Chicken breast is very lean and has almost no connective tissue, which is why it turns dry and stringy so quickly when boiled. The secret to keeping it juicy is to cook your curry sauce completely first, and only introduce the chicken at the very end using gentle poaching heat.
Here is the most reliable method, along with the exact times and heat settings:
1. Prepare the sauce first: Sauté your aromatics, bloom your spices, and simmer your curry base (whether it uses tomatoes, coconut milk, or broth) until it reaches the desired flavor and thickness. Do not put the raw chicken in at the beginning.
2. Set the heat level: Turn your stovetop burner down to medium-low. Your sauce should not be at a rolling boil; you only want gentle, occasional bubbles breaking the surface, which corresponds to a poaching temperature of roughly 85 to 90 degrees Celsius (185 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit).
3. Simmering time: Cut your chicken breast into uniform 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Drop the raw chicken pieces directly into the gently bubbling sauce. Stir once so every piece is submerged, put a tight-fitting lid on the pot, and let it simmer on medium-low for 7 to 8 minutes.
4. Carryover rest: After 8 minutes, turn off the heat completely, but keep the lid on. Let the pot sit undisturbed on the warm burner for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. The gentle residual heat will finish bringing the chicken to a safe internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) without boiling out the moisture.
If you want an extra layer of insurance against dryness, toss the raw diced chicken with a tablespoon of plain yogurt or a pinch of salt and cornstarch 15 minutes before adding it to the pot.
