Whether you’re a single student or a working mom like me, this slow cooked chicken & potato curry is a great solution for a busy weeknight!

Well folks, it’s that time of year. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and before we know it, Christmas will be here. Here in New York City, the weather shifts from warm one day to freezing cold another day. I don’t know if it’s just Manhattan, but it feels like the pace has suddenly quickened — the normal bustle of commuting, working, parenting and homemaking is moving at a much faster clip as we hit the last two weeks of November.

As I walked along Fifth Avenue to work this morning, I couldn’t help but snap this photo of Saks Fifth Avenue’s festive holiday display

Cooking on busy weeknights might be the last thing on your mind. Here is a great solution for you, if you need one. This is THE easiest slow cooker chicken & potato curry you will find. You sauté freshly chopped onion, garlic and ginger in a bit of vegetable oil and then add boneless, skinless chicken thighs, browning them on both sides for a few minutes. That’s basically all the heavy lifting involved. You will add some crushed tomatoes, small potatoes, a few spices, and some maple syrup and it will cook away all day while you’re at school or work. This is no frills though, so don’t expect anything fancy. There are plenty of more complicated and impressive recipes on this blog, but this recipe as basic as you can get. Still, it’s very satisfying like a simple stew. The best part is scooping up chunks of tender curried chicken and potatoes with a warm chapati (or in this case, tortilla), which makes for the perfect bite. This curry is quick to put together the night before, and at least you’ll know that homemade, nutritious, comfort food will greet you at the end of the day. Plus, it’s a crowd pleaser, so your family will love it.

How could anyone resist this? Slow-cooked chicken and potato curry scented by spices and thickened by crushed tomatoes and maple syrup is  perfect on a hectic weeknight

When I say EASY, you will do 3 things:

#1. Put the curry together the night before, requiring very little prep 

#2. Turn on the slow cooker before you leave for work in the morning 

#3. Pick up a package of soft flour tortillas on your way home 

From major supermarkets to corner stores, many shops now carry some variation of tortillas, pita, or flatbread like these. You can usually find it in the bakery or frozen sections of your grocery store.

Pick up some ready-made flour tortillas, pita, or naan on your way home and warm it up in the microwave or oven and dig into a hearty dinner as soon as you get home

As I stood on a crowded New York City bus up Madison Avenue after work, I suddenly remembered that I had put the slow cooker on that morning, and I smiled to myself. Dinner was already ready! Fabulous. I stepped off the bus in Harlem, picked up Liam from daycare, and as we walked home picking up leaves, I explained to him that our dinner had been slowly cooking all day while we were at school and work. We popped into the corner store and picked up some flour tortillas.

Harlem at dusk

Once inside our apartment, we were greeted by the rich, fragrant aromas of our slow cooked chicken and Liam found the whole idea of his dinner all in one pot very exciting 🙂 I settled him into his chair, warmed up some leftover basmati rice with peas, and we tucked in for dinner. As Liam happily dipped the tortilla into the sauce and scooped up the pieces of chicken, I smiled again.

Liam: “My dinner is in there, Mommy?”

“I wanna see it, Mommy”

Weeknight Dinnersaver: Easy Slow Cooker Chicken & Potato Curry 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound small Yukon gold potatoes, cut in half, lengthwise (16 oz)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground garam masala
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes OR ground cayenne (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if you like less bite)
• 2 teaspoons salt (to taste, you might need 2.5 teaspoons)
• 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Preparation

1. In a wide non-stick skillet, heat canola oil on medium-high flame. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté until onions are golden and glassy (about 3-5 minutes).
2. Add chicken thighs and sauté until just browned. Using a large spoon, transfer contents of skillet into slow cooker insert. Add Yukon gold potatoes, cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, red chilli flakes, salt, crushed tomatoes, and maple syrup. Mix gently with a wooden spoon to combine.
3. Cover and set slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours (or alternatively on HIGH for 4 hours).
4. When slow cooker switches to WARM setting and stew is done, mix well and adjust salt and red chilli flakes to taste.
5. Serve immediately with flatbread or steamed basmati rice.