Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

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Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

Thai Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

This is an easy Thai chicken curry that’s made in one skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and is naturally gluten-free. According to the computer-generated nutrition stats, there’s only 141 calories and 4 carbs per serving — no rice or naan included.

With cold weather upon us, nothing is better than diving into a bowl of this hearty yet healthy comfort food that’s layered with flavors. I could just drink the coconut milk-based sauce.

The Thai red curry is savory, salty, there’s natural sweetness from the sweet Vidalia onions, carrots, and coconut milk. There’s perfect acid balance from lime juice and a very gentle heat from the Thai red curry paste.

Since sharing this recipe in 2017, I’ve received almost 600 comments and 240+ five-star reviews on it. To say it’s a reader favorite is an understatement! 

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Ingredients 

To make the easy Thai red curry recipe, you’ll need: 

  • Coconut oil
  • Sweet Vidalia onion
  • Chicken breasts 
  • Garlic
  • Ground or fresh ginger 
  • Ground coriander 
  • Canned coconut milk
  • Shredded carrots
  • Thai red curry paste 
  • Fresh spinach
  • Lime juice
  • Brown sugar
  • Fresh cilantro 

Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.

Using Curry Powder vs Curry Paste

Thai red curry paste adds a richer and smoother flavor profile than curry powder (Indian) does, but if all you have is curry powder, go for it knowing that the flavor of Thai versus Indian curry products is vastly different and your dish won’t taste like mine.

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

How to Make Thai Red Curry

This is a very easy Thai curry recipe to make! Here’s how the coconut milk curry comes together: 

  1. Add the oil and chopped onion to a large skillet and sauté until softened. 
  2. Add the diced chicken and cook until done, then add the garlic, ginger, and coriander.
  3. Coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, and pepper are stirred in next, and then the mixture should be left to bubble away for about 5 minutes. 
  4. Stir in the spinach, lime juice, and optional brown sugar last.

I like to serve this coconut milk curry with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro to make the flavors pop. 

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

Recipe Tips

Curry paste: As with all curry pastes and powders, they vary in intensity and everyone’s preferences for spice and heat vary, so adjust to taste. I used 2 rounded tablespoons and I wouldn’t call it spicy at all but very flavorful. My 10-year-old wasn’t at all phased by it but we like spicy food.

Veggies: If you have extra veggies you want to incorporate such as cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, or edamame, add them when you add the coconut milk and carrots.

Meal Prep: Something I love about this Thai curry recipe is that the flavors deepen as the leftovers sit in the fridge. So feel free to make a big batch of curry before a busy work week to enjoy later on! 

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

Storage Instructions

If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this coconut milk curry will last up to five days.

Can You Freeze Red Curry? 

Absolutely! I like to store smaller quantities in freezer bags to reheat at a moment’s notice. Frozen curry will last up to three months. 

Ingredient Substitutions and Shortcuts 

This is a very flexible chicken coconut curry recipe, so feel free to tweak the ingredients list as needed to use up what you have on hand. 

  • Coconut oil: May be substituted with olive oil. 
  • Chicken: Use shredded rotisserie chicken or meal prepped chicken instead to save time. Or, use a can of chickpeas to keep this dish vegetarian. 
  • Veggies: Mix and match the veggies to use up whatever is in your produce drawer. 
  • Ground coriander: Omit if you don’t have it on hand, but note that the curry won’t have quite the same depth of flavor. 
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!

What to Serve with Thai Chicken Curry 

We like to serve this Thai chicken curry with naan bread, rice (brown, basmati, or white), or quinoa.

There are so many veggies in the curry itself that a vegetable side isn’t really needed, in my opinion. However, curry pairs nicely with steamed veggies or a crisp green salad. 

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4.75 from 1393 votes

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

By Averie Sunshine
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry – An EASY one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like comfort food!!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients  

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil, olive oil may be substituted
  • 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • one 13-ounce can coconut milk, I used lite; full-fat will deliver a richer/thicker result
  • 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
  • 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste (curry powder may be substituted, to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional and to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
  • rice, quinoa, or naan, optional for serving

Instructions 

  • To a large skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
  • Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
  • Add the coconut milk, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes, or until liquid volume has reduced as much as desired and thickens slightly.
  • Add the spinach, lime juice, and stir to combine. Cook until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and optionally add brown sugar, additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
  • Evenly sprinkle with the cilantro and serve immediately. Curry is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

Storage: Curry is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 474kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 445mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g

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

More Easy Thai Curry Recipes: 

Favorite CHICKEN RECIPES HERE, CURRY RECIPES HERE, and RECIPES USING COCONUT MILK HERE

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 3 stars
    I needed a quick week-night dinner idea and had some ground chicken. I made this recipe and added a little more curry and cooked orzo. We all really liked it

  2. This looks so good – love your recipes – especially your soups! If I substituted shrimp for chicken – should I add those towards the end?

