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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Curry

    Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry (Cari Ga)

    Published: Sep 5, 2016 · Modified: Feb 19, 2021 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 74 Comments

    307 shares
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    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Chicken and sweet potato curry in a bowl with a text title overlay.

    Save yourself some money and calories by making your own flavour packed curry at home. This creamy and mild Vietnamese Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry, also called Cari Ga, is comfort food at its best and so easy to make, you will never buy ready made curry sauce again. Tender chunks of chicken and soft bites of sweet potato smothered in a cream and flavour packed curry sauce.

    A bowl of chicken curry surrounded by chopped herbs.

    You can't beat a classic chicken curry, and this one is bulked out with sweet potato and covered in the most incredible Vietnamese style curry sauce. With a well stocked spice rack, you can make this easy Vietnamese spice blend that will take a creamy chicken curry to the next level.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make Cari Ga - Step by step
    • What vegetables to add
    • What to serve this with
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More curry recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • An exciting new curry to try
    • Creamy and comforting
    • Protein packed
    • Only 340 calories per portion
    • Really easy to adapt with different ingredients.

    Ingredients needed

    All the ingredients needed to make this recipe laid out on a wooden surface.
    • Chicken breast - We used breast to keep the curry leaner, but you can use chicken thighs too.
    • Sweet potato and carrots - Adds some nice chunkiness to the curry. You could also use mushrooms, aubergine (eggplant) or courgette (zucchini).
    • Ca ri spice blend - An authentic Vietnamese spice blend (see below for the recipe). You could use curry powder, garam masala or your own favourite spice blend.
    • Coconut milk - To make the lovely creamy sauce. We used full fat as it gives the best flavour.
    • Fish sauce - Adds a nice umami flavour to the curry.
    • Shallots, garlic and lemongrass - The base of the curry sauce.
    • Kafir lime leaves - Can be omitted, but adds a little zestiness to the curry.
    • Stock - Vegetable or chicken stock will both work. Try to use the best quality you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    How to make Cari Ga - Step by step

    One: Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add all the spice mix ingredients and roast for 2 minutes until they have darkened, shaking the pan constantly to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

    A mix of different spices toasting in a frying pan.

    Two: Put the chicken in a bowl with half of the spice mix and the salt. Toss well to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    Chunks of chicken in a bowl covered in a spice blend.

    Three: Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and brown the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes so they are just browned, not cooked through. Remove the potatoes and set aside.

    Cubes of sweet potato sautéing in a frying pan.

    Four: Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Take the chicken out and put with the sweet potatoes.

    Chunks of spiced chicken cooking in a frying pan.

    Five: Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and stir fry for 5 minutes.

    Wedges of shallots and minced garlic sautéing in a frying pan.

    Six: Add the rest of the spice mix, coconut milk, lemongrass paste, kaffir lime leaves, carrots, fish sauce, chicken and sweet potatoes to the pan.

    All remaining ingredients added to the pan.

    Seven: Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes.

    All the ingredients coated in the curry sauce.

    What vegetables to add

    The great thing about this a curry curry is that you can pretty much use any vegetables you want. It's a great fridge raid meal to reduce waste, as you can use vegetables that are starting to look a bit sorry for themselves.

    We like chunky veg like bell peppers, courgette, aubergine and cauliflower. But you could also add carrot, mushrooms, broccoli or parsnip.

    We always like to add some greens to a dish if we can, so we why not try stirring in some spinach a few minutes before it is ready. You could use kale instead though or even some peas.

    What to serve this with

    If you are looking for a light meal, then just a big bowl of this chicken and sweet potato curry will hit the spot. However, if you want something more filling, then why not serve it with our Raita or our Turmeric Rice? Fluffy coconut rice also goes really well with this, as does our Homemade Flatbread.

    Chunks of chicken, sweet potato and carrot in a curry sauce.

    FAQs

    How to store chicken and sweet potato curry?

    If you have any leftovers, then it can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can even freeze this curry for up to 2 months. To reheat, make sure it is fully defrosted in the fridge and then add it to a pan and heat through until piping hot.

    Can you cook chicken and sweet potato curry in the slow cooker?

    Yes, this can be cooked in the slow cooker. Follow the recipe up until step 7 and then put it all in the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours.

    What can I use instead of chicken?

    If you don't want to use chicken in this recipe, then you could swap it for king prawns, or just stick to chunky vegetables for a plant based option. Chickpeas also go really well with the sweet potato.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • Add a teaspoon of palm sugar at the end for a truly authentic taste.
    • For this curry to have the best flavour, make sure you are using really good quality spices that haven't expired.
    • Why not try making a plant based version of this and swapping the chicken for chickpeas.
    • To make this curry spicier, add some extra dried chillies. You might want to wait until it is cooked to taste it and then sprinkle them on top to reach your desired heat level.

    More curry recipes

    • Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
    • Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala
    • Creamy Halloumi Curry
    • Lamb Keema

    If you’ve tried this Vietnamese chicken curry, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Vietnamese chicken and sweet potato curry in a bowl with chopped herbs.

    Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry (Cari Ga)

    This Vietnamese Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry is comfort food at its best and so easy to make, you will never buy ready made curry sauce again.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    4.97 from 55 votes
    Author: Dannii
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Marinating time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a fish.
    Fish
    An illustration of a cow's head.
    Meat
    An illustration of a mustard bottle.
    Mustard
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 340kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    UK Metric Measures - US Customary Measures

    For the Vietnamese spice mix:

    • 4 curry leaves - chopped
    • 1 tablespoon dried chillies - chopped
    • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 0.5 teaspoon mustard seeds -  
    • 0.5 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
    • 0.5 teaspoon Cloves
    • 0.5 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 0.5 teaspoon Ground turmeric
    • 0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
    • 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
    • 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

    For the curry:

    • 500 g Chicken breast - cut into 2.5cm cubes
    • 0.5 teaspoon Sea salt
    • 2 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 1 Sweet potato - peeled and cut into cubes
    • 2 Carrots - peeled and cut into pieces
    • 3 Shallots - cut into wedges
    • 2 Garlic clove - crushed
    • 300 ml Light coconut milk
    • 100 ml Vegetable stock
    • 2 teaspoon lemongrass paste
    • 2 kaffir lime leaves
    • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

    Instructions

    • Heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add all the spice mix ingredients and roast for 2 minutes until they have darkened, shaking the pan constantly to prevent burning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
    • Transfer the spices to a spice mill or pestle and mortar and grind into a fine powder.
    • Put the chicken in a bowl with half of the spice mix and the salt. Toss well to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    • Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and brown the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes so they are just browned, not cooked through. Remove the potatoes and set aside.
    • Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Take the chicken out and put with the sweet potatoes.
    • Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and stir fry for 5 minutes.
    • Add the rest of the spice mix, coconut milk, lemongrass paste, kaffir lime leaves, carrots, fish sauce, chicken and sweet potatoes to the pan.
    • Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes.

    Notes

    • Add a teaspoon of palm sugar at the end for a truly authentic taste.
    • For this curry to have the best flavour, make sure you are using really good quality spices that haven't expired.
    • Why not try making a plant based version of this and swapping the chicken for chickpeas.
    • To make this curry spicier, add some extra dried chillies. You might want to wait until it is cooked to taste it and then sprinkle them on top to reach your desired heat level.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 927mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 14219IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Emma @sophieellaandme

      September 07, 2016 at 1:48 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow, that curry looks absolutely delicious! And that park you visited looks stunning too! X

      Reply
    2. Melanie Edjourian

      September 06, 2016 at 10:28 pm

      5 stars
      The curry looks amazing I love the flavour combination. I bet it was delicious.

      Reply
    3. Lakisha

      September 06, 2016 at 9:22 pm

      5 stars
      "Curry King" I love it! Looks delicious and I bet it tastes twice as good!

      Reply
    4. nicol

      September 06, 2016 at 7:04 pm

      that looks amazing. i need to try this at some point. bookmarked! :)

      Reply
    5. Lauren Belle du Brighton

      September 06, 2016 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      Sweet potatos are probably my favourite veg, and this made my belly grumble as I read it, definitely adding it to my recipes to make list!

      Reply
    6. Rachel

      September 06, 2016 at 2:52 pm

      Your photos for this are superb and it looks just incredible x

      Reply
    7. Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed

      September 06, 2016 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      I LOVE Chicken and Sweet Potato Curries and this one looks absolutely epic!

      Reply
    8. anna nuttall

      September 06, 2016 at 10:44 am

      Beautiful countryside photos. This curry better get in my belly very soon. xxx

      Reply
    9. Sam | North East Family Fun

      September 06, 2016 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      I adore vietnamese curry - this one is just how I like it with lots of sauce x

      Reply
    10. Sondra Barker

      September 06, 2016 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      Curry is definitely a comfort meal! I love all of the warm flavors that typically go into curries. That Cinnamon Hill cinnamon sounds so perfect and could very much come in handy on a daily basis in the coming months! Thank you for the recipe, I'll have to give this one a shot!

      Reply
    11. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

      September 06, 2016 at 5:10 am

      5 stars
      This looks incredible! Wish I had some right now!

      Reply
    12. Jessica

      September 06, 2016 at 3:07 am

      5 stars
      I love curry and potato! You just gave another recipe to try. Gah, my list is getting longer.

      Reply
    13. Fatima

      September 06, 2016 at 1:14 am

      This looks amazing! I've never cooked with curry, but I've always heard it really adds a little kick to your dish.

      Reply
    14. Liz Mays

      September 06, 2016 at 12:44 am

      5 stars
      Oh this sounds so flavorful! I could go for a bowl of this for sure. I'd definitely be open to adding some more vegetables.

      Reply
    15. Evi

      September 05, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      I'm loving all the spices you used in this dish. So comforting!

      Reply
    16. Ana De- Jesus

      September 05, 2016 at 10:49 pm

      5 stars
      I love sweet potato curry and would love to try some with Quorn chicken I will be pinning this for inspiration!

      Reply
    17. Katy Stevens

      September 05, 2016 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      This looks and sounds absolutely delicious. I'm so glad that curry weather is coming back again!

      Reply
    18. Vikki Holness

      September 05, 2016 at 9:54 pm

      5 stars
      I am not a fan of curries but i have to say, this recipe sounds and looks absolutely delicious - perfect for warming you up on those colder winter days! xx

      Reply
    19. Nellwyn

      September 05, 2016 at 9:53 pm

      Sounds delicious! I'm really into sweet potatoes lately and I love curry so this is perfect for me

      Reply
    20. Rhian Westbury

      September 05, 2016 at 9:27 pm

      5 stars
      The colder weather is the perfect time of the year for a curry and anything with sweet potato in sounds lovely x

      Reply
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