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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We tripled this & so glad we did so we had leftovers. Total hit with entire family. Tasted even better the next day. We will make this again. Tasted all the flavors!
This was really delicious. I had it exactly as it is. Then I added 1 cup of chicken broth to the mixture at the end along with a side of thickener… in a small bowl add 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of milk, mix well and add to the pot. Let simmer for a minute or two. It makes more gravy, yummy!! Thank you for this recipe!!!
This was really delicious. I had it exactly as it is. Then I added 1 cup of chicken broth to the mixture at the end along with a side of thickener… in a small bowl add 1 Tablespoon of Cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of milk, mix well and add to the pot. Let simmer for a minute or two. It makes more gravy, yummy!! Thank you for this recipe!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you made extra sauce! I am all about the curry sauce in this recipe and can practically drink it like a soup, which I have also made! https://www.averiecooks.com/thai-chicken-coconut-curry-soup/
Made tonight. Took me a little longer than 20 minutes. Turned out really well. My family enjoyed. Will make this again.
When I first started cooking this, it didn’t look that appetizing, and I got scared lol. I kept with the recipe (had Thai seasoning instead of paste, but it worked). It was sweet and slightly spicy (my favorite combo). It turned out tasty! This was easy to make as well. Will definitely make again.
When I first started cooking this, it didn’t look that appetizing, and I got scared lol. I kept with the recipe (had Thai seasoning instead of paste, but it worked). It was sweet and slightly spicy (my favorite combo). It turned out tasty! This was easy to make as well. Will definitely make again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and for sticking with the less-than-appetizing start of the recipe. The thing with lots of curries (Thai or Indian) is they don’t tend to win any beauty contests but the taste makes up for that in the end!
Thank you for teaching me to cook Thai! This was a remarkable recipe. I have now gathered the ingredients for your Thai sweet potato chickpea recipe. I know I can regulate the heat myself.
Thank you for teaching me to cook Thai! This was a remarkable recipe. I have now gathered the ingredients for your Thai sweet potato chickpea recipe. I know I can regulate the heat myself.
You’re welcome and I am glad you are feeling confident and are going to give another Thai inspired recipe a try!
Made recipe as written except I added thinly sliced red, orange and yellow peppers. I did add the optional brown sugar but only added 1 tablespoon as I didn’t want it to be too sweet but will add more next time I make this. Made the creamy cucumber salad as a side and warm naan bread. Everyone loved it, was a great hit!!
Made recipe as written except I added thinly sliced red, orange and yellow peppers. I did add the optional brown sugar but only added 1 tablespoon as I didn’t want it to be too sweet but will add more next time I make this. Made the creamy cucumber salad as a side and warm naan bread. Everyone loved it, was a great hit!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it turned out great and good cal on adding the bell peppers, this is a great recipe to really bulk up with lots of veggies if you have them!
I also add more than 1 tbsp brown sugar, it really does not make it sweet, although people get very leery about it. But in general, the bit of sugar just balances the flavors and ties everything together rather than making things ‘too sweet’ for my palette.
Super yummy! Me and my husband loved it! I didn’t have spinach so I didn’t add it. Also didn’t have enough carrots so it was only about 3/4 cup and then added a yellow bell pepper. Also added some fish sauce add I read in other comments then actually did about 5 teaspoons of curry paste! Definitely will make this again!
Super yummy! Me and my husband loved it! I didn’t have spinach so I didn’t add it. Also didn’t have enough carrots so it was only about 3/4 cup and then added a yellow bell pepper. Also added some fish sauce add I read in other comments then actually did about 5 teaspoons of curry paste! Definitely will make this again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this was super yummy and that you were able to work everything out with your various ingredients tweaks – it’s a very flexible recipe so not surprised! I am glad you will definitely make it again!
After reading the recipe again and making my little notes after I printed it out, I realized why I needed more curry! I only used 3 teaspoons instead of tablespoons! Needless to say, we’re excited to try it again but this time add more veggies!
When you wrote that originally I was thinking that it sounded pretty light – but yes 3 tbsp not tsp! Also since publication of this recipe, I have found that I add even more, usually at least half of a small jar of curry paste (so a good 5-6 tbsp, if not nearly the whole thing). However the Thai Kitchen brand is mild. Not all are! So make sure you know what you’re getting into first :)
Perfect as is! I love this and so does my family. I wouldnt change a thing
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.
We live in a rural Northwoods area and don’t often get a chance to eat ethinc food. Though we love Thai. The last time we were in the closest city near us with a Thai restaurant it was closed for the week. I was missing Thai food all summer long, so after seeing this, i ordered some May Ploy Red Curry Paste on Amazon and made our own. It turned out fantastic! Will definitely be making this again, tastes like what they make in the restaurant!
We live in a rural Northwoods area and don’t often get a chance to eat ethinc food. Though we love Thai. The last time we were in the closest city near us with a Thai restaurant it was closed for the week. I was missing Thai food all summer long, so after seeing this, i ordered some May Ploy Red Curry Paste on Amazon and made our own. It turned out fantastic! Will definitely be making this again, tastes like what they make in the restaurant!
Thanks for the 5 star review and for sharing your story! I love hearing things like this, that when you can’t get to a Thai restaurant (and then when you do, it’s closed! that is the kind of luck I have) you took matters into your own account, ordered the curry pasta, and voila! Glad this tasted authentic for you and you’ll defi make it again!