Indian Chicken Kofta Meatball Curry

Chicken kofta curry recipe featuring soft and tender meatballs that are poached in a silky smooth and spicy masala-style sauce or gravy.

This delicious and easy Indian-inspired curry takes a little over an hour to cook, but most of that time is spent caramelising onions slowly, which gives you plenty of time to prepare your meatballs.

Chicken Meatball Curry

My love of Indian flavours is well documented here on Krumpli, as is my love of meatballs. So this recipe should come as no surprise to regular visitors!

They are not the first Indian-inspired meatballs I have done here; they join my Indian venison meatballs and a Kashmiri lamb rista curry.

Indeed, they are not my first chook meatballs either. They join these delicious chicken meatballs in a honey and mustard sauce.

This chicken kofta curry recipe takes a somewhat unusual approach, though and gently poaches/steams the meatballs in a sauce.

This means you get the most incredibly soft and tender texture.

These are then paired with a gently spiced masala-style gravy. It is loosely based on the one that I use in my chicken tikka masala and Malai kofta recipes.

The sauce is tempered with cream that both mellows the spice in the dish, but it also adds a smooth, silky texture that perfectly matches the meatballs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I swap the chicken for turkey?

Yes, absolutely, switching this from a chicken to a turkey kofta curry works really well.

How hot is this curry?

Now that is a question that I often struggle to answer because tolerance to capsaicin is so personal.

This recipe uses just a little less than 1½ tablespoons of Kashmiri chilli powder, which is a relatively mild chilli powder.

That is tempered with cream, which makes this dish relatively mild; however, you should trust your own judgement.

You can always add heat with more chilli powder for fresh chillies; taking heat away is far more difficult.

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, but if I were preparing this in advance, I would make the meatballs and chill them and prepare the sauce until it was finished.

I would then combine the two for the final cooking; it only adds 10 minutes to reheating a completed dish, and it results in a much better meal.

Can I freeze this curry?

I have tested freezing this, and it yields results that are ok, but not great.

I personally would not bother, but if you want to, then go ahead; you will likely need more water when you reheat the dish. You will need to defrost the curry before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Rice is always a great option when it comes to a side for a curry, and this meatball number is no different.

I typically opt for plain basmati rice, but a nice pilau rice would be fabulous too.

But there are always other options! They work exceptionally well with Bombay potatoes, and a bit of kachumber salad on the side adds a wonderful freshness.

If you want to really get out there, they make the most incredible meatball sub!

Sticking with the Indian theme, you could make thin naan bread and roll it up with this red onion salad.

Let me know how you choose to serve this chicken kofta curry in the comments below!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• 28cm or 11" frying pan with a lid.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Grater.
• Mixing bowl.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.