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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Ooh child, this thang was written like a book! First time I saw this recipe and how long the page was, I said girl bye! And immediately clicked off. Lol. But I came back! Decided to power through and read everything. I went to Publix and got each ingredient off the list. Made it at home as best as I could. Came out great! but I had to add a bit of water. And I wish I would have pre-cooked the chicken because although it was cooked, it wasn’t as soft as I like it. And I forgot to add the golden ingrediant – fish sauce – like a commenter below mentioned. Ugh. Fish sauce always adds that special something to every dish. But all in all, great recipe! Had it with brown basmati rice. Thank you!
Ooh child, this thang was written like a book! First time I saw this recipe and how long the page was, I said girl bye! And immediately clicked off. Lol. But I came back! Decided to power through and read everything. I went to Publix and got each ingredient off the list. Made it at home as best as I could. Came out great! but I had to add a bit of water. And I wish I would have pre-cooked the chicken because although it was cooked, it wasn’t as soft as I like it. And I forgot to add the golden ingrediant – fish sauce – like a commenter below mentioned. Ugh. Fish sauce always adds that special something to every dish. But all in all, great recipe! Had it with brown basmati rice. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you enjoyed this and didn’t give up on it and gave it a try!
Recently came across similar recipe from a semi “celebrity” chef I respect. Was concerned with the simplicity of the recipe and also wanted to integrate fridge clean out. Googled further to find this wonderful recipe adding ingredients and foundation to go with what I had handy:
Sautéed 4 seasoned bone in/skin on thighs skin side down. Flipped once browned, drained fat and added onions 7 minutes flipping , garlic, followed by ww deglaze. adding ts chopped jalapeño, fresh ginger, coriander, chopped sweet potatoes in place of carrots, full fat coconut milk and about heavy TB red curry pasted, to simmer followed by chopped beet greens from garden at end to finish. Excellent and do again for sure. Thank you!
Recently came across similar recipe from a semi “celebrity” chef I respect. Was concerned with the simplicity of the recipe and also wanted to integrate fridge clean out. Googled further to find this wonderful recipe adding ingredients and foundation to go with what I had handy:
Sautéed 4 seasoned bone in/skin on thighs skin side down. Flipped once browned, drained fat and added onions 7 minutes flipping , garlic, followed by ww deglaze. adding ts chopped jalapeño, fresh ginger, coriander, chopped sweet potatoes in place of carrots, full fat coconut milk and about heavy TB red curry pasted, to simmer followed by chopped beet greens from garden at end to finish. Excellent and do again for sure. Thank you!
Recently came across similar recipe from a semi “celebrity” chef I respect. Was concerned with the simplicity of the recipe and also wanted to integrate fridge clean out. Googled further to find this wonderful recipe adding ingredients and foundation to go with what I had handy:
Sautéed 4 seasoned bone in/skin on thighs skin side down. Flipped once browned, drained fat and added onions 7 minutes flipping , garlic, followed by ww deglaze. adding ts chopped jalapeño, fresh ginger, coriander, chopped sweet potatoes in place of carrots, full fat coconut milk and about heavy TB red curry pasted, to simmer followed by chopped beet greens from garden at end to finish. Excellent and do again for sure. Thank you!
I am glad this was excellent for you and you were also able to use up what you had on hand – that is always a great feeling!
I made it just like the recipe said. Quick and delicious. I am not a spicy food person, but the Thai red curry paste is so mild I put in the 3 tbsp. Will serve to the boyfriend!
I made it just like the recipe said. Quick and delicious. I am not a spicy food person, but the Thai red curry paste is so mild I put in the 3 tbsp. Will serve to the boyfriend!
Thanks for the 5 star review I am glad it was quick and delicious and yes, this particular Thai red curry paste isn’t spicy and I am glad 3 tbsp worked out great for you.
I bought a can of coconut milk with curry by mistake, so was looking for a way to use it. Made this! It was green curry, as it turned out, but otherwise made the recipe as written. Husband said: Please put this is the rotation and make it as often as possible! I’ll be looking at your other recipes too! Delicious!
I bought a can of coconut milk with curry by mistake, so was looking for a way to use it. Made this! It was green curry, as it turned out, but otherwise made the recipe as written. Husband said: Please put this is the rotation and make it as often as possible! I’ll be looking at your other recipes too! Delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe came in handy for your shopping error and that you will be putting this into rotation and checking out my other recipes!
Also I have an actual green curry too https://www.averiecooks.com/green-thai-chicken-coconut-curry/
Followed recipe exact. Had to review as eating. It’s delicious, lots of flavors. Will be a new go to. Add the brown sugar.
This was delicious! My family loves it. It’s as good as any Thai restaurant curry! I also made it with green Thai curry paste and it was great! It’s my go-to Thai curry recipe.
This was delicious! My family loves it. It’s as good as any Thai restaurant curry! I also made it with green Thai curry paste and it was great! It’s my go-to Thai curry recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this as good as any Thai restaurant curry for you!
This has become a family favorite! I make it at least twice a month. Thank you!
This has become a family favorite! I make it at least twice a month. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this has become a family fave and you make it at least twice a month!
While trying to figure out what to make for dinner last night and wanting it to be something I have never tried, I found your recipe. I just explain that I have a VERY picking eater (my husband) and two very adventurous eaters (my teens), so finding something that we will all enjoy can be a challenge.
But this recipe was a total hit. Everyone loved it and agreed it was a great find. Although I will half the sugar amount, as the 16yo thought it was too sweet for her taste.
So, this will go into our dinner rotation. Thank you, thank you so much for this!
While trying to figure out what to make for dinner last night and wanting it to be something I have never tried, I found your recipe. I just explain that I have a VERY picking eater (my husband) and two very adventurous eaters (my teens), so finding something that we will all enjoy can be a challenge.
But this recipe was a total hit. Everyone loved it and agreed it was a great find. Although I will half the sugar amount, as the 16yo thought it was too sweet for her taste.
So, this will go into our dinner rotation. Thank you, thank you so much for this!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that this will go into your dinner rotation and all the picky eaters were happy with it!