Trinidadian-Style Curry Chicken with Potatoes

Name: Trinidadian-Style Curry Chicken with Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean
Ingredients: 4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs; 0.33 cup Caribbean-style curry powder; 1 large yellow onion; 8 cloves garlic cloves; 2 tbsp fresh ginger; 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper; 1.5 lb russet potatoes; 2 cups chicken broth; 2 tsp fresh thyme; 2.5 cups long-grain white rice; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tsp kosher salt

Dry curry powder chicken stew with potatoes, a Caribbean flavor first for the menu

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Chicken thighs and potatoes simmer in a stew built on Caribbean curry powder bloomed hard in hot oil until it darkens, with onion, garlic, ginger, and a touch of Scotch bonnet for real heat.

Why crews like it: Completely different technique and flavor from any cream-based curry—dry, deeply spiced, and genuinely new Caribbean territory for the collection. Hearty stew format holds perfectly through a call.

717Cal

77gProtein

64gCarbs

14gFat

Ingredients

4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
0.33 cup Caribbean-style curry powder
1 large yellow onion
8 cloves garlic cloves
2 tbsp fresh ginger
1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
1.5 lb russet potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp fresh thyme
2.5 cups long-grain white rice
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Season the chicken: Toss chicken thighs with half the curry powder and 1 tsp salt. Let sit 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
Bloom the curry powder: Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add remaining curry powder, stir constantly 60–90 seconds until it darkens a shade and smells deeply toasty—do not let it burn.
Build the base: Add onion, garlic, and ginger to the bloomed curry oil; cook 5 minutes until softened. Add seasoned chicken, searing 2–3 minutes per side in the curry paste.
Simmer the stew: Add potatoes, broth, thyme, and the whole Scotch bonnet. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 25–30 minutes until chicken is tender and potatoes are soft but holding shape.
Cook rice and finish: Cook rice while the stew simmers. Remove the Scotch bonnet before serving unless the crew wants extra heat. Sauce should be thick and cling to the chicken, not watery.

Tonight's spread

Steamed white rice.
Simple cucumber and tomato salad.

Hall tips

Removing the Scotch bonnet whole (not chopped) gives real heat and aroma without overwhelming spice.
Coconut milk swapped for half the broth makes a richer, slightly sweeter version if the crew prefers it.
Leftover curry is even better the next day once the spices have had time to settle.

Meal prep

Toast the curry powder in oil until it darkens a shade before adding liquid—this is what separates real Trinidadian curry from flat, powdery curry. Station: Bloom the curry powder in hot oil 60–90 seconds until it darkens and smells toasty, not raw. Station: Cut potatoes uniform so they finish cooking with the chicken. Station: Leave the Scotch bonnet whole for aroma; remove before serving for a milder plate.

Leftovers

Reheats beautifully on the stove with a splash of broth if it's thickened too much.
Shred into a curry chicken roti or wrap for a fast next-day lunch.

Large Dutch oven
Rice pot