Chicken with Carrot in Creamy Curry Sauce
Nonfat yogurt does the heavy lifting here. Mixed with curry powder and simmered at low heat, it turns into a sauce that coats the chicken and carrot like something much richer. 527 calories, 37 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat — the kind of numbers you usually only see in a grilled chicken salad, except this is a warm, spiced curry over brown rice.
The whole thing takes fifteen minutes. Sear the chicken, cook the vegetables in the same pan, stir in the yogurt sauce, and plate over rice. One pan, one pot, done.
Ingredients
- brown rice 3 ounces
- onion 0.5
- carrot 1
- chicken breast 3 ounces
- curry powder 2 teaspoons
- olive oil 0.5 tablespoon
- yogurt, nonfat 3.5 fluid ounces
Method
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Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
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Coarsely chop the onion and slice the carrot.
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Rub the chicken breast with half of the curry powder.
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Heat the oil in a large pan and sear the chicken for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Place the onion and carrot around the chicken and cook the vegetables, stirring, for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken occasionally.
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In a small bowl, mix the remaining curry powder with the yogurt, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low. Stir the yogurt mixture into the pan and gently coat the chicken and vegetables. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is creamy.
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Serve the rice topped with the chicken and creamy curry vegetables.
Keep the heat low when you add the yogurt. High heat makes yogurt split and turn grainy — the sauce goes from silky to broken in seconds. Stir it in gently, let it warm through at a simmer, and it thickens into something that actually coats. Fresh ginger adds warmth without extra salt, and a squeeze of lime right before serving lifts the whole plate.
Behind this recipe
Can I use regular yogurt instead of nonfat?
Yes. Full-fat or low-fat yogurt works — the sauce will be slightly richer. Nonfat keeps the total fat at 11 grams for the entire plate, which is unusually low for a creamy curry. The same low-heat technique applies regardless of fat content: stir it in gently, simmer, do not boil.
Is 70 grams of carbs from rice too much if I am trying to lose fat?
Research from four independent analyses found that total daily carb intake matters more than any single meal's carb count. Seventy grams from brown rice is a substantial share of a day's carbs, but whether that fits depends on your total daily target and activity level. Brown rice is a slow-digesting source with 6 grams of fiber, which means steadier energy than the same carbs from a refined grain.
Read the full evidence reviewWhere does all the protein come from with only 3 ounces of chicken?
Two sources. Chicken breast provides the majority, and nonfat yogurt adds casein protein — a slower-digesting type. Together they deliver 37 grams. A 2014 crossover trial found that spreading protein evenly across meals produced 25% more muscle protein synthesis over a full day than concentrating the same amount into fewer sittings. Three or four meals at this protein level covers most daily targets.
Read the full evidence review
