. Chicken thighs and drumsticks are best because they stay juicy in the sauce simmer time required. Boneless thighs and breast will work but sauce flavour won’t be as good (see Ingredients section in post), but you can use them. Whole boneless thighs – sear per recipe then add back in for last 10 min of sauce simmer time. Breast – cut into bite size pieces, simmer only 5 min.
3. Pure chilli powder – not to be confused with US chili powder which is a spice mix. Pure chilli powder is spicy!
Control spiciness – just leave the cayenne / chilli out and stir in bit by bit at the end.
4. Coconut milk – Not all coconut milks are created equal! Economical ones are more water and less coconut. I use Ayam (89% coconut). Low fat coconut milk will work but sauce will be thinner and not as good coconut flavour. You can thicken with a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with splash of water, add with coconut.
5. Roti – I am a little obsessed with store bought frozen rotis, the flaky flatbreads that can be cooked from frozen! Readily available at regular grocery stores these days.
6. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings, excluding roti, rice etc.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 631cal (32%)Carbohydrates: 12g (4%)Protein: 38g (76%)Fat: 49g (75%)Saturated Fat: 25g (156%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 200mg (67%)Sodium: 1062mg (46%)Potassium: 963mg (28%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 1624IU (32%)Vitamin C: 16mg (19%)Calcium: 87mg (9%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Keywords: african curry, Chicken Curry, Coconut Curry
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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83 Comments

  1. Monica says

    October 31, 2023 at 6:14 am

    5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious 🤤and very easy.
    Another great recipe and regular go to!
    Thanks Nagi❤️

    Reply
  2. Ewelina says

    October 31, 2023 at 4:32 am

    What is a good substitute for coriander powder in this recipe?

    Reply
  3. Melody says

    October 31, 2023 at 1:59 am

    Thank you. Have been Building up appetite, ingredients and gumption to make and eat curry for the first time. Thanks to you we are now curry lovers. Looking forward to a Roti recipe. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Jana Gale Connell says

    October 30, 2023 at 5:17 pm

    This was fantastic! I only had bone-in skin on thighs. I made the amount of sauce however, because it looks lovely and IT’S amazing!! So good. This was so easy to make, and three times as good to eat. I had to restrain myself. The sauce is also wonderful on some grilled chicken I picked up at the store. Wonderful with white rice and left-over noodles as well. This is going to become a repeat in my house!! One of your best ever Nagi!

    Reply
  5. Michelle Hayes says

    October 30, 2023 at 5:55 am

    Loved this recipe! So easy to pull together. I added some shredded spinach a few minutes before serving and topped with cumin seeds sautéed in a little ghee. This will definitely become a regular in our house!

    Reply
  6. Danica Bornman says

    October 30, 2023 at 2:07 am

    5 stars
    Quick and so easy. So flavoursome. Love it

    Reply
  7. Claire Trantow says

    October 29, 2023 at 8:54 pm

    5 stars
    This delicious chicken is an explosion of flavors, perfectly balanced by spices and cream. With the wonderful consistency of the chicken and the intense aroma of the sauce, each bite takes you on a taste journey. I think everyone should try it.

    Reply
  8. Clare says

    October 29, 2023 at 1:57 pm

    4 stars
    Great curry, definitely longer than 30mins needed, I felt it could have had more depth but for a quick mid week dinner it was good.

    Reply
  9. Mark G says

    October 28, 2023 at 9:39 pm

    3 stars
    The sauce for this curry was excellent. Nice flavour, although it does need the chilli. I toned it down a bit by using less chilli powder and it was not really flavoursome enough. I did NOT think the bone-in thighs were good though. I would use skinless thighs or chop some chicken breast up instead. The thighs with skin and bone were too fiddly for my liking and didn’t absorb enough of the flavour of the sauce.
    I will try it again though as it showed promise. Maybe add some cardamom pods for that extra Indian flavour??

    Reply
  10. Toni says

    October 28, 2023 at 8:46 pm

    Really liked this curry and it reduced down to a nice consistency to have with with my first attempt at the Naan bread. Another winner and no marinating required with this one. Also very few ingredients for a flavour packed curry.

    Reply
  11. Kayla says

    October 28, 2023 at 7:29 pm

    5 stars
    Love, love, love this recipe! A family favourite. I used boneless thigh fillets and placed them in as soon as I combined the tomato and coconut. Turned out beautiful!

    Reply
  12. Kale says

    October 28, 2023 at 6:27 pm

    I made this tonight for the fam and boy was it delicious! Roti was yum to dunk and I could just drink the sauce on its own! This will be a stable recipe going forward!

    Reply
  13. Ruv says

    October 27, 2023 at 8:41 pm

    Nagi- my family and I love your recipes! This was a real winner for our Friday night dinner!! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  14. Kerrin says

    October 27, 2023 at 4:37 pm

    5 stars
    We loved this Nagi, my son gave it a 10. I used a small can of coconut milk. And Polpa crushed tomatoes.

    Reply
  15. Genie says

    October 27, 2023 at 4:24 pm

    Fantastic recipe! So flavorful and delicious. Browning the chicken pieces was worth the effort.

    Reply
  16. Renata says

    October 27, 2023 at 10:32 am

    It was easy, on budget and delicious. Thank you Nagi x

    Reply
  17. Colleen says

    October 26, 2023 at 7:30 pm

    5 stars
    Another beautiful recipe. Perfectly balanced & definitely plenty of sauce. Looking forward to leftovers

    Reply
  18. Patricia says

    October 26, 2023 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for lunch today.
    Easy and delicious. Beautiful flavour.
    Served with your apple and rhubarb crumble. Perfect lunch.

    Reply
  19. Esther says

    October 26, 2023 at 5:46 pm

    5 stars
    Smells wonderful and tastes good too. Cooking time much longer than 30 mins. Will have to remove chicken pieces and reduce sauce, it’s really thin. Or maybe some cornflour. Very Yum!

    Reply
  20. Kathy Beninati says

    October 26, 2023 at 7:46 am

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was delicious. I will definitely be making it again. It was a lovely sunny meal (not like the weather here in the U.K)
    Thank you x

    Reply
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