Filipino Chicken Curry
Macro-friendly Filipino chicken curry that swaps coconut milk for Greek yogurt. Same creamy comfort, half the fat, double the protein. 548 calories with 53g of protein per serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving: 6 oz rice · 6 oz cooked chicken · 8 oz sauce with potatoes & carrots
The Story
Filipino chicken curry is a Sunday dinner staple in Filipino households — creamy, mildly spiced, with chicken, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers in a yellow turmeric-tinted sauce. Traditional versions use coconut milk for that signature richness, which makes the dish taste incredible but loads it with saturated fat. Christian's version swaps in plain nonfat Greek yogurt — same creamy texture, way more protein, fraction of the calories. The curry powder still gets bloomed in oil (non-negotiable for real flavor), the bell peppers still get added at the end for crunch, and the dish still tastes like home. It just fits your macros now.
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs chicken thighs, cubed
- 1 Knorr chicken cube
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 potato, cubed
- 2 carrots, cubed
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1.5 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt (225g)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (more as needed)
- 10g oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- White rice (measured to macros)
Instructions
Prep your veg. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, cube the carrots and potatoes, and cut the bell pepper into strips.
Bloom the curry powder. Heat a touch of oil over medium heat and add your curry powder. Bloom for 10–30 seconds until fragrant — watch it closely, don't burn it. This step is what separates good curry from great curry.
Build the base. Add onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant and translucent.
Sear the chicken. Toss in the cubed chicken thighs and get some color on the sides. Don't crowd the pan.
Add the liquid and seasonings. Once the chicken has color, pour in 1/4 cup chicken stock, drop in the Knorr chicken cube, and add the turmeric powder. Stir to combine.
Add the hardy vegetables. When the chicken is almost done, add the cubed potatoes and carrots. Let them simmer until fork-tender.
Add the bell peppers. Toss in the bell pepper strips toward the end so they keep some bite.
Finish with yogurt. Once carrots and potatoes are tender, cut the heat to low and stir in the Greek yogurt. Mix completely until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Season and serve. Salt and pepper to taste. Plate 6 oz cooked chicken + 8 oz sauce with veg over 6 oz white rice.
💡 Christian's Tips
- Bloom the curry powder. This is non-negotiable. Toasting it in oil for 10-30 seconds activates the flavor compounds. Skipping this gives you flat, dusty-tasting curry.
- Greek yogurt instead of coconut milk. Traditional Filipino chicken curry uses coconut milk — Christian swaps in Greek yogurt to cut the fat and pump the protein. You get the same creamy texture for a fraction of the calories.
- Don't boil the yogurt. Cut the heat BEFORE adding the yogurt. Boiling it will cause it to curdle and break the sauce. Low heat only.
- Weigh your portions. 6 oz rice + 6 oz chicken + 8 oz sauce nails the 548 cal / 53g protein macros. Eyeball it and the numbers fall apart.
- Meal prep king. Makes 4-5 servings. The curry gets deeper on day 2. Store sauce separately from rice for best results.