  3. 5 stars
    Totally yummy! I had the bright idea to mix the chicken recipe with the same one for chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Only thing I didn’t like was the sweet potatoes – they tasted odd to me as a combo. And wasn’t such a good thing over rice. Anyway, won’t add the sweet potato next time, but will definitely make again. Easy, quick and addictively delicious!

    One comment is that there are a lot of different kinds of red curry paste out there and I’m sure that which one you use has a huge influence on the spiciness and the overall taste. I couldn’t find anything exactly labeled ‘red curry paste’ so used a Patak brand Tikka Masala paste.

    Wondering what type/brand you use?

  4. 5 stars
    Totally yummy! I had the bright idea to mix the chicken recipe with the same one for chickpeas and sweet potatoes. Only thing I didn’t like was the sweet potatoes – they tasted odd to me as a combo. And wasn’t such a good thing over rice. Anyway, won’t add the sweet potato next time, but will definitely make again. Easy, quick and addictively delicious!

    One comment is that there are a lot of different kinds of red curry paste out there and I’m sure that which one you use has a huge influence on the spiciness and the overall taste. I couldn’t find anything exactly labeled ‘red curry paste’ so used a Patak brand Tikka Masala paste.

    Wondering what type/brand you use?

  5. 4 stars
    Amazing recipe. I combined the dry spices added them at every stage of cooking and incorporated chick peas. Thanks for sharing this. DELICIOUS

  6. 4 stars
    So I wanted curry and coconut chicken ‘something’ tonight, and a Google search brought this recipe up. INSANELY good! Scrolling down, I saw plenty of your other recipes to keep be busy for a while! I’ve always been intimidated when cooking Indian and Asian, though they’re both favorites. You’re recipes make them look quick and easy! Can’t wait!

    1. Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it turned out insanely good! And yes both my recipes that are Asian or Indian are simplified and easy!

  7. 4 stars
    Amazing recipe. I combined the dry spices added them at every stage of cooking and incorporated chick peas. Thanks for sharing this. DELICIOUS

  8. 4 stars
    So I wanted curry and coconut chicken ‘something’ tonight, and a Google search brought this recipe up. INSANELY good! Scrolling down, I saw plenty of your other recipes to keep be busy for a while! I’ve always been intimidated when cooking Indian and Asian, though they’re both favorites. You’re recipes make them look quick and easy! Can’t wait!

  9. 5 stars
    Hands down delish! Didn’t have curry paste and used curry powder. Full fat coconut milk was used. Kids LOVED it and asked to take it to lunch for school for the next day.

    1. Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad curry powder worked great and that your kids loved it enough to make it for school lunches! Now that is a success :)

  10. 5 stars
    Hands down delish! Didn’t have curry paste and used curry powder. Full fat coconut milk was used. Kids LOVED it and asked to take it to lunch for school for the next day.

  11. 5 stars
    Delicious! I forgot the carrots but it was great regardless. I didn’t make any changes other than seasoning the chicken before cooking it, which probably made the dish a little spicier overall. It really did only take 20 minutes from start to finish. Five stars!

    1. Thanks for the five star review, glad it was great even without the carrots, and great to hear that it only took you 20 minutes from start to finish!

  12. 5 stars
    Delicious! I forgot the carrots but it was great regardless. I didn’t make any changes other than seasoning the chicken before cooking it, which probably made the dish a little spicier overall. It really did only take 20 minutes from start to finish. Five stars!

  13. 4 stars
    Fabulous.
    I substituted the chicken for jumbo prawns. And added some seasonal veg like broccoli sprouts and baby corn.
    Made loads so ill be able to eat for a few days. Loved it

  14. 4 stars
    Fabulous.
    I substituted the chicken for jumbo prawns. And added some seasonal veg like broccoli sprouts and baby corn.
    Made loads so ill be able to eat for a few days. Loved it