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Coconut Curry Chicken

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Coconut Curry Chicken is full of sweet coconut and spicy curry flavor.  Add some veggies on the side to turn this delicious recipe into complete meal!

Coconut Curry Chicken with Broccoli on a light blue plate

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Coconut Curry Chicken is most definitely one of my top 5 favorite dinners to eat and it’s also pretty straightforward to make.  It’s on our dinner menu once or twice a month, if not more.  Because of this recipe, I pretty much can’t stop eating anything that’s been cooked with coconut milk. And, if it’s got curry powder in it, I’m probably going to love it even more.  If you’re a fan of a good curry recipe, I have a feeling that you’re going to love this one too!

Coconut Curry Chicken close up with broccoli and rice

I am pretty proud to say that this dish is not just one of my favorites, but everyone that I’ve made it for so far has asked me to make it for them again.  My mom, who is quite the cook herself, requests this Coconut Curry Chicken recipe whenever she comes to visit. And, Jaxon, my oldest son, has even said it’s his third favorite dinner (behind peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken nuggets – haha).  There are rarely any leftovers in my home, but this is one of those meals that’s even better the next day when the flavors have more time to all blend together.

I highly recommend using regular, full fat, coconut milk in this recipe, versus light, for the most coconut flavor. It’s a pretty, but monotone, orange colored dish. I like to serve it with broccoli and some fresh cilantro to add a pop of color. I will say that what this dish lacks in color is more than made up for in flavor!  This recipe is also naturally gluten free and even low carb if you eat it on its own!

How to Make Coconut Curry Chicken

Prep!

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and dice the shallot. Mince the garlic and have all of your other ingredients out and ready to go.

Create!

Dutch oven with curry oil cooking

Add the oil to a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.

Stir the curry powder into the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Curry Chicken in a Dutch oven

Next, add the red curry paste, garlic, and shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the shallot is softened.

Seasoned Chicken on a White Cutting Board

Season with the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the curry mixture, tossing to coat.

Reduce heat to medium and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 5-7  minutes.

Coconut milk being poured in the chicken curry

Add the coconut milk, tomato sauce, and sugar.

Coconut Curry Chicken in a Dutch Oven with a Wooden Spoon

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. The longer you cook it, the more the flavors will develop.

Present!

Coconut Curry Chicken over Rice with Broccoli. A Green pot and wood spoon in the background

Serve this Coconut Curry Chicken over rice or noodles, if desired. Add a side of broccoli and a sprinkle of fresh, chopped cilantro for a pop of color and flavor!

Enjoy!

Tips and Techniques

  • for the most coconut flavor, use canned, full-fat coconut milk
  • to lower the carbohydrate count even more, use a sugar substitute, like Splenda, to replace the sugar
  • the longer you simmer this recipe, the more the flavors develop
  • make a double batch – the leftovers are even more flavorful!
  • this recipe has not yet been tested in a Instant Pot or slow cooker

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5 from 1 vote
Coconut Curry Chicken over Rice with Broccoli
Print
Coconut Curry Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

Coconut Curry Chicken is full of sweet coconut and spicy curry flavor. Add some veggies on the side to turn this delicious recipe into complete meal!

Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Chicken, Gluten Free, Low Carb
Keyword: coconut curry chicken, gluten free coconut curry chicken
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 281 kcal
Author: Lauren
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 Tablespoon red curry paste
  • 2 cloves garlic * minced
  • 1 shallot * diced small
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts * cut into bite sized pieces
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 13.66 ounce can coconut milk
  • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or a large, deep skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat.

  2. Stir the curry powder into the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

  3. Add the red curry paste, garlic, and shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the shallot is softened.

  4. Season with the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the curry mixture, tossing to coat.

  5. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook the chicken until it is no longer pink in the center, about 5-7 minutes.

  6. Add the coconut milk, tomato sauce, and sugar. Mix well.

  7. Set the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30-45 minutes. 

  8. Serve over rice or noodles, if desired. 

Recipe Notes

Tips and Techniques

  • for the most coconut flavor, use canned, full-fat coconut milk
  • to lower the carbohydrate count even more, use a sugar substitute, like Splenda, to replace the sugar
  • the longer you simmer this recipe, the more the flavors develop
  • make a double batch - the leftovers are even more flavorful!
  • this recipe has not yet been tested in a Instant Pot or slow cooker

** nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use and any alterations you make to the recipe.

This recipe was originally published on January 15, 2016. The recipe and images were updated in September 2018.

Coconut Curry Chicken is a incredibly flavorful main dish recipe! It's loaded with sweet coconut and spicy curry flavors. An added bonus - it's naturally gluten free and low carb (on it's own). | #dlbrecipes #coconutcurrychicken #currychicken #chickenrecipe #glutenfree #lowcarb
Coconut Curry Chicken is an easy to make main dish recipe that is loaded with sweet coconut and spicy curry flavors! Add some veggies and make it a complete meal! This curry recipe is also gluten free and low carb when eaten on it's own! | #dlbrecipes #currychicken #coconutcurry #chickenrecipe #glutenfree #lowcarb

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Comments

  1. I love ❤️ this recipe. I only wish I could eat it more often. Great leftover too. If you have any that is.

    Reply

    • Definitely try curry – it’s so good and it doesn’t really make your house smell forever….or I got used to it? haha!

      Reply

  11. This recipe looks amazing! I share a lot of food posts, so I’d like to think i’m a little biased, but I can’t wait to try this one. Wonderful photos and love everything about it. Thanks for sharing!

    Brooke

    Reply

    • Oh definitely. I’d just mix in a variety of veggies – I was vegetarian for 10 years 🙂

      Reply

  25. I must admit the title of this post/recipe is what peaked my interest. I love chicken and I never would have thought to add coconut milk to the chicken. This sounds like a great chicken recipe to try out and it sounds like it is easy to make. My family however prefers broccoli so thank you for mentioning that I could use it instead of cauliflower.

    Reply

    • Broccoli works great with curry as well – I also make a curry broccoli salad that’s really good!

      Reply

  26. We make a similar dish at my house and top it with toasted coconut! Trader Joe’s sells a tasty garlic naan (in the frozen section) that pairs well with ours. Your version looks great – may give it a try! (If an 8-year-old ranks it just below PB&J and chicken nuggets, it MUST be delicious!)

    Reply

    • I love naan – great idea! My poor child has to try everything we make…this one just happened to be one he didn’t complain about – yay!

      Reply

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