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!!
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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 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.
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:
- Add the oil and chopped onion to a large skillet and sauté until softened.
- Add the diced chicken and cook until done, then add the garlic, ginger, and coriander.
- 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.
- 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.
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!
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.
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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Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Easy Thai Curry Recipes:
Favorite CHICKEN RECIPES HERE, CURRY RECIPES HERE, and RECIPES USING COCONUT MILK HERE.
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Best curry I have ever made and tried. So rich and flavorful!
It was so good !
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was so good!
It was so good !
Lovely recipe! I made this but substituted shredded kale for the spinach. Even my husband liked it and he dislikes kale. I did not have a curry paste. Instead, I used turmeric and two types of mild and warm Chili; New Mexican and Californian, along with paprika. I didn’t shred the carrots. I cut them in small pieces and added chopped red peppers, and stir fried them with the chicken and onions and garlic. I had all the other ingredients. I also added fresh basil as you suggested at the end. Yum! This will be a regular recipe. Thank you so much!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this worked out great for you with the kale and the turmeric and other spices you used!
Glad this will become a regular recipe for you!
This recipe was so good! I have a ton of coconut milk to get through this week so I was looking for recipes to make with it. I didn’t have carrots so I swapped them for sweet potato pieces and stewed the whole thing a bit longer to let the pieces soften (I looked at your chickpea and sweet potato version of this recipe too haha) I will definitely be making this again!
Glad it turned out great for you and sounds like you made a hybrid of my sweet potato/chickpea recipe along with this one. Great to use what you had available. Glad you’ll make it again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out so well! I have another recipe that is very similar to this and uses sweet potatoes as well which is sounds like you saw. Glad it all came together great for you!
This was fantastic! Just like at the restaurant! Thank you so much for the recipe. We substituted maple syrup instead of brown sugar, and did not have fresh cilantro on hand, but it was still de-li-cious! Definitely a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that maple syrup worked for you and was just like at the restaurant!
This was unbelievably delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks!!
I am so glad you loved it and wouldn’t change a thing!
Lovely recipe! I made this but substituted shredded kale for the spinach. Even my husband liked it and he dislikes kale. I did not have a curry paste. Instead, I used turmeric and two types of mild and warm Chili; New Mexican and Californian, along with paprika. I didn’t shred the carrots. I cut them in small pieces and added chopped red peppers, and stir fried them with the chicken and onions and garlic. I had all the other ingredients. I also added fresh basil as you suggested at the end. Yum! This will be a regular recipe. Thank you so much!
This recipe was so good! I have a ton of coconut milk to get through this week so I was looking for recipes to make with it. I didn’t have carrots so I swapped them for sweet potato pieces and stewed the whole thing a bit longer to let the pieces soften (I looked at your chickpea and sweet potato version of this recipe too haha) I will definitely be making this again!
This was fantastic! Just like at the restaurant! Thank you so much for the recipe. We substituted maple syrup instead of brown sugar, and did not have fresh cilantro on hand, but it was still de-li-cious! Definitely a keeper!
This was unbelievably delicious! I made the recipe exactly as written and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks!!
I tried this recipe just to try my hand at a local favorite. Not to brag but this was better than the thai place 😂😭 i was pleasantly surprised by how amazing this came out. Thank you!!! *stocks up on coconut milk and thai paste*
5 stars of course!
Thank you!
I am glad that it was better than your local Thai restaurant! Glad you are stocking up on ingredients to make it again!
5 stars of course!
I tried this recipe just to try my hand at a local favorite. Not to brag but this was better than the thai place 😂😭 i was pleasantly surprised by how amazing this came out. Thank you!!! *stocks up on coconut milk and thai paste*
I subbed extra firm tofu for chicken and added red peppers and 1/2 habanero. It was DELICIOUS.
For a silky, flavorful tofu, let the diced onions sauté for their allotted time. Then, lay the tofu on the bed of onions and add garlic and ginger. Let the mixture steam under a lid for 5 minutes. Continue as usual!
I added the red peppers and 1/2 habanero when I added the carrots.
One thing I forgot was how SWEET carrots are! I know I love sweetness, so I added the brown sugar before tasting. I could have done less brown sugar because this recipe is SO sweet and flavorful without the sugar. I love a recipe that is sweet enough for me without sugar.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear that extra firm tofu worked well and for sharing the method you used. I am a habanero fan so next time I make this I may add a bit, too!
I made this recipe during the time of crisis. I have been scared to go to the store so I just had to use what I had.
I didn’t have enough chicken so I added 2 cups of canned sweet potato to make the sauce look fuller. I also had no onions, or thai curry paste, but I did use some lovely Madras curry powder. I also had no cilantro or spinach. Nonetheless, it was an awesome recipe. We garnished with a tsp. of peanut butter, chopped peanuts, and coconut flakes. My hubby loved it!
Good for you for seriously improvising with what you had on hand! I actually have a recipe (vegetarian version) very similar to this one that uses sweet potatoes https://www.averiecooks.com/2017/09/sweet-potato-chickpea-coconut-curry.html so you were on the right track for a great substitute.
If you like peanuts, PB, and something that has a similar flavor profile of this and with PB, check out this one. https://www.averiecooks.com/chicken-peanut-stew/