Make Coconut Curry Chicken in one pot in 30 minutes or less. It’s packed with delicious flavors and is the perfect weeknight dinner.

Pair Coconut Curry Chicken with rice and/or naan bread. A side of roasted carrots or roasted sweet potatoes would also pair nicely.

Ready-to-eat coconut curry chicken, creamy and flavorful, with a fork in it, served alongside fluffy rice and warm naan bread.

When you’re not sure what to make for dinner, creamy Coconut Curry Chicken always comes through.

It’s fast, flavorful, and healthy! This is one of my husband’s all-time favorite meals, and while I tend to prefer veggies over meat (hiiii  there, butternut squash curry), this is one of my favorites as well.

Chicken and red peppers cooking in a pan for coconut chicken curry, starting to combine with spices and flavors.

Coconut Curry flavor

Today we’re using red curry in this dish, alongside yellow curry powder and a good amount of coriander. If you’re wondering what coconut curry tastes like, it’s a bit sweet but mostly savory with hints of spice from the red curry. Red curry is made from crushed red chilies, garlic, lemongrass, shallots, ginger and fish paste. We amp up those flavors with additional garlic, ginger, and onions.

So as far as spiciness goes, I would rate this dish as mild, but it does depend on the brand of red curry you use. I’ve found Thai Kitchen® is generally quite mild.

Coconut milk being added to the chicken and red peppers in the pan, creating a creamy base for chicken curry with coconut milk.

Coconut Curry Chicken FAQs

What makes curry sweet?

  • Cooking the onions slowly and for a longer period causes the onions to brown and develop a sweeter flavor.
  • Coconut milk makes this curry sweeter than using regular cream.
  • We add a little bit of brown sugar (optional) for sweetness.
  • Coriander is a naturally sweet spice. Curry powder tends to be on the sweeter side as well (more on this below).

Curry powder has a unique flavor with both savory and sweet spices. Cumin, turmeric, and bay leaf give curry powder a deep, earthy and savory flavor while the sweet spices such as cinnamon and cloves add brightness and sweetness.

The flavorful meal cooking in the pan, rich with sauce and aromatic spices.

With all of the various coconut products, it’s hard to know what will work best in your coconut curry chicken. To help, I’m breaking it down below.

Coconut milk or coconut cream?

  • Coconut milk has the liquid consistency of cow’s milk. It’s the basis of most Thai curries and is made by simmering 1 part shredded coconut to 1 part water.
  • Coconut cream has a much thicker and richer consistency than coconut milk. Coconut cream is made from simmering 4 parts shredded coconut to 1 part water.
  • Cream of coconut is a sweetened version of coconut cream. It’s generally used in drinks or desserts. With all the added sugar, it’s not a great substitute for coconut cream.

Can I use coconut cream in curry?

In this coconut curry chicken, we use full-fat coconut milk. Lite coconut milk won’t thicken and give you a rich full flavor like regular coconut milk. Coconut cream tends to be too thick (and overpoweringly coconut flavored) for this coconut curry chicken and cream of coconut is far too sweet.

The finished meal served over a bed of rice, warm, flavorful, and ready to be enjoyed.

Coconut Curry Chicken additions

With just a few ingredients, creamy Coconut Curry Chicken goes from good to WOW.

Our must-have additions: fresh lime juice, finely chopped cilantro (or basil!) a little bit of brown sugar.

Other great add-ins: chopped peanuts or cashews, fish sauce.

Variations

  • Coconut Curry Chicken and vegetables: This curry has some red pepper in it, but feel free to increase the veggies! You can add some carrot sticks (add along with red pepper) and spinach (stir in at the very end — residual heat will cook it down).
  • Coconut Curry Chicken thighs: Chicken thighs will work great instead of breast meat (use boneless skinless and adjust for cooking time).
  • Chicken Curry with coconut milk and potatoes: Try adding baby Yukon gold potatoes (to do this, I microwave whole potatoes for 5-8 minutes or until tender; cut them into quarters and add them in alongside the red pepper. This helps the potatoes catch up to the rest of the ingredients and yet still absorb the delicious flavors).
  • Coconut Chicken Curry slow cooker recipe: try this recipe!

The finished chicken coconut curry on top of rice, garnished with fresh herbs, warm and ready to be enjoyed.

