National Curried Chicken Day Date in the current year: January 12, 2024

The term curry can refer to any dish with sauce seasoned with a South Asian spice mix called garam masala in India and curry powder in most of the Western world. Interestingly, curry powder does not necessarily include curry leaves. In India, garam masala usually contains bay leaves, cardamom, chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, mace, and peppercorns. The Western version of curry powder typically consists of black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mace, and turmeric.

Most Indian curries are vegetable, meat, or fish stews with thick gravy that are usually served with steamed rice or various Indian breads. Meat-based curries are typically made with chicken, lamb, or mutton since Hindus don’t eat beef and Muslims don’t eat pork, which is reflected in Indian culinary tradition.

Indian chicken curry usually consists of pieces of chicken stewed in a sauce that includes tomatoes, onions, and spices. There are many regional variations of the dish in India, but most of them are cooked in similar ways. First, whole spices are heated in oil or ghee to give it flavor. Then, a tomato-based sauce flavored with onions, garlic, ginger, and garam masala is made. Pieces of chicken are stewed in the sauce until cooked though. In some parts of India, the recipe may include coconut milk.

Various curried chicken dishes are popular in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand). Some of them are native, while other are derivatives of Indian curried chicken. Coconut milk is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian chicken curries.

Outside of Asia, chicken curry is especially popular in the Caribbean, where it was brought by Indian indentured workers. Caribbean chicken curry was originally very similar to its Indian prototype: it was a thick stew consisting mostly of sauce with a few pieces of meat. However, poultry was cheap and readily available in the region, so the dish transformed into pieces of chicken flavored with curry powder and cooked in a moderate amount of sauce or gravy.

A variation of curried chicken named country captain is popular in the American South. It is a stew consisting of browned chicken pieces, curry powder, onions, almond, and golden raisins, served over white rice.

The origins of National Curried Chicken Day are unclear, but don’t let it stop you from celebrating this amazing holiday and indulging in delicious chicken curry. You can go out to your favorite Indian or Jamaican restaurant, order takeout if you’re not in the mood to go anywhere, cook delicious chicken curry for your family and friends using your favorite recipe, or experiment with new recipes. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtags #NationalCurriedChickenDay and #CurriedChickenDay.