Yellow Thai Curry with Chickpeas

A plate of curry with broccoli, peppers, rice, crispy chickpeas, and sliced lime, surrounded by small bowls of herbs, rice, and a glass of iced citrus drink.

5 from 2 votes

Yellow Thai Curry with Chickpeas

💛🥕🥦 This Thai yellow curry is hearty yet healthy comfort food that's so EASY and ready in 30 minutes! The veggies are customizable based on what you enjoy and have on hand. Impress your family with this restaurant-worthy yellow curry recipe! Tip - Roasting the chickpeas is a wonderful touch but not absolutely necessary if you're short on time or energy!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: 30-Minute Meals, Asian, Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Keyword: thai yellow curry, yellow curry with chickpeas, yellow curry with vegetables, yellow thai curry

Servings:

Calories: 485cal

Equipment

Ingredients

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed; divided (I use reduced sodium)
1 tablespoon olive oil (vegetable oil may be substituted)
1 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika may be substituted)
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Curry

2 tablespoons coconut oil (olive oil may be substituted)
1 small to medium sweet Vidalia onion finely diced (yellow onion or white onion may be substituted)
3 garlic cloves finely minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root or to taste (or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, or to taste)
2 to 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 to 4 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste, or as desired and to taste (very important see Recipe Notes, below)
1 medium carrot peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper seeded and diced into bite-sized pieces (another color bell pepper may be substituted)
1 ½ cups broccoli florets
15 ounces coconut milk (one standard can, or about 14 to 15.5 ounces; full fat coconut milk recommended but lite may be substituted))
½ cup vegetable broth (water may be substituted)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (I use reduced sodium; use coconut aminos or tamari if you want to keep GF)
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice (optional but recommended)
¼ to ⅓ cup cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing; optional (basil may be substituted)
1 to 4 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed (optional and to taste; granulated sugar may be substituted)
½ teaspoon salt to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste

Instructions

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas - It's optional if you want to roast them. If you don't care about having them crispy, you can skip roasting and just add all of them in Step 7 below.
If you are roasting them, preheat oven to 400F. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place half the chickpeas on a baking sheet. The other half can remain in the colander you used to drain them.
Pat the chickpeas on the baking sheet dry with a paper towel. Drizzle with oil, and add the paprika, salt, and pepper. Scatter them on the baking sheet, and roast for 12–15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, or until crispy and browned.
Curry - 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 garlic, turmeric, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
Add the curry paste and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add carrots, bell pepper, and broccoli, stirring to coat in the paste.
Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, and soy sauce.
Stir in half of the chickpeas (the ones sitting in your colander). Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and/or until the overall liquid volume has reduced as much as desired and thickens slightly. Tip - If you have leftover cooked chicken that you can shred or cube and want to some (about 1 heaping cup), now is the time.
Taste the curry and add the optional but recommended lime juice (brightens the flavor of the dish), cilantro, optional light brown sugar (balances the heat), optional salt (the curry paste has salt in it and so does the soy sauce), and add extra of any of the spices already used or more curry paste, if desired and to taste. Flavor Tips - If the curry tastes at all flat, it likely needs some salt (and probably lime juice). If it's bitter or sour, it needs sugar. Depending on the brand of curry paste you used, and your desire for heat/spiciness, you can add a bit more curry paste or red pepper flakes.
Top with the crispy roasted chickpeas and serve immediately.

Notes

Curry Paste: With Mekhala Yellow Curry Paste, half of a 3.5-ounce jar was plenty to sense a fair amount of heat. We love heat and this curry paste packs a punch. It’s not spicy if you use a teaspoon but if you use half the jar like I did, the heat creeps up on you. Mae Ploy is another option, and find it less spicy overall.

Storage: Curry will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Roasted chickpeas can be stored airtight at room temp for 1-2 days. Store them separately from the curry for them to retain some crispiness. However, they're best enjoyed freshly roasted. Reheat leftover curry in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired.

Adapted from Yellow Thai Chicken Coconut Curry (which is a great curry to make if you want more protein from chicken)

Nutrition