Children can be fussy eaters at the best of times. It's even harder with curry. Too spicy, not the right colour, or too many vegetables, and the only place it will be going is in the bin. Well, lucky you. You've found the answer. Here's the recipe for a super mild (and pretty colourful) children's chicken curry. So you'll all be able to enjoy curry for dinner! We've even managed to sneak some fresh fruit in there! Let's jump right in.
Quick Answer | What to Look for in a Children's Chicken Curry
Kids can be a little bit picky. But with our handy quick guide, you should get an idea about what goes into the best children's chicken curry. Here are some quick pointers to help you get it right the first time.
A Good Children's Chicken Curry: -
- Definitely shouldn't be spicy. Tummy troubles aren't what you need!
- Should be fairly mild in flavour. Kids don't like tastes that are too strong.
- Won't contain any additives or unnatural ingredients. Nobody wants a tot loaded with E-numbers.
- Will taste a little sweet. We all know that kids love sweet things. We achieve this without using too much sugar either! Take a look here for other examples of sweet curries.
- Has to be nutritionally balanced. Anything with too many fats, carbs or lacking in nutrition isn't good for your little one.
If you don't have the time to make a different curry, here's a great list of mild curries that are all good for children.
Fortunately, my guide takes all of the above into account. I also know that as a parent, you are bound to be busy. The good news is that this recipe can be ready in about 15 minutes, with very little prep required.
Here's how to make it…
How to Make a Children's Chicken Curry
The beauty of this children's chicken curry is that it is super easy to make. I tend to use raw chicken, as I make my grown-up version with it, but you can use precooked or leftover cooked chicken if you want.
We start by adding a splash of oil and frying a little chopped onion in a pan. Not too much, though… Too many onions isn't a good thing. We then add a little garlic and ginger paste.
From there, we add some chunks of chicken. We make these a little smaller than usual. This is for a couple of reasons. First smaller chunks cook quicker, saving you time. Second, smaller chunks of chicken require less cutting when on the plate, perfect for eating with a spoon, which is just what kids like.
It's now time to go in with our spices. When we say 'spices', we definitely don't mean anything hot. The spices we use are also kept in fairly small quantities to prevent your children's chicken curry from tasting too strong.
The Spices we use are:
- Half a teaspoon of MILD garam masala
- A teaspoon of turmeric
- A tiny pinch of cumin…
That's it! The pinch of cumin is just that, tiny. We even avoid using black pepper in this recipe, as some young ones find this too hot to handle.
Once the chicken is nice and coated, we add half a cup of diluted tomato puree and let this bubble down.
Now here comes the clever bit. Children generally tend to like food that tastes a little sweet. We are proper sneaky here, as we use natural ingredients to impart this flavour. As a happy coincidence, this also includes two portions of fruit! When combined with the tomato, that is three of your five a day! And they won't even realise!
How do we do it?
We add the following.
- A chopped ripe banana
- A spoonful of mango chutney
- Half a ripe mango.
You will then cook this down until it begins to break down and become all juicy. This also helps to thicken the curry.
Unlike our other curry recipes, this one doesn't rely on the use of base gravy. Instead, we add a half cup of chicken stock. Finally, we finish the curry off with a small splash of cream.
That's pretty much it! A sweet, slightly creamy and mild chicken curry for kids. It contains lots of natural ingredients and no added sugar! Perfect for a Friday night treat while you tuck into something fierier!
Check out the full recipe below
Children's Chicken Curry Tips and Tricks
- Suppose your child isn't a fan of chicken. In that case, this recipe works equally well with shrimp, fish or even vegetables, just replace the chicken and cook according to the above guidelines.
- You can save more prep time by using a premade curry powder. We recommend one that is really mild. Just use 1 teaspoon and you are good to go.
- The cumin won't be to everyone's taste. If this is still too spicy, feel free to leave it out.
- If you want to use real tomatoes in place of tomato puree, you can. Try adding 8-10 cherry tomatoes and the chicken., these break down and turn all saucy.
- If you find your curry is too thin, don't worry. Here's an expert guide on easy ways to thicken the curry.
- If you find this Indian dish for children a little too sweet, leave out the mango chutney.
- Ripe bananas work best in this recipe. This is a great one to use up extra bananas if the kids aren't bothering with fruit. Brown bananas? Yes, please!
- While preparing a mango might be a pain, you can use the other half in delicious mango lassi. It's like a healthy milkshake.
- Feel free to tweak and adapt this recipe to your kids' personal tastes. Any ingredients can be swopped or changed.
- If you don't have time to make different curries for each household member, don't worry. Here are some great ways to make a spicy curry more mild.
- This recipe freezes well. If it is a hit (hint, it will be), then serve one portion now and freeze the other for a night when you really don't have time (or the patience).
Conclusion
Cooking chicken curry for children is easy. Avoid making it too spicy, sneak a little fruit in there, and make sure it is tasty and sweet. Kids love it. Our children's chicken curry will be one that they demand time and time again. How did you like it? Let us know in the comments below.
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