Mango Chicken Chickpea Curry

A warm bowl of curry over brown rice or cauliflower rice is tough to beat on a cold day. This curry, however, is delicious any time of year. Make this a completely vegetarian dish by simply skipping the chicken altogether and using only chickpeas for protein. When I do this, I also like to add big handfuls of spinach as well. The result is amazing. I think my daughter actually prefers the vegetarian version!

I have a few notes about the ingredients: Find a curry powder you like. We love the brand Simply Organic, but if you like something with a bit more kick or you prefer to make your own curry spice blend, use it! The recipe calls for golden raisins, but I’ve also used regular raisins in a pinch. It also calls for fresh ginger. If you want to save some time, buy the pre-grated ginger sold in blister packs in the frozen food aisle of your grocery store. If you only have ground ginger on hand, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger called for in the recipe.

When it comes to the mangos, it’s best to use them when they are ripe. If you don’t have fresh, you can buy frozen mango chunks. I often receive mangos in our weekly rescued produce box. I usually need to let them ripen a bit on the counter. As soon as they are ready, it’s curry time!

I’ve adapted this from the Mango Chicken Curry recipe from Elise Bauer at Simply Recipes, tweaking it to our preferences. I like to make a double batch as this makes the most amazing leftovers. If making a double batch, make sure your pan is large enough. I usually switch from a 12 inch sauté pan to a dutch oven or an extra deep 12 inch pan when doubling. It’s especially important to have a deep pan if you choose to use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender. The deep sides prevent a big old mess!

This recipe has converted my family into curry lovers!

Mango Chicken Chickpea Curry

This mango curry can be prepared with or without the chickpeas. We also make this vegetarian/vegan by skipping the chicken and using only chickpeas. This recipe is adapted from Elise Bauer, Simply Recipes. Updated 12/2022.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Equipment

• immersion blender/food processor/ blender

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• ½ tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 13½ oz can coconut milk
• 2 mangoes, peeled and diced (can sub frozen) divided (1 mango will be pureed and one will be added later)
• 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped in small pieces optional
• ⅓ cup golden raisins
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large handfulls fresh spinach optional
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp cilantro, for topping

Instructions

 

• Heat oil over medium heat in large sauté pan or small dutch oven. If doubling the recipe, I use a dutch oven.
• Add chopped onions and bell pepper, sauté until soft, 5-10 minutes..
• Add minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for a minute or two, being careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add the curry powder and the cumin. Cook for 2 or three minutes. The spices will absorb the oil, so add another splash of oil as needed.
• Add cider vinegar, coconut milk, and one of the two mangos. Increase the heat so the mixture comes to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and allow it to maintain a low simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring as needed.
• Remove the pan from the heat and puree the sauce. I use an immersion blender right in the pan, but a regular blender or food processor also works. Be careful if scooping the mixture into a separate blender/processor. Return the curry to the pan if you removed it to blend.
• Add the chicken, chick peas, and raisins. At this point, you can also add your second chopped mango. If the mango is not especially ripe, add it now. If it sweet and ripe, you can also wait and add it towards the end of the cooking time, especially if you want to see those mango chunks. I often simplify the process and add the mango now, with the chicken, chickpeas, and raisins. That way I can step away from the curry and take care of other dinner preparations. If you are adding spinach, now is the time to add that as well.
• Cook until the chicken is done. Depending on the size of your chicken chunks, this can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes.
• Once the chicken is done (cut a piece open to check), adjust the seasonings. Add salt and pepper. If you have underripe mangos or mangos that are not especially sweet, feel free to add a pinch of sugar.
• At this point, you can serve your curry. We, however, prefer to reduce the temperature to a very low simmer and cook it a bit longer to develop the flavors and thicken it up a bit. Cover the curry if you don't want it to thicken more. If you want it to thicken up a bit, keep it simmering with the cover off the pot.
• Serve curry over rice if desired. Top with chopped cilantro.

Keyword chicken, chickpeas, curry, mango

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