Coconut Curry Chicken
Coconut Curry Chicken is creamy, hearty, and very flavorful! This easy one-pan recipe will solve your cravings without going to the nearest Thai restaurant!
So, I ate at a Thai restaurant last weekend and the experience rekindled my love for curries! And so, I went home and recreated this dish. This is just one of the many Asian-inspired dishes that we love so much, like the Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, Instant Pot Mongolian Beef, and Chow Mein!
Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe
Coconut Curry Chicken is so rich and creamy that it is perfect served over some fluffy rice that soaks all that creamy goodness. The mixture of seasonings and spices yields a beautiful flavor profile making it appeal to an international audience, and making it popular around the globe.
The coconut milk gives it a sweetness that pairs well with the curry spices which you can alter if too overpowering for your taste. That is the beauty of home-cooking – being able to change up the recipe according to your own preference.
Do not be intimidated by the long ingredient list. Look closer and you will find that all you need is poultry, a couple of veggies, some aromatics, and the various spices that you might already have in your pantry.
It is a good thing that I love coconut milk and I keep a stash of it. If you do not have some, then, it is time to do a quick run to your grocery store and you should be able to find it. Don’t keep your other ingredients waiting and let’s start!
How to make Coconut Curry Chicken
- Prepare the veggies: Cut and mince the aromatics and veggies as described in the ingredients list.
- Sauté: Heat some oil and cook the onions. A few minutes in, add in the other aromatics. Then, add the curries, coriander, and cumin.
- Brown: Stir in the veggies then, add in the meat. Cook until the meat turns brown but not thoroughly cooked.
- Pour: Pour in the coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients. You may also add the fish sauce at this point, but it is optional.
- Serve: Serve with rice or naan bread or both. You may garnish with cilantro, basil, nuts, and lime wedges.
Recipe Variations
You can alter this recipe as suggested below:
- Add more veggies like potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, and spinach to add more fiber in it. Just add the spinach towards the end of the cooking so it will not wilt.
- Go vegan by substituting the meat with firm tofu.
- Try it with shrimp!
- Use the slow cooker. Cook it on low for up to 8 hours, or high for up to 4 hours.
What to serve with Coconut Curry Chicken
Aside from naan bread, here are some recipes that go well with this dish:
How to Store Coconut Curry Chicken
Keep it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing will cause no issue with the coconut milk, but the texture of the veggies may change.
Recipe Tips
- You can also eat it with seasonal veggies and greens when you serve it to tone down the spiciness.
- I strongly recommend that you use full fat coconut milk for optimum texture. You may use lite, but you will need to thicken the base by adding a cornstarch slurry.
- If you find it too thick, you may opt to add chicken broth to thin it out.
- Coconut milk is prepared by simmering equal parts of shredded coconut and water. The cream, on the other hand, has three parts more of the shredded coconut than the water which makes it thicker. However, it will be too strong to be used in this dish, so, stick with the milk.
Coconut Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil separated
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger peel before mincing
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste use more or less
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 large red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk do not use Lite
- Juice of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce optional
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
- Once melted, add the onion and saute for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to get golden. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Decrease the heat to LOW and add in the curry powder, red curry paste, coriander, and cumin. Stir often for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Increase the heat back to medium-high and add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, sliced bell pepper, and shredded carrots. Cook stirring for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring 5-6 minutes or until the chicken is browned on both sides, but not fully cooked through.
- Pour in the coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, and add the brown sugar, stir to combine. Simmer and stir occasionally until the curry thickens and the chicken is cooked through 5-7 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce if using.
- Serve over rice garnished with freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges on the side.
Nutrition
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