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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I tried your recipe for the Thai chicken coconut curry. It was great, and everyone enjoyed the result. Just a small thing. When estimating the time to prepare and cook, it would appear you don’t include the time it takes to gather and prepare the dish. It would be helpful to me if the prep time includes the time it takes to prepare the dish from beginning to end. e.g. preparing garlic, measuring out ingredients, chopping cilantro etc.
I’m glad the dish turned out great!
What you’re referring to is prep time. I use about 10 minutes to just prep ingredients, first being the onion to get that sauteing. Then during that time, I am roughly chopping up the chicken breast. While that’s cooking and later on, I have time to mince cilantro. I also use minced garlic in a jar rather than mince my own. I take every shortcut I can, and I always always work ahead. I am never just standing around in a recipe. I am always looking ahead to see what I will need rather. I appreciate the feedback though! This post was written in 2017 and I don’t want to change things now…but in recent years I have become aware people don’t always multitask, so I take than into account and increase the prep and total recipe times.
My husband lived in Thailand for a few years, and he LOVES it! Amazing the depth of flavor for a quick one pan dish!!
My husband lived in Thailand for a few years, and he LOVES it! Amazing the depth of flavor for a quick one pan dish!!
Thank you for that compliment because it holds a lot of weight for me! I appreciate it and agree – amazing depth of flavor in a quick one pan dish!
Hi, I’ve made this before and love it! Is it possible to throw everything in the crockpot and let it cook all day? Would it have the same flavors?
Hi, I’ve made this before and love it! Is it possible to throw everything in the crockpot and let it cook all day? Would it have the same flavors?
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you love it!
Honestly not sure about the Crock Pot because it’s a very different process than when you sear onions and garlic, and then chicken on the stove, rather than let it linger all day in a CP (no searing, no caramelization). I don’t think it would be bad, but you’d have to experiment to get the cooking times correct, and also to not overcook the chicken if it’s just lingering for hours. Personally if you love it as is, I would continue to make it that way but if you do try it in a slow cooker, LMK how it goes!
You know it also could have been a fluke with whatever batch I got. Thanks for the response, I will try this now!!
I love spicy food. I *really* love thai coconut curry. I put 1.5 tbsp of Thai curry and it was hot af. Inedible. I bought Tom Thumb Signature brand. Def would go easy on the curry if you use this brand. This dish would have been so good if it wasnt ruined by the intense heat.
I love spicy food. I *really* love thai coconut curry. I put 1.5 tbsp of Thai curry and it was hot af. Inedible. I bought Tom Thumb Signature brand. Def would go easy on the curry if you use this brand. This dish would have been so good if it wasnt ruined by the intense heat.
I’m sorry that your thai curry paste was SO hot. That is crazy. I have actually tried to find a brand of curry that’s that hot because with the Thai Kitchen brand I link in the post, I need to use practically the whole little jar (for my personal heat preferences) to get it up to speed and hot enough. I just Googled it and found it. It does not look particularly like a ball of fire, but good to know. Sorry that it was inedible. On the rare times this happens to me, a ton of extra lime juice and/or more coconut milk will calm down the overall heat. Too much coconut milk will cause it to be a thinner curry though but at least more manageable on the heat level.
You know it also could have been a fluke with whatever batch I got. Thanks for the response, I will try this now!!
Glad I happened to respond quick enough to maybe save this for you! And yes I think it had to have been a fluke batch. I have tried to buy really fancy, imported, supposedly really authentic (i.e. hot) curries and never are they THAT hot. Good luck!
Hi Averie,
I love this recipe!
Chynna
Me and my husband loved this. Only changes I made was using fish sauce instead of salt and adding a bit of turmeric. Also accidentally added too much ginger but it ended up working with it. Lovely recipe.
Me and my husband loved this. Only changes I made was using fish sauce instead of salt and adding a bit of turmeric. Also accidentally added too much ginger but it ended up working with it. Lovely recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this was a winner even with the accidentally-too-much amount of ginger. Most recipes like this can take more than is usually called for with regard to ginger anyway!
Hello! I have never left a recipe comment but I had to because I’ve never liked curry and decided to make some for my sweetie and ended up eating a whole bowl myself because it was so good! Well done!
Hello! I have never left a recipe comment but I had to because I’ve never liked curry and decided to make some for my sweetie and ended up eating a whole bowl myself because it was so good! Well done!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that you loved this enough to leave a comment for the first time!
Yummy! My sister brought me some Thai curry paste from Thailand and this was a great compliment to it! I think the lime and brown sugar was what made it so tasty, and I added fish sauce too. I will be using this so much more in the future as the veggies are so customizable – didn’t have spinach so opted for potatoes and bell peppers. Thanks for sharing
Yummy! My sister brought me some Thai curry paste from Thailand and this was a great compliment to it! I think the lime and brown sugar was what made it so tasty, and I added fish sauce too. I will be using this so much more in the future as the veggies are so customizable – didn’t have spinach so opted for potatoes and bell peppers. Thanks for sharing
How amazing you had Thai curry paste from Thailand! I’m jealous! Glad this was great and yes, the veggies are very flexible and customizable so glad you will utilize the recipe in the future, too!
What can I use as a sub for coriander?
Nothing really. It has its own distinct flavor. However, both mint and basil are nice here – not a true “substitution” but a nice variation. Or you can just omit it.