Reflux Queen

Comfort Foods

Creamy Tomato-Free Chicken Curry

All the creamy, savoury comfort of chicken curry but built on roasted carrots instead of tomato - proof that you don't have to give up curry if you have reflux 🤩

Jump to recipe
Creamy Tomato-Free Chicken Curry recipe hero image
Creamy Tomato-Free Chicken Curry supporting image

A little joy in your inbox

Your welcome gift is waiting.

Join me for one genuinely delicious reflux-friendly recipe each week, plus practical ideas for bringing flavour back.

Free welcome gift: my low-acid onion-and-garlic-free stock recipe—because tiny cubes of disappointment cost far too much.

One lovely email a week. Unsubscribe whenever you like.

Aprons optional, enthusiasm encouraged

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan. Spread the chopped carrots on a baking tray, drizzle with some of the garlic-infused olive oil and the maple syrup, then roast for about 30 minutes. Let the edges brown deeply: this gives the sauce its sweetness, colour and body without tomato.
  2. Transfer the roasted carrots to a blender or jug and blend with a little of the stock until completely smooth. Add only as much liquid as needed to make a silky purée.
  3. Heat a little of the remaining garlic-infused olive oil in a large pan. Add the chicken and leave the pieces alone long enough to turn golden before flipping. Remove the browned chicken and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, cook the sliced green spring onion tops for about 3 minutes, until soft and golden but not burnt or charred.
  5. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, fennel and salt. Stir for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
  6. Add the smooth carrot purée and, if needed, a small extra pinch of maple syrup. Cook gently for 5 minutes.
  7. Gradually stir in the remaining stock. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until rich and thick.
  8. Return the chicken and simmer for a further 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
  9. Remove from the heat for 2–3 minutes. Stir through the Greek yoghurt, taking care not to boil the sauce after adding it.

A little kitchen cleverness

Why this recipe works

01

Deeply roasted carrots bring sweetness, colour and a beautifully velvety body. Tomatoes are not the only vegetables capable of main-character energy.

02

Garlic-infused oil and green spring onion tops create a proper aromatic base without leaving pieces of onion or garlic in the finished sauce.

03

A modest spoonful of low-fat Greek yoghurt gives everything that creamy, restaurant-style finish, without turning dinner into a vat of double cream.

Your body gets the casting vote

Make it work for you

Spices and fermented dairy are very personal, because reflux has never once respected a universal rulebook. If you are feeling particularly sensitive, keep the curry powder mild and begin with 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt rather than 3. Garlic-infused oil gives plenty of flavour without pieces of garlic, but use plain oil if that suits you better. Start with a portion that feels comfortable, there is no prize for making dinner unnecessarily heroic.

For now, later, or tomorrow’s smug lunch

Serving, storage and reheating

Serve with rice and, if it suits you, naan or another soft flatbread. A little fresh coriander adds colour and freshness.

Cool leftovers promptly, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Do not leave cooked chicken and yoghurt sauce sitting at room temperature for extended periods.

Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water or stock if needed. Avoid boiling aggressively, as the yoghurt may split. Reheat only once.

Even more deliciousness