Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry with Rice

A simple, warming curry with tender chicken, sweet potatoes and rice.

Allergens: none of the 14 main allergens in the usual versions of these ingredients. Brands differ, so always check the labels on what you buy.

Per serving (approx.): 64g carbs · 10g sugars · 10g fibre. Estimates for carb counting, not medical advice. If you have diabetes, follow your GP or dietitian's advice.

Not every ingredient has a checked price at Sainsbury's, Aldi, Morrisons, Co-op, Iceland, so they aren't compared here yet (more are checked every day). Lidl doesn't publish prices online, so it can't be compared.

Ingredients and prices

Swipe the table to see every supermarket.

Not compared (a price wasn't found at every shop, so it isn't in the totals): Carrots, Red kidney beans.

Prices checked on 5 October 2026 from each supermarket's own listing or a price-comparison site. Each shop's unit price (or pack size) is shown under its price, and "cost of what this recipe uses" compares like with like (tap a price to see its source). Cheapest in each row is ticked. Prices, offers and pack sizes change; loyalty-card prices are not included unless stated.

Method

The method is written for 4. For a different number, use the amounts in the table above.

1. Peel and dice the onion into 1 cm pieces. Peel the carrots and sweet potatoes, then cut both into 2 cm chunks. Trim the chicken breasts of any fat and cut into 2 cm bite-sized pieces. Weigh 100 g long grain rice into a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
2. Place a medium saucepan (about 18 cm) on the hob with 300 ml cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, add the rinsed rice, stir once, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 minutes — the rice should be tender and all water absorbed.
3. While the rice cooks, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan or sauté pan (28 cm) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, and fry for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until golden brown on the outside and no longer pink in the middle. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the same pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent. Add 2 tsp mild curry powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and ½ tsp turmeric; stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant and the spices coat the onion.
5. Tip in the carrot and sweet potato chunks, stirring to coat in the spices. Pour in the 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes and 200 ml water. Bring to a gentle bubble, then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring halfway, until the sweet potato is tender when pierced with a knife.
6. Drain and rinse the 400 g tin of red kidney beans under cold water. Stir the beans and the cooked chicken (with any resting juices) into the curry. Simmer uncovered for 3–4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is piping hot throughout. Taste and add a final pinch of salt and pepper if needed.
7. Fluff the rice with a fork. Divide the rice between four shallow bowls, spoon the curry alongside, and serve immediately. The curry should be rich, aromatic and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; the chicken tender and the vegetables holding their shape.

Tips

• Swap chicken thighs for breast — they're cheaper, stay juicier, and work well in slow-cooked curries; just increase the initial fry to 6 minutes.
• Batch-cook the curry (without rice) and portion into four airtight containers. Cool within 1–2 hours, refrigerate up to 48 hours or freeze for up to 3 months. Cook fresh rice on the day you eat.
• Reheat curry once only: defrost frozen portions overnight in the fridge, then heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot throughout (75 °C). Do not reheat rice more than once.

Nothing wasted: your leftover ingredients

Supermarkets sell set pack sizes, so you'll have some ingredients left. Here's how to keep them, and other recipes here that use them up.

• Chicken breast fillets · about 250g left
  Freeze the raw meat you don't use, well wrapped and labelled, before its use-by date. Defrost in the fridge and cook within 24 hours. Use it in: Salmon with New Potatoes, Fish Finger Sandwiches, Salmon Fish Pie.
• Sweet potatoes · about 1.5kg left
  Keep somewhere cool and dark (not the fridge). Use extras for mash, wedges or a traybake later in the week. Use it in: One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg, Beef & Veggie Skillet, Chicken and Sweet Potato Tray Bake.
• Onion · about 850g left
  Chop the rest and freeze it flat in a bag: it cooks straight from frozen in soups, curries and sauces. Whole onions keep for weeks somewhere cool, dark and dry. Use it in: Chilli con carne, Egg fried rice, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake.
• Carrots · about 340g left
  Keep in the fridge salad drawer for up to 2-3 weeks, or slice and freeze. Great grated into bolognese, chilli or soup. Use it in: Lentil and vegetable soup, Creamy Tomato & Hidden Veg Pasta Bake, One-pan chicken, potatoes and veg.
• Long Grain Rice · about 900g left
  Dry stores keep for months sealed in the cupboard, so nothing goes to waste. Use it in: Egg fried rice, Cheesy Bean & Rice Casserole, One-pot chicken and rice.

Storing leftovers

Cool leftovers and put them in the fridge or freezer within 1–2 hours. Eat fridge leftovers within 2 days, or freeze them. Defrost in the fridge and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through (Food Standards Agency guidance).