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!!
Table of Contents
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.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
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.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Easy Thai Curry Recipes:
Favorite CHICKEN RECIPES HERE, CURRY RECIPES HERE, and RECIPES USING COCONUT MILK HERE.
Sweet Potato and Chickpea Coconut Curry – An easy one-skillet curry that’s ready in 30 minutes and is layered with so many fabulous flavors! Healthy comfort food that tastes amazing!
Green Thai Chicken Coconut Curry — An EASY, one-skillet green curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than from a Thai restaurant!! It’s healthy comfort food that tastes AMAZING!!
Coconut Lime Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry — An EASY, one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than a restaurant!! Juicy chicken and tender sweet potatoes simmer in a lime-scented coconut milk sauce that tastes AMAZING! Healthy comfort food!!
Yellow Thai Chicken Coconut Curry — Better-than-takeout yellow curry is EASY and ready in 25 minutes!! Healthy comfort food with the PERFECT amount of heat and lots of textures and flavors in every bite!
Thai Pumpkin Chickpea Coconut Curry — An EASY curry that’s ready in 30 minutes! Tender fresh pumpkin, chickpeas, bell peppers, spinach, and more all bathed in the most aromatic Thai-inspired coconut milk broth! If you love Thai food, skip the restaurant and make this better-than-takeout curry at home!
Chickpea and Kale Thai Coconut Curry — An EASY one-skillet vegan curry that’s ready in 15 minutes and has AMAZING Thai-inspired flavors!! Low-cal, low-carb, and HEALTHY but tastes like hearty comfort food!!
Cauliflower, Chickpea, and Chicken Coconut Curry — An EASY, one-skillet curry that’s ready in 20 minutes and tastes BETTER than a restaurant!! The Thai-inspired coconut milk broth makes this healthy comfort food taste AMAZING!!
I LOVE this recipe! I even add more curry paste than it calls for!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Athen! I love this recipe too, and I also add more curry paste than called for :)
I want more and more and more of your thai recipes! They are so good!
This recipe was delicious!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Kelly! Glad it was delish!
So yummy! So easy! I added chopped red bell pepper with the carrots (just to bump up the veggies) and also added some turmeric, mostly for more color. Otherwise followed the recipe and served over jasmine rice. This was a big hit for all of us and I am already looking forward to making it again- a double batch this time!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Robin! I am glad this was a big hit and you’re making a double batch next time! Love the turmeric idea – both for color and flavor – great choice!
Serves 6? Maybe 3! Absolutely delicious!! Followed pretty much to the tee, served with basmati rice and tossed salad. I used full fat coconut milk because I have been having problems finding lite. But there’s enough juice/water in the pan from browning the chicken to compensate the heavier density. AMAZING RECIPE, thank you!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Lisa, and I am glad it turned out amazing for you! Everyone’s appetites and portion sizes vary so you can always make a double batch next time if you know it’s a winner and you want more!
This dish is on standard rotation in our house. It is delicious, easy and healthy especially if you use the reduced fat coconut milk. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for the five star review Pamela and I’m sure glad to hear that this is on rotation in your house. And I agree if you use lower fat coconut milk it takes a lot of the fat/calories out of it and turns it into quite a healthy recipe!
Love this recipe. My wife and family insist I make it at least once a week. I usually use zuchinni instead of spinach and it is so good.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Tim, and that’s great that your wife and family insist on this once a week! Zucchini, spinach, it’s all good! :)
Can you please tell me if any of these are freezer meal friendly and what adjustments you would make? Thank you so much!
Almost anything is freezer friendly with the exception of cream based soups or salads since they don’t freeze and thaw well. Obviously though any type of vegetable that was once crisp-tender or lightly sauteed such as broccoli or zucchini will lose that texture but the flavor will be fine. You will just need to freeze, thaw, and evaluate for yourself what your preferences are.
Loved the recipe! Full of flavor and so easy to adjust the curry seasoning to our preferences (we prefer a lot) :-D
Thank you; will definitely make again.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Cyndi, and glad you loved this and will definitely make it again! I too am a “a lot of curry” person!
This was excellent! You will not be disappointed!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it turned out excellent for you!
Such a delicious recipie – made it 3 times since I found it last week!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Blaise, and I am glad this has been on rotation 3 times this past week for you!
Absolutey delicious. Instructions were perfect. Because it was a bit soupy, we used bowls. Adding the brown sugar was essential for me. Added to the flavor. Your instructions are so clear and the results are what I hoped for.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Cynthia, and I am glad it turned out as you were hoping for! I really appreciate your feedback and praise for the clarity of my instructions and directions. I strive for that and I appreciate knowing that I delivered for you in that aspect.
Made this and loved it. I used shrimp and pork in mine.
Shrimp and pork sound like great additions to this curry! Glad you loved this, Kathy!
This is my family’s favorite curry! I’m thinking of making this for a crowd (25-30 people). Any tips for making a big batch of this?
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am so glad to hear it’s your family’s favorite curry! I would say that if you know you can normally get about 4 servings (or maybe 5-6) of of it, you will at least need to make 6-7x the amount! I would do it in (at least) 3 batches. It depends on the size of your pots and pans though too. It’s an ambitious project but do-able! I have never scaled up a recipe quite that much so I don’t have any extra tips for you. Good luck and please come back and comment and LMK how it all goes!
I usually combine 2 to 3 recipes to make one I like, but this one hit the nail on the head! I did add a healthy splash of fish sauce and a dollop of peanut butter and it was *chefs kiss*! Delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I love that you were able get 2 or 3 recipes rolled into just this one, that’s awesome! I love PB in savory and/or Asian-inspired dishes, bet it was lovely!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s AWESOME! Every ingredient belongs in this delicious dish and everyone that tastes it… wants more!! My “go to” impressive dish for me and my guests!
Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I love hearing that this is your go-to dish to impress!! And yes, agreed, every ingredient serves a purpose and rounds things out nicely.