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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This comment is to just tell you how damn good this was!
So damn good!
very delicious and aromatic. Thank you. It really tastes like its from Thailand.
I’m so glad to hear it was delicious and authentic tasting for you!
A-mazing!! What a delicious and flavorful recipe. Will definitely be making this again.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Analia, and I am glad you will definitely be making it again!
This recipe gets my double 👍👍 award. Thank you for sharing this flavorful recipe.
I like very spicy foods, so I used Mae Ploy curry paste. Spicy enough to put hair on a mosquito! Take care.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad to hear this gets your double thumbs up award! Mae Ploy is definitely spicier than Thai Kitchen and glad it worked great for you here!
This recipe is a big hit at my house. I love all the vegetables in this recipe! I add red bell pepper too.
Thanks for the 5 star review and that’s great that this is a big hit at your house!
Amazing! Definitely tastes like it is from a high end Thai restaurant we like to go to. Pleasantly surprised and I’m glad I doubled the recipe so we have left overs!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Karina, and thanks for the lovely compliment that it tastes like it is from a high end Thai restaurant! Glad you doubled the recipe for leftovers!
Absolutely delicious!
I served over cauliflower rice. Also added green curry paste for additional flavor.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Leila, and I am glad to hear this was a winner and great over your cauliflower rice!
I also have a separate green curry recipe that’s wonderful!
OMG this recipe is spot on! It actually tastes restaurant quality! I followed the recipe to the ‘T’ and it was perfect. Even the hubby raved. I Will definitely be making this again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad this was perfect for you when following my recipe to a T and that it was restaurant quality with rave reviews from your hubby – awesome!
We love this recipe! Though I do make mine more saucy.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love this! I am all about saucy (and spicy!) too!
Excellent recipe that was quick and tasted great. I substituted shrimp for the chicken and added zucchini and green beans in with the carrots along with some fish sauce and everything turned out delicious. I will definitely make this curry again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad to hear it was excellent! Great swaps with the shrimp for chicken and adding green beans and zucchini too!
One of the best curries I’ve ever had. I’m not the greatest cook, my wife is much better, but I tried this as a surprise and hit a home run. It’s so easy for a beginner to make, but it tastes like something from an authentic high end restaurant. Just follow the recipe; you will be amazed.
Thank you, Mark, for taking the time to come and leave this awesome comment! I love that this was a home run for you, beginner cook and all, and that you loved it and it’s one of the best curries you’ve ever had!
I didn’t have the paste so substituted curry powder, added a dash of cayenne, my family devoured it for dinner and wanted me to make it again the next day.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Alice, and glad you loved it and your family asked for it the next day! That’s truly the highest praise!
Love this! Saved to make it again. Followed exactly as written but added a dash of siracha to my own bowl.
Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you loved it! I am all about adding a little kick to my portion of recipes, too, if I am serving it to others who are like things more mild.
Yum
Easy and delicious! I love thé addition of the spinach for a healthy kick. My kids didn’t even notice!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Sarah, and glad your kids didn’t even notice the spinach!