This creamy Thai coconut chicken curry is an easy and tasty weeknight meal, all cooked in one skillet. Chicken breasts are marinated in coconut milk and Thai spices, breaded, and cooked in a sweet and spicy Thai inspired curry sauce. A healthier alternative to takeout, cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients, this recipe is a must!
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This recipe was first published in April 2019 and has been updated with an improved recipe and new photos.
I am a massive Thai food lover, in fact, a green curry would probably be my last meal....or a burger...!
I love the heat from the chilis and sweetness from the coconut milk, then there's the lime juice, ginger and lemongrass and you are in flavor heaven!
In this recipe, the chicken breast is marinated in coconut milk so they are extra juicy and flavorful, then, lightly breaded and shallow fried for some extra texture. Fresh veggies are sautéed, then everything is cooked in that marinade so that nothing goes to waste.
Quick and easy to make, this weeknight dinner is loaded with flavor and is hands down delicious! It's one of my personal favorites for sure!
If you love the Thai flavors in this recipe, be sure to check out my Chilli Mussels and Beef Panang recipes too!
Why you will love this recipe!
- One pan: This is a great chicken skillet recipe. All cooked in one pan on the stovetop, even the clean up is a breeze!
- Quick and easy: Ready to serve in around 30 minutes, this is one delicious and easy weeknight family meal.
- Dietary info: Easy to make lower carb and gluten-free, this dairy-free dish is high in protein and contains healthy fats from the coconut milk. It's a great healthier alternative for your Friday night takeaway.
Common Thai Ingredients
As we've already established, I am a huge fan of Thai food, and there are certain ingredients that give Thai food it's flavor profile.
I won't profess to be a Thai cuisine expert by any stretch, but by using traditional ingredients and learning the methods, I can come up with a pretty tasty dish like this creamy coconut chicken curry!
Key ingredients in Thai cooking are:
| Garlic | Coconut Milk | Galangal |
| Cilantro | Lemongrass | Shallots |
| Kaffir Lime Leaves | Fish Sauce | Chilies |
| Palm Sugar | Lime | Tamarind |
A combination of some / all of the ingredients result in a wonderfully balanced dish, with sweet, sour and spicy notes. All of the ingredients are widely available in stores.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: Use a skinless boneless chicken breast for this recipe. Use a large breast and slice it in half to form two thinner pieces so that it cooks through quickly.
- Lemongrass: A fresh lemongrass stalk adds a great fresh citrus and minty flavor to the dish, without being too overpowering. If you can't find fresh lemon grass, jarred will also work well.
- Red chili: All of the spice in this recipe comes from the red chili. Use a finger chili for a milder heat, or a Thai red chili if you like things spicy. Omit for a non-spicy dish, or feel free to use more.
- Lime Juice: This adds a nice acidity and freshness that cuts through the rich and creamy coconut milk.
- Ginger and garlic: Use freshly minced for the best flavors. In a pinch, paste will work.
- Coconut milk: Use canned rather than cartoned coconut milk as it's much thicker and creamier. I prefer to use full fat as it creates a thicker sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: These are optional, but they add a nice texture to the chicken. You can use fine, panko or gluten-free.
- Vegetables: Onion and bell pepper.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You can swap it for soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos if you have those ingredients on hand.
- Coconut sugar: Coconut sugar adds a gentle sweetness to the finished dish. Light brown sugar will also work well.
How to make Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Marinate the chicken in the coconut milk and seasonings (photo 1).
- Coat the marinated chicken breasts in breadcrumbs (photo 2).
- Shallow fry on both sides til golden brown and set to one side (photo 3).
- Soften the onion and bell pepper in the skillet (photo 4).
- Pour in the marinade, bring to a boil and simmer (photo 5).
- Add in the breaded chicken breasts and continue to simmer til cooked through, and garnish with some green onion (photo 6).
Recipe Variations
This creamy Thai chicken coconut curry is delicious as it is, but you can easily make it your own!
- Use panko breadcrumbs for a crispier texture.
- If you are gluten-free, you can leave the breadcrumbs out. Brown the chicken in a little oil, then add back to the coconut milk curry at the end of cooking.
- I like to use halved chicken breasts in this recipe, but if you prefer, you can dice the chicken into smaller bite-sized pieces instead.
- This curry would also work really well with shrimp or a white fish, just cook them directly in the sauce.
- You can easily add different veggies into this recipe. Carrots, spinach or mushrooms would all work great.
- This would be really easy to turn into a vegan dish as well, by using tofu as the protein and of course, leaving out the fish sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions
This creamy coconut chicken curry is a fairly healthy weeknight meal as it is made with fresh and unprocessed ingredients. You can easily add additional veggies into this dish too.
