Mary Berry's 30-Minute Chicken Curry
Mary Berry offers a quick chicken curry recipe that takes under 30 minutes to prepare and is mild enough for the whole family. The emphasis is on simplicity, flavor, and family appeal for busy weeknights. Berry also has a "fragrant" chicken traybake that's a one-pan weekend meal with minimal prep and maximum flavor.
The korma-style chicken curry achieves its speed without a pre-made paste, instead using a blend of medium curry powder, cumin, and crushed cardamom pods. A key step to developing flavor quickly is frying onions until golden brown, which adds to the color and taste of the final sauce. To keep the dish mild and family-friendly, it incorporates ground almonds, mango chutney for a touch of sweetness, and full-fat natural yoghurt for a creamy finish instead of heavy cream. Mary Berry's broader cooking philosophy centers on "simplicity, elegance, and accessibility," with a focus on making cooking fun rather than stressful. This approach is reflected in her numerous cookbooks with titles like "Mary Makes It Easy," "Quick Cooking," and "Stress-Free Kitchen," which aim to build confidence in home cooks. Her recipes are known for being thoroughly tested and reliable, making them a trusted resource for families. The "fragrant" chicken traybake offers a different flavor profile, inspired by Thai aromas. This one-pan meal features chicken marinated in a mix of spices including cumin, coriander, paprika, and turmeric, balanced with the sweetness of honey. The dish is built on a base of thickly sliced onions and crushed garlic, with lemon slices tucked around the chicken to infuse it with citrus notes as it roasts. With a career spanning over six decades, Mary Berry has authored more than 75 cookbooks, becoming a household name in the UK. After training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she became the food editor of Housewife magazine in 1970 and a celebrated television personality, known for her reassuring and practical guidance. Her influence on British home cooking is profound, earning her the title of a "national treasure."