More delicious chicken dinners

4.84 from 217 votes

Coconut Chicken Curry

Coconut Chicken Curry is packed with delicious flavors and is an easy one-pot meal. This curry can be made in 30 minutes or less, making it the perfect weeknight dinner!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil separated
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion diced (~1/2 cup)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic (~1 and 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger (from a 1 and 1/2 inch piece)
  • 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen; reduce or increase as desired for spice levels)
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 can (13.5 oz.) full-fat coconut milk (NOT lite)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce, optional
  • 1/4 cup cilantro and/or basil diced
  • Serve over/with: cooked basmati rice and naan bread with additional lime wedges
  • Optional: chopped peanuts or cashews

Instructions 

  • Start by prepping ingredients: Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and mince the ginger. I peel the ginger with a spoon or vegetable peeler and then finely mince it. Thinly slice the red bell pepper into long vertical strips and then cut those strips in half horizontally.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes or until onions begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and ginger; stir to coat everything with the oil. Lower the heat to low and add in the curry powder, red curry paste, and coriander. Stir often for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
  • Return the heat to medium high. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil and the red bell pepper. Stir for 1-2 minutes and then add in the bite-sized pieces of chicken. Sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper). Cook, stirring often for about 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is browned on both sides, but not cooked through.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, lime juice, and brown sugar (to taste; I start with just 1 tablespoon). Stir until chicken is cooked through (juices run clear and it is cooked to 165 degrees F) and curry is slightly thickened (See Note 1). If desired, stir in the fish sauce.
  • Serve over rice and/or with naan. Garnish individual plates with cilantro, basil, and/or crushed peanuts/cashews. Serve additional lime wedges by the side if desired.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If you want a thicker sauce, you can remove 1-2 tablespoons of the sauce to a small bowl and (with a fork) whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Whisk this mixture back into the curry sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 788mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3090IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

 

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

More Recipes You'll Love

4.84 from 217 votes (58 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




385 Comments

  1. Coco says:

    5 stars
    I was skeptical, not a huge curry fan, but this was absolutely delicious! Not too spicy, I followed the recipe exactly, including 2T brown sugar and the fish sauce. Exceptional, the best curry I have ever had. Don’t buy the stuff in the jars, this is far superior and worth the effort.

    1. Chelsea says:

      YAY! So happy to hear this! Thank you so much for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Olya Tilley says:

    Amazing!!!! Itโ€™s going into my recipe book.

    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Olya! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Katherine says:

    5 stars
    My absolute favourite! It’s perfect! The right amount of spice & sweet. I”ve made it several times now.

    1. Chelsea says:

      So happy to hear this! Thanks so much Katherine! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Holly says:

    5 stars
    I made this for my family tonight and everyone loved it…even my picky eater. I followed the recipe and served it over angel hair pasta with plenty of naan and fresh cilantro. I didn’t have fish sauce so I used soy sauce. Absolutely delicious!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Yay! I love to hear this! Thanks so much Holly! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Ashley Brown says:

    5 stars
    My family loves this recipe! We make it all the time. Iโ€™m thinking of making this for a large group (25-30 people). Do you have any tips for making a large batch?

  6. Dawn K. says:

    5 stars
    My daughter and I have made this many times, itโ€™s so easy and delicious! The only thing we donโ€™t use is the fish sauce! Thanks for a great recipe!

    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Dawn! ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Brian says:

    5 stars
    Any advice on doubling the recipe? Iโ€™ve made it a few times and is delicious. I doubled it this week, used 1.85 pounds of chicken then doubled everything except coconut oil and coconut milk. I felt the 3 tbsp of oil was sufficient. I had bought 2 cans of coconut milk, but after adding one can it seemed like enough, but I added about 1/3 of the second can to be safe. It came out great, just wondering if thereโ€™s any doubling advice. Thanks

    1. Chelsea says:

      Hey Brian, I haven’t doubled this coconut curry chicken yet but it sounds like your method was successful, thanks for sharing and if I do double it i’ll circle back and update you on any tips I have!

  8. Jean says:

    5 stars
    This was THE BEST I have ever made.

    1. Chelsea says:

      YAY! Thanks Jean! ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Stephanie says:

    5 stars
    I had a shrimp curry dish in Abu Dhabi which was one of my favorite meals. I subbed shrimp for the chicken in this recipe however everything else was as written. I usually prefer a chicken broth based curry but this recipe is absolutely fantastic and near identical to what I had overseas. Truly fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! What a compliment! Thanks Stephanie! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Stephanie says:

    5 stars
    Just had this for dinner and all six of us loved it! Thanks for the great, easy recipe which we can even make on weeknights! I doubled the recipe and am happy their are leftovers waiting in the fridge. Yum!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Stephanie! ๐Ÿ™‚