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Chicken Lunch Dinner One Pot 30 Minutes or Less Indian
4.5 from 734 votes

Coconut Chicken Curry

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By: Joanna Cismaru •5/7/23 186 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is delicious, healthy, made in one pot and best of all ready in only 30 minutes! Forget take-out, this is about to become your new family favorite.

overhead shot of coconut chicken curry with rice in a bowl
Table of Contents Open
  • Never cooked curry?
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How to make Coconut Chicken Curry
  • What else can I add to my curry?
    • Veggies
    • Meat
  • Instant Pot
  • Leftovers
  • How to serve
  • More Must Try Curry Recipes:
  • Coconut Chicken Curry
    • Video
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

Do you have some ingredients taking up space in your pantry that you just want to use up? I had that the other day with some diced tomatoes and some coconut milk, I knew I could get a scrumptious curry out of it when the time came – and the time came quickly. So here we are, a nice little creamy coconut milk based curry studded with tender chicken and some perfectly intense seasoning.

I love curries because they’re quick, full of flavor, and taste just as good the next day. They’re also very beginner friendly, especially this recipe – it’s as easy as a curry can get!

Never cooked curry?

Well don’t fear – it can be simple, quick, and completely delicious! Originating in India, curry describes a variety of dishes, typically sauces, that contain a variety of exciting and complex spices. My favorite curries by far are coconut milk based because they’re so creamy and delicious.

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make Coconut Chicken Curry
  • Chicken – Skinless, boneless and cubed up into bite sized pieces.
  • Olive oil – We want an oil to saute our sauteables in, I love the flavor from olive oil in a recipe like this but you can always also use something light like canola.
  • Spices – Just a bit of curry powder today, that’s all you need for this delicious dish!
  • Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
  • Onion – Chopped up and ready to be sautéed till perfectly translucent.
  • Tomatoes – We want a can of diced tomatoes and some tomato paste to get some of that perfect acidic flavor. I used fire roasted tomatoes because I just love, so if you’ve got them, use them.
  • Coconut milk – Just 1 can is all we need for a perfectly creamy, coconut-y curry.
  • Sugar – We need a hit of sweetness to combat all the acidic savory flavor we have going on. I just used some granulated white sugar.
  • Chicken broth – Low sodium so as to control the sodium content of our curry!
  • Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.

How to make Coconut Chicken Curry

process shots showing how to make Coconut Chicken Curry
  1. Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chicken to the Dutch oven and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
  2. Finish the dish: Add the onion, garlic, curry powder and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes then add the chicken broth, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Stir everything together, bring to a boil then cover with a lid. Turn the heat down and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Garnish and serve: Garnish with parsley and serve over rice.
overhead shot of Coconut Chicken Curry in a dutch oven garnished with parsley

What else can I add to my curry?

Curry is such a perfect blank canvas! You can incorporate so many amazing flavors, textures, and ingredients to achieve whatever it is you want to plate for yourself or your loved ones. So let’s use up some of whatever is taking up valuable space in your pantry.

Veggies

  • Peas
  • Bell pepper
  • Butternut squash
  • Zucchini
  • Eggplant
  • Chickpeas
  • Potato

Meat

  • Shrimp
  • White fish
  • Lamb
  • Beef
Coconut Chicken Curry in a bowl with rice

Instant Pot

Rather than using the stovetop and saucepan method, this curry can be prepared in an instant pot in a matter of minutes. Turn the instant pot to the sauté setting and add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant the other ingredients can be added. Turn the manual setting on high and set the timer for 2 minutes.

Always wait a further 10 minutes for the pressure to release naturally before opening. For more information on preparing an instant pot curry, refer to this recipe.

Leftovers

Curry should be safely sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 days. If you want this curry to last, my advice is to freeze it. Ensure that it is fully cooled before sealing and use a shallow container to ensure even freezing. Stir well while reheating.

