Cape Malay Chicken Curry
Cape Malay Chicken Curry is a fragrant South African main course made with skinless chicken breast, onions, garlic, fresh ginger and warm spices such as cinnamon, cumin and cloves. The Thermomix TM7 chops the aromatics in seconds and simmers the curry hands-free, giving you a rich, gently spiced sauce without standing at the hob.
About this recipe
Cape Malay Chicken Curry Thermomix TM7 brings the fragrant South African kitchen straight to your table. If you have been searching for chicken curry recipes Thermomix style, this Cape Malay version delivers gently warming cinnamon, cumin and cloves layered with fresh ginger, garlic and long chilli in a silky, golden sauce. The all-in-one kitchen machine chops the onions and aromatics in seconds, grinds whole cloves for maximum freshness, and then simmers everything hands-free while the chicken breast turns succulent in the spiced stock. It is the ideal quick weeknight dinner when you crave depth of flavour without hours of stirring, and the aroma that fills your kitchen will have everyone gathering before the bowl is even served. Serve it with fluffy rice or flatbreads to soak up every last drop of the aromatic sauce.
Preparation tips
- For a deeper flavour, chop the onions very finely first and let them soften in the sunflower oil before adding the garlic and ginger, as Cape Malay curries build their character on a sweet, well-cooked onion base.
- Cut the chicken breast into generous, even pieces so they stay juicy; smaller chunks tend to dry out during the simmering stage of this curry.
- Serve with basmati rice and a dollop of sambal or chutney on the side. Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge and taste even richer the next day.
Recipe variations
- Mild family version: omit the long chilli and replace it with a spoonful of apricot jam stirred in at the end, giving the curry the classic sweet Cape Malay character while keeping it kid-friendly.
- Vegetarian variation: swap the chicken breast and chicken stock paste for cauliflower florets, chickpeas and vegetable stock paste, keeping the same cinnamon, cumin and clove spice base for a plant-based Cape Malay curry.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Fine chopping - The Thermomix chops the onions and garlic in seconds without tears, forming an aromatic base for the curry. [Chopping]
- Fresh grinding - The TM7 grinds the whole cloves to a fragrant powder moments before cooking, boosting the spice depth. [Grinding]
- Built-in scale - Weigh the sunflower oil and chicken stock paste directly in the mixing bowl with Thermomix precision. [Weighing]
- Even mixing - The Thermomix blends the ginger, chilli and cinnamon into a smooth, fragrant curry paste within seconds. [Mixing]
- Gentle heating - The TM7 simmers the chicken breast in the spiced sauce without catching, thanks to controlled temperature. [Heating]
Ingredients
- garlic cloves
- fresh root ginger
- onions
- sunflower oil
- cloves
- long red chilli
- ground cinnamon
- ground cumin
- ground coriander
- ground cardamom