Curried Roast Chicken with Rice is a delicious one-pot meal that brings the bold flavors of curry to a comforting roast chicken. Juicy, spiced chicken roasts to golden perfection alongside aromatic basmati rice with onions and potatoes for a hearty and satisfying meal with minimal cleanup. This recipe is lovely for cozy family dinners or when you’re looking to impress guests with a flavorful, no-fuss meal.
This dish takes inspiration from Indian and other cultures, where curried meats and rice are staple comfort foods. The chicken is slathered in a fragrant curry butter blend and roasted to golden perfection. While the chicken rests, the pot goes back in the oven as the basmati rice and potatoes soaks up all the delicious drippings.
The result is a balanced meal that’s hearty, wholesome, and bursting with vibrant flavors. Whether you’re a fan of roast chicken or curry, this fusion dish is sure to become a family favorite Sunday roast or for entertaining guests.
Serve the Curried Roast Chicken with a cucumber raita for a cooling contrast or douse the chicken in a herby, spicy cilantro-mint chutney.
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Why You'll love this Recipe
A Sunday roast chicken has become such a staple in our household! The price is economical and it's so easy to get several meals out of one chicken. One thing I've really done to stretch the meal, since my family can really take down a whole bird in one sitting, is add rice and potatoes to make it heartier.
- This is a one-pot meal made in a dutch oven to both roast the chicken and then cook the rice in the drippings while the chicken rests. Less dishes, ftw!
- It's full of flavor from the curry butter but can be flexible with the type of curry powder or even curry paste that you use to season the chicken.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Here's everything you'll need to make this one pot meal! Minus the whole chicken, because who wants to see raw meat??
- Whole Chicken - My whole chicken was about 5lbs from Costco. You'll need to adjust the cook time based off of the weight of the chicken. You can also spatchcock the chicken for a faster, even cook.
- Rice - Use Basmati rice - it's great for soaking up a ton of flavor.
- Butter - Use salted butter for cooking. Adjust with more salt if using unsalted butter. Ghee would also be delicious!
- Vegetables - I used onion and potatoes for roasting the chicken, but feel free to add carrots as well. In the rice, you can definitely add peas, carrots, or corn.
- Chicken broth - This is so the pan drippings don't burn at the bottom of the pan. Substitute with vegetable broth, a little bit of white wine (just enough to cover the bottom of the pot), or water.
- Curry powder - I use my favorite medium curry powder that I always keep on hand for adding a bit of extra flavor to dishes. Feel free to use your favorite curry powder or even a store-bought curry paste that can be used for marinating meat. Adjust it with an additional 2 tablespoons of oil to keep the chicken moist and flavorful.
- Herbs - For the herbs, I use rosemary and sage for a light holiday flavor but you can also use parsley or cilantro.
How to make A Whole Curried Roast Chicken over Rice
Preheat the oven to 425℉. Clean the chicken and remove the inner giblets. Be sure to pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels and keep your preparation space sanitized.
- Step 1: In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, 1 sprig of chopped rosemary, 1 sprig of chopped sage, the zest of 1 lemon, ginger garlic paste, curry powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Step 2: Place the halved onions, potatoes, and head of garlic in the dutch oven. Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3: Rub the curry butter inside the skin of the chicken, inside the cavity, and all over the chicken. Stuff the cavity with rosemary, sage, half a lemon, and half a garlic head. Tie the legs together with twine and set the chicken on top of the onions.
- Step 4: Roast the chicken in the oven for 30 minutes, and basting every 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350℉ and cook for another 45-50 minutes, continuing to baste until the internal temperature reaches 165℉. Cover with foil if the skin gets too dark.
Adjust the roasting time according to the weight of your chicken, refer to FoodSafety.gov for more information.
- Step 5: Remove the chicken from the pan on to a cutting board where you'll carve it, and cover it with foil to rest for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute.
- Step 6: In the meantime, separate the layers of onion and squeeze out the head of garlic. Add rice and 2 cups of water. Stir everything together. Place it back in the oven with a lid on for 20 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Free up space in the oven by cooking the rice stovetop! Since it's in a dutch oven, it's easy to transfer to the stove and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until all the water has cooked off and the rice is fluffy.
- Step 7: The Curried Roast Chicken is ready to serve over rice and potatoes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve Curried Roast Chicken with Rice as a standalone dish, or pair it with fresh pomegranates and cucumber raita for a cooling contrast. It's also delicious doused in cilantro-mint chutney.
For a complete feast, add naan or parathas on the side, and finish with a light dessert like fruit custard or kheer.
Variations
- Curry Powder vs Curry Paste - I love a medium curry powder for this recipe mixed with butter and herbs to make a delicious curry butter. You can also use a readymade curry paste and add 2 tablespoons of oil to it for a solid cook on the chicken.
- Added Flavor to Rice - The rice, potatoes, and onions are flavored with the drippings and chicken broth, but if you'd like additional flavor then add cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Be sure to adjust with salt and pepper to bring all the flavors out.
- Vegetables - Add any additional vegetables you'd like as the rice cooks, such as chopped carrots, peas, corn, etc.
For another Indian roast chicken, check out this Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Swap basmati rice with quinoa, farro, or even cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. Adjust the cook time and added water accordingly.
- Use store-bought curry powder, curry paste, or create your own blend for a customized flavor profile. Your chicken will only be as good as the seasoning you use!
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with large cauliflower florets or tofu, adjusting roasting time as needed.
- Spatchcocking the chicken ensures even cooking and decreases the cook time.
- For extra crispy skin, broil the chicken for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
- The rice can finish off in the oven or to release oven space, cook the rice stovetop for 20 minutes with the lid on or until the rice is fluffy and the water has evaporated.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave until warm, adding a splash of stock or water to keep the rice moist.
This dish also freezes well—store the chicken and rice separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
More Indian Chicken Dishes to try
Recipe
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Curried Roast Chicken with Rice
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Roasting Pan
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs whole chicken
- 1 stick salted butter, softened
- 1.5 tablespoon medium curry powder
- 2 sprigs rosemary, divided
- 2 sprigs sage, divided
- 1 head garlic, halved
- 1 lemon, zested and halved
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- Kosher salt
- black pepper
- 2 yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 10 baby potatoes, halved
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup basmati rice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Finely chop 1 sprig of rosemary and 1 sprig of sage. In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, the chopped herbs, lemon zest, ginger garlic paste, curry powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Remove the giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper all over the chicken as well as inside the cavity.
- Stuff the cavity with half a lemon, a sprig of rosemary, a sprig of sage, and half a garlic head.
- Gently separate the skin from the breast of the chicken. Add a spoonful of curry butter in each pocket and carefully spread it towards the top. Brush the rest of the curry butter all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
- In the bottom of a dutch oven, place the onions cut side down and add the baby potatoes and the other half of the garlic head. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the onions. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle black pepper on top.
- Fill the bottom of the dutch oven with chicken stock. Place the dutch oven in the oven. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, basting every 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 350℉ for 45-50 minutes and continue basting the chicken with the pan juices until the chicken registers 165℉ with a thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. If skin is starting to become too dark, cover it with foil or a lid.
- Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes for the juices to redistribute. In the meantime, squeeze the garlic out of the head and separate the layers of onion. Add the basmati rice to the bottom of the pan with 2 cups of water and stir everything together. Place it back in the oven with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until the basmati rice is fully cooked.
- Carve the chicken and serve it on a platter on top of the vegetables and rice.
Notes
- Adjust the cook time for the weight of the chicken. Refer to FoodSafety.gov's roasting charts for guidelines on cooking roast chicken.
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