How to serve

  • Any kind of rice you like. I like to make some fluffy jasmine rice to spoon this delicious mixture over or coconut rice.
  • Naan Bread
  • Spoon this curry over french fries for a British classic
  • A light, simple salad like this Cucumber Salad
  • These Roast Potatoes With Indian Spices
close up of Coconut Chicken Curry next to rice in a curry bowl

More Must Try Curry Recipes:

  • Coconut Shrimp Curry
  • Thai Red Chicken Curry
  • Butter Chicken
  • Instant Pot Butter Chicken
  • Skillet Chicken Satay
  • Chicken Korma
  • Thai Inspired Green Curry Tofu
  • Beef Rendang

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

overhead shot of coconut chicken curry beside white rice in a bowl
4.50 from 734 votes

Coconut Chicken Curry

Prep 5 minutes minutes
Cook 25 minutes minutes
Total 30 minutes minutes
6
Rate Recipe Print Recipe
This Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is delicious, healthy, made in one pot and best of all ready in only 30 minutes! Forget take-out, this is about to become your new family favorite.
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Video

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds chicken breasts (skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 small onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
  • 14 ounce coconut milk (1 can)
  • 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (1 can)
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chicken to the Dutch oven and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
  • Finish the dish: Add the onion, garlic, curry powder and stir. Cook for 2 more minutes then add the chicken broth, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Stir everything together, bring to a boil then cover with a lid. Turn the heat down and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Garnish and serve: Garnish with parsley and serve over rice.

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Notes

  1. Curry should be safely sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 days.
  2. If you want this curry to last, my advice is to freeze it. Ensure that it is fully cooled before sealing and use a shallow container to ensure even freezing. Stir well while reheating.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 396kcal (20%)Carbohydrates: 13g (4%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 14g (88%)Cholesterol: 97mg (32%)Sodium: 532mg (23%)Potassium: 977mg (28%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 7g (8%)Vitamin A: 228IU (5%)Vitamin C: 12mg (15%)Calcium: 58mg (6%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

overhead shot of coconut chicken curry beside white rice in a bowl

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Through Jo Cooks, I invite you to join me in my kitchen as we explore delicious recipes from around the globe, celebrate the joy of cooking, and make every meal a memorable one. Happy cooking!

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186 Comments
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Donna
Donna
Posted: 1 day ago

5 stars
Very easy and tasty. I drained the tomatoes and let it cook for 10 more without the lid and it was still thin. Next time I might reduce chicken broth and add some sweet potatoes

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Donna
Posted: 7 hours ago

Draining the tomatoes and letting it cook a bit longer without the lid are great adjustments for reducing the liquid. Adding sweet potatoes sounds like a delicious idea that would also help thicken the curry a bit. Thank you for sharing your experience and tips! I appreciate the feedback and can’t wait to hear how it turns out next time with your modifications. 😊🍛

0
Reply
Linda Mettler
Linda Mettler
Posted: 5 days ago

4 stars
This is wonderfully easy to make. I halved the recipe, but added the whole can of coconut milk, plus some extra curry powder, cumin, ginger, turmeric and some potatoes. It’s good, but more curry-like than authentic curry! Did use a bit of corn starch to thicken. It’s a recipe that’s fun to doctor and hard to ruin! Thank you.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Linda Mettler
Posted: 5 days ago

Your additions sound like a flavor explosion—in the best way possible, of course! Adding the extra spices and potatoes must have amped up the heartiness and complexity of the dish. Using a whole can of coconut milk probably gave it that extra creamy goodness, too. I love that you find the recipe versatile and hard to mess up; that’s always my goal! Thanks so much for sharing your own culinary spin!

0
Reply
Pat
Pat
Posted: 7 days ago

5 stars
Wonderful recipe, very tasty, very easy. Next time I will drain the tomatoes as I like a thicker sauce.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Pat
Posted: 6 days ago

Your feedback on draining the tomatoes for a thicker sauce is a great suggestion; customizing recipes to suit your own preferences is what home cooking is all about. Thank you for sharing your experience, and I look forward to hearing how it turns out the next time you make it.

0
Reply
Louise
Louise
Posted: 13 days ago

5 stars
I love everything about this recipe. It’s quick, one pot, inexpensive, everyday ingredients.
I made this recipe because I was craving curry and it did not disappoint! I was a bit worried with how liquid everything was at the start but I added 5-7mn uncovered to the 20mn timer and it came out perfectly. I used medium curry powder and fresh coriander at the end for extra flavour and we had it with paratha and white rice. Absolutely de-li-cious! This is going to find its way to our dinner table on a weekly basis! <3

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0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Louise
Posted: 13 days ago

Wow, your comment just made my day! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the coconut chicken curry and found it quick and easy to prepare. It’s always a win when a recipe becomes a weekly staple, right? Your tweaks—using medium curry powder and adding fresh coriander—sound absolutely delicious. Pairing it with paratha and white rice? Perfect choices! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, and I’m thrilled that this dish will be a frequent guest at your dinner table! ❤️🍛

0
Reply
Madison
Madison
Posted: 25 days ago

3 stars
It was very good and super easy to make which I love!! I only gave it 3 stars because of the tomatoes… the tomatoes ruined it in my opinion, and the juice from the tomatoes make the sauce very liquidy. If we made it again I’d leave them out. Other than that it was really good!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Madison
Posted: 25 days ago

Hey, thanks for trying out the recipe and sharing your thoughts! I totally get that the tomato element might not be everyone’s jam. 🍅 If you prefer a less liquidy sauce, leaving out the tomatoes sounds like a solid game plan for next time. Appreciate the feedback, and here’s to making your next coconut chicken curry absolutely stellar!

