What does a chicken curry with rice cost in Switzerland?
Two ingredients decide the price of a chicken curry with rice for four - the chicken and the coconut milk. Here's how to build a genuinely cheap one, plus how to see the current offer for each ingredient across all seven Swiss chains in the Rappn app.
The price of a chicken curry with rice for four in Switzerland is set almost entirely by two ingredients: the chicken and the coconut milk. Everything else - onion, garlic, ginger, curry paste or powder, a bag of rice - is cheap pantry stuff that barely moves the total. The single biggest saving is to buy chicken thigh instead of breast (it's cheaper per kilo and actually better in a curry), reach for own-brand coconut milk and rice, and shop the chicken when one of the seven chains has it on Aktion. That's where the real money is.
As of July 2026. The per-ingredient price changes every week across Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro and Otto's, so we don't quote a franc figure here. Open a curry recipe in the Rappn app and it shows the current cheapest offer for each ingredient and how many of them are on sale, with the saving per shop.
Rappn compares all seven big Swiss supermarkets in one free app - neutral, with no retailer deals behind it, so the cheapest basket is genuinely the cheapest.
What goes into a chicken curry for 4 - and what actually drives the cost
A classic coconut chicken curry for four needs, at its core: about 600 g of chicken, one 400 ml can of coconut milk, two onions, three cloves of garlic, a thumb of ginger, two to three tablespoons of curry paste or a good curry powder, a little oil, and roughly 300 g of dry rice to serve. Most cooks add whatever vegetables are around - bell pepper, carrot, courgette, green beans or a handful of spinach - plus a squeeze of lime and fresh coriander if they have it. Of that list, the spices, aromatics and rice cost very little. The chicken is the biggest line by a distance, and the coconut milk is second. Get those two right and the whole plate turns into a budget meal.
The two swing ingredients: chicken and coconut milk
Chicken breast is the reflex choice, but for curry it's the wrong one on both price and taste. Thigh meat (Poulet-Oberschenkel, boneless or bone-in) is cheaper per kilo - bone-in thigh can run at roughly a third the price of skinless breast - and its higher fat content keeps it juicy through a long simmer, so it's almost impossible to overcook. Breast, by contrast, goes dry and stringy the moment it's over. For a slow-cooked, sauce-heavy dish like curry, thigh wins outright. On the coconut milk, don't reach for the "light" version to save a few rappen - it makes a thin, watery sauce. Buy a standard full-fat can and, if you want it lighter, just add a splash of water. An own-brand full-fat can costs a fraction of a branded Thai one and behaves exactly the same in the pan.
Cheaper swaps that don't wreck the curry
| Ingredient | Cheaper alternative | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | Chicken thigh (Poulet-Oberschenkel), boneless or bone-in | Cheaper per kilo and stays juicy in a long simmer - hard to overcook. |
| Branded coconut milk | Own-brand full-fat can (M-Budget, Prix Garantie or a discounter line) | Full-fat beats "light" for a rich sauce; own-brand behaves the same for far less. |
| Small box of rice | A big bag of own-brand basmati or long-grain | Rice is the cheapest way to feed four; the price per portion drops with bag size. |
| Jar of curry paste | Curry powder plus your own onion, garlic and ginger | A basic spice base does most of the work - a jar is convenience, not a must. |
| All chicken | Half chicken and half chickpeas, or a full chickpea/veg curry | A tin of chickpeas plus coconut milk makes a cheap, filling protein and stretches the pan. |
| Out-of-season veg | Whatever vegetable is on Aktion or in season | Courgette, pepper, carrot or green beans bulk the dish and cut the protein per portion. |
None of these swaps change the character of the curry - they change the receipt. The trick that beats all of them, though, is timing: poultry rotates through promotions constantly, and no single chain is always the cheapest for chicken. When thigh (or breast) turns up on Aktion, buy a bit extra and freeze it. Curry itself freezes beautifully - batch a double pan, portion it, and thigh reheats far better than breast because it doesn't dry out - so a single cheap shop can cover two or three dinners.
So what does a chicken curry actually cost in Switzerland?
Honestly, it depends - and it depends on the week. The same curry can swing a long way depending on which chain has chicken on offer, whether you buy own-brand or branded coconut milk, and how much you lean on rice and vegetables to stretch the protein across four plates. That's exactly the gap Rappn closes: instead of guessing, open the curry recipe in the app and it pulls the current cheapest price for every ingredient across all seven chains and shows you how many are on sale this week. Browse the full recipes hub to pick a curry whose ingredients are on offer this week, check what's discounted right now on the offers hub, and see who's cheapest overall on the price comparison. Neutral, free, and updated every week.
Sources checked: .
This is Rappn's shopping-list view: add a recipe's ingredients and see the current offer for each one across Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, Denner, Aligro and Otto’s. Tap around to try it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a chicken curry for 4 cost in Switzerland?
It depends on the week - chicken and coconut milk drive the price, and both rotate through promotions. Rather than quote a franc figure that's out of date by next week, open the curry recipe in the Rappn app: it shows the current cheapest price for every ingredient across all seven big chains, and how many are on sale.
Is chicken thigh or breast cheaper for curry?
Thigh (Poulet-Oberschenkel) is cheaper per kilo than breast - bone-in can be roughly a third of the price - and it stays juicier through a long simmer. For curry it's actually the better cut, not just the cheaper one, because the higher fat content means it won't dry out.
What's the cheapest way to make chicken curry?
Use thigh instead of breast, own-brand full-fat coconut milk and a big bag of own-brand rice, bulk it with seasonal veg, and buy the chicken when it's on Aktion (then freeze it). Going half chicken and half chickpeas cuts the cost further still.
Should I use full-fat or light coconut milk?
Full-fat. Light coconut milk makes a thin, watery sauce; a standard full-fat can gives a rich curry and you can always loosen it with a splash of water. An own-brand full-fat can costs far less than a branded one and works exactly the same.
Can I make chicken curry cheaper without meat?
Yes - a tin of chickpeas plus coconut milk makes a filling, cheap protein. Go half chicken and half chickpeas to stretch the pan, or drop the meat entirely for a full vegetable-and-chickpea curry.
Does chicken curry freeze well?
Very well. Batch a double pan, portion it and freeze. Thigh reheats better than breast because it doesn't dry out, so a single cheap shop - especially one timed to a chicken Aktion - can cover several dinners.