Cheesy Curry Baked Rice Recipe | Singapore Swensen’s style

Today, we’re making one of my favourite childhood indulgences—Cheesy Curry Baked Rice. It’s basically chicken curry over rice in a casserole dish, topped with heaps of cheese. If you’re Singaporean, you’ll recognize this as one of the signature dishes at Swensen’s, though why and how it became a thing there, I’ll never know.

I was genuinely surprised when I realized this mouthwatering fusion wasn’t more common! I mean, cheese and curry? What could be better than that? So, I decided to recreate it at home, and this Cheesy Curry Baked Rice is the delicious result. It’s the perfect cozy meal, and I can’t wait for you to try it!

Why You’ll Love This Dish

• Cheese + Curry = Perfection: The combination of savory curry and gooey melted cheese creates an irresistible flavor profile.

• Comforting and Hearty: It’s the perfect meal for cozy nights in or feeding a crowd.

• Quick & Easy: Simple ingredients and steps that lead to a satisfying meal.

• Customizable: Swap the chicken or curry powder to suit your preferences.

Key Ingredients

Chicken Curry Topping

• Chicken: Boneless chicken, especially thighs work the best for this!

• Curry Powder: In this recipe, I made a basic chicken curry, using ready made, store-bought meat curry powder.

• Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder (optional): You can keep it simple with just the curry powder, but I always add turmeric and chilli powder

• Potato and Carrot: For added nutrition, and everybody loves potatoes!

• Coconut Cream / Heavy Cream: A thicker curry is best for this, so we are using a bit of coconut cream (or milk) or heavy cream to create a thick gravy! Plus, coconut cream gives it a subtle sweetness.

Base: Rice

• Rice: I prefer Japanese short-grain rice, as it’s stickier and compacts well for baking, but any rice will work! Just follow the package instructions for best results.

Cheese Topping

• Cheese: The star of the dish is the cheesy topping. I use a blend of gouda, cheddar, and mozzarella. Gouda and cheddar are my go-to, with mozzarella added for that satisfying cheese pull. You can do JUST a mozzarella topping.

• Cilantro: Finely chopped as garnish as a nice pop of colour

Key Steps to Making Cheesy Curry Baked Rice

1. Prep the Ingredients

• Start by cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, seasoning with salt and pepper. Let this marinade while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

• Cut potatoes and carrots into bite-sized cubes.

• Peel and roughly chop onions and ginger. Peel garlic. Add onions, garlic and ginger with a splash of water to a blender and blend to create a smooth paste.

2. Cook the Vegetables

• Boil the cubed potatoes and carrots in until tender.

• Remove from water and set aside.

NOTE: To save time, you can boil the carrots and potatoes while the curry is cooking in steps 3-5!

3. Cook the Curry Base

• In a pan with oil, sauté the paste until fragrant.

• Add the curry powder, turmeric and chili powder, if using. Stir with the paste, until a curry paste forms. Continue to stir over low heat, until fragrant. Add oil as needed, if paste is turning dry.

4. Add Chicken

• Add in the chicken, and stir to coat in the curry paste. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

• Add the coconut cream, and stir to combine with the chicken. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked and tender.

5. Add the Vegetables

• Once chicken is cooked, add the boiled potatoes and carrots. Stir to combine.

• Season with salt and sugar to taste.

• Let this simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

• Turn off the heat.

6. Assemble & Bake!

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

• Layer cooked rice in a casserole dish. Pack the rice down with a spatular or rice paddle.

• Followed by the chicken curry mixture.

• Top generously with shredded cheese.

• Place the casserole dish in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

7. Serve & Enjoy

• Garnish with fresh cilantro, and you’re all set!

Tips and Tricks

• Rice: Japanese rice works great here because it’s sticky and holds up well in the casserole, but any rice you have on hand, or prefer, will do.

• Cheese Options: I love using a blend of Gouda, mozzarella, and cheddar for the best flavour AND cheese pull. Gouda adds a smooth, creamy flavour, while cheddar gives a nice sharpness, and mozzarella is perfect for that stringy texture.

Storing and Reheating

Storage

• This dish stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days. To keep it for longer, you can freeze it – yes, even with the cheese!

Reheating

• To reheat, simply pop it in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes, or microwave individual servings until hot. If you want to add some extra cheese on top before reheating, go for it!
• To reheat frozen cheesy curry baked rice, pop it straight in the oven or microwave. There is no need to defrost it first.

Make Ahead Instructions

This is SUCH a good meal to make ahead! Prep the components separately ahead of time, and when you’re ready to eat, assemble and bake in the oven.

Prepare the Components in Advance:

• Curry Topping: Cook the topping as per the recipe, allow it to cool completely, and then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

• Rice: Make the rice ahead of time and let it cool to room temperature. Store in a separate airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the rice for longer storage, but I recommend giving that a splash of water and a microwave blitz to rehydrate them.

On the Day of Serving

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Spread the rice first, then the curry. Finally, top with cheese.
• Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted and heated through!

NOTE: If the components are cold from the fridge, allow the assembled dish to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before baking, or add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time to ensure it heats through evenly.