0
Reply
Nicola lewis
Nicola lewis
Posted: 1 month ago

5 stars
Easy to make Im on a diet so chose to do 2 TSP of sugar instead of tbsp. Added sweet potato,fine beans and chick peas. Everyone loved it and kids had seconds. I added some cornflour to thicken up as I made my stock with 300ml water.

1
Reply
Pita
Pita
Posted: 1 month ago

5 stars
This recipe was delicious and very easy to make after a long day of work. I highly recommend this recipe! This was the first curry I made homemade for my husband and I; We absolutely loved it!

2
Reply
Alexis
Alexis
Posted: 1 month ago

3 stars
This was so easy to make and tasted good which is exactly what I was looking for. My only comment is I added the amount of sugar in the recipe all together instead of adding a little and tasting before adding more. The dish came out way too sweet. I doubled the tomato paste to try and bring back more acidity but it was still too sweet. Also will add less chicken broth next time I simmered it for at least 45 minutes to help it thicken. Overall tasted good but I felt like it was missing something.

1
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Alexis
Posted: 1 month ago

I’m glad you found the recipe easy to make and enjoyed the taste overall! Your insights are super valuable, and I’m sorry to hear about the sweetness issue. The sugar can indeed be adjusted to personal preference, and I appreciate your note to future readers to add it gradually and taste as they go. It sounds like you’re well on your way to perfecting the dish to your liking with the adjustments you’ve made. The missing flavor could perhaps be remedied with a touch more spice or herbs, such as cilantro or garam masala, depending on your preferences.

1
Reply
Daphne L
Daphne L
Posted: 1 month ago

5 stars
I am 11 and decided to make this dinner for my family and they really enjoyed it and ate it all. I would recommend for anyone who likes a little spice and goodness. I would make it again. Five stars!

3
Reply
Door County Mom
Door County Mom
Reply to  Daphne L
Posted: 1 month ago

That is so cool! Keep cooking for your family as it will make you an amazing adult cook! Kudos to you!!! 🙂 <3

0
Reply
Wan
Wan
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
I made this last night and the whole family enjoyed it. I served it over Jasmine rice with Stonefire Naan warmed in the oven. It’s going on my repeat list since it was quick, easy and most importantly used our staples. I didn’t need to buy a single thing after finding this recipe.

2
Reply
Stephanie
Stephanie
Posted: 2 months ago

4 stars
I liked this alot just could’ve been a tad Spicier will remember for next time 🙂

0
Reply
Samantha
Samantha
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
Super yummy! I threw in a bag of frozen zucchini just to round the meal out. That added more liquid, so I ended up simmering it without a lid until it thickened up. I also added a tablespoon of red curry paste to add a bit more bite. Will definitely make again!

2
Reply
Jessica Antonio
Jessica Antonio
Posted: 3 months ago

5 stars
Delicious! Replaced the chicken broth with a chicken buillon instead to avoid the dish being too watery as others commented. Kept the flavors very well. Would make again!

1
Reply
Glenda
Glenda
Posted: 3 months ago

5 stars
I made this recipient last night. It was super easy and quick to prepare. We really enjoyed the recipie, very yummy indeed.
I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk and it was fine. I added in pumpkin and beans , which was lovely. Probably leave beans for a bit closer to serving. I also took the lid off and simmered for a bit longer uncovered to thicken the sauce.
I will be adding this to my go to easy recipes to share and use again.

0
Reply
Brandon Richardson
Brandon Richardson
Posted: 3 months ago

People in the comments can always add cornstarch pre diluted to thicken it up. First time making it and that was a concern towards the end

0
Reply

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I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is the place where I share my passion for easy and delicious recipes. From comforting classics to global flavors, I believe that cooking should be fun, approachable, and most importantly, rewarding. Join me on this culinary journey and let’s get cooking!

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