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.
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
- 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 РChopped up and ready to be saut̩ed 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
- 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.
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
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
More Must Try Curry Recipes:
- Coconut Shrimp Curry
- Thai Red Chicken Curry
- Indian Salmon Curry With Saffron Rice
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Skillet Chicken Satay
- Chicken Korma
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Coconut Chicken Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken breasts skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 14 oz coconut milk 1 can
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
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.
Video
Recipe Notes
- 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.
Flavor was good but it was soup. There was way too much liquid. I also had to add cream, cornstarch and yogurt to balance it out. Instead of olive oil, ghee works better. The tomatoes definitely have to be drained but I’d skip the tomatoes all together and just use tomato paste. I also added two cardamom seeds (later discarded) and a dash of cinnamon to the saute process. The amount of curry powder is great though. I put in a pinch of chili powder for some heat as well and had frozen peas added at the end. Served over saffron rice, it was very pleasant.
Does it have to be prepared in a dutch oven or could you use a different dish (pressure cooker, regular pot with lid, etc.)?
No it doesn’t, you can use a large skillet or regular pot.
I am making this tonight for dinner but want to add frozen peas. At what step would you add in frozen peas?
In the last step when you’re simmering the curry for 15-20 minutes, I would add them for the last 5 minutes of simmering. They don’t need a long time.
What is a serving size for this recipe?
The whole recipe serves 6 people, so the nutritional info is based on that.
But is it 1/2c a serving or 1c a serving?
Sorry, we don’t calculate it like that, since volume could be different based on ingredients or other things.
Loved this recipe! I used Chicken Drumsticks and added Pumpkin, Mushrooms and Peas. Subscribed to your website.
Very easy and good, well great!
This recipe is amazing! So quick and easy to make and so so delicious! I halved the amount of curry as I was cooking for my entire family who include a 2 year old and a 3 year old and they all loved it! Will definitely be adding to my book of favourites!
We are so glad you enjoyed it!
This was simple and delicious.
This was really good! I used chicken tenders. Wished it was a tad thicker too but once I put it over rice it wasn’t an issue. Will make again!
We are so happy you enjoyed it! Yes, the rice works amazing with this curry!!
saved me time and money for trial and error. thanks for this recipe! don’t know how to cook chicken curry so I search for your articles XD
That’s the best to not worry about any trial and error!
Would it be ok to use light/low fat coconut milk?
Need to watch calories & fat.
Yes, for sure.
I loved this! I made it to the recipe but added some chili garlic sauce, pureed ginger and finishied at the end with cilantro. It was really mild and delicous!
This recipe is amazing!!
I am planning on making this recipe this week! How many does it serve?
Also, could I substitute honey instead of sugar?
It serves 6!(You can find all this information in the recipe card) and yes you can use honey as a substitute!