I added sugar to give a sweetness to the dish, but rather than using regular white sugar, I used coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is less processed and a healthier alternative.
As always, buy the best chicken you can - free range / organic / no antibiotics, your body and the planet will thank you 😉
The best curries are those that have deep and rich flavors. The ingredient list may seem long, but it's definitely worth it! Plus, once you buy the ingredients, you can make this dish over and over again!
Marinating the chicken in the coconut milk is a key part to locking in that flavor right from the start. As well as making the chicken nice and tender, the flavors start to penetrate the meat, so that it's super falvorful when cooked. As with all curries, use the freshest and best quality ingredients you can.
I prefer to make this recipe with chicken breasts, but you can use thighs if that's what you have. Just be aware that they will take slightly longer to cook through.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy Thai coconut chicken curry is great served with some sticky white rice, or basmati works great too. For a healthier option, quinoa or cauliflower rice also work great. Try them with some of these sides:
Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating
You can marinate the chicken in 30 minutes, but you can also leave it for up to 24 hours.
Once cooked, leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 4 months. If freezing, be sure to fully defrost it before reheating.
The quickest way to reheat the dish, is in a skillet on a medium heat, stirring occasionally til fully warmed through. You can also reheat it in the oven at 360F, covered with foil, for around 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Marinate the chicken for as long as you can, and for at least 30 minutes. This will not only add more flavor to the chicken, but it will also keep it from drying out.
- Coconut sugar enhances the coconut flavor in the dish and is easily found in stores. If you don't have any you can substitute it with table sugar.
- Use free range / organic chicken if you can.
- Add in whatever veggies you need to use up! Green beans, peas and spinach will all work well.
- Use fresh herbs and fresh lime juice for the best flavors.
I love how quick and simple this creamy Thai coconut chicken curry is to make, and it's all done in one skillet so clean up is a breeze. Serve with a side of rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice for one delicious meal!
More Thai Inspired Recipes
- Thai Mussels
- Beef Curry Stew with Coconut Milk
- Chickpea & Spinach Curry with Coconut Milk
- Crispy Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
Be sure to check out more tasty coconut milk recipes here!
I love hearing from you!! If you have tried this creamy Thai coconut chicken curry recipe, be sure to scroll down, give it a star rating and let me know what you thought!
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Chicken Coconut Thai Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small)
- 13.5 ounces canned coconut milk (400ml) (1 can)
- 1 inch fresh ginger finely diced
- 1 lemon grass stalk (cut in half lengthways and strips cut in half)
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced
- 1 red chili finely diced
For the curry
- 1 oz bread crumbs (enough to coat the chicken breasts)
- 2 tbsp oil for frying (divided)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 1 bell pepper (red or orange work best) (sliced)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- First up, you need to marinate the chicken breast in coconut milk with ginger, lemongrass, lime juice, garlic and chili. I marinated mine in a ziplock bag, but you can also pop it in a bowl and cover with clingfilm. The chicken will need to marinate for at least 30mins and up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to cook, take the chicken breasts out of the marinade - KEEP THE MARINADE! - and coat them in breadcrumbs.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and put it on a high heat. Fry the chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set to one side. Don't worry of some of the breading comes off.
- Put the frying pan on a high / medium heat, add a little more oil and add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Cook until the onion starts to soften.
- Pour in all of the coconut marinade over the vegetables and remove the lemongrass. Add in the fish sauce and coconut sugar. Bring the pan to a boil, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add in the breaded chicken breasts to the coconut sauce - push them down into the sauce so that they are nearly submerged, and continue to simmer.
- Simmer for around 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165ºf / 75ºc). Sprinkle over some chopped green onion to serve.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken for as long as you can, and for at least 30 minutes. This will not only add more flavor to the chicken, but it will also keep it from drying out.
- Coconut sugar enhances the coconut flavor in the dish and is easily found in stores. If you don't have any you can substitute it with table sugar.
- ALWAYS buy free range / organic chicken.
- Add in whatever veggies you need to use up! Green beans, peas and spinach will all work well.
- Use fresh herbs.
- Use fresh lime juice - don't by the stuff that comes in little plastic bottles!
- Serve with sticky rice for a complete meal.
Eoliver says
Would love to be able to add your recipes to Paprika!
Slow The Cook Down says
Hey! So glad you like my recipes! I don't use Paprika, as they actually take views away from my site, but highly encourage my readers to use Pinterest and Yummly - they are both an easy way to keep all of your recipes in one place, and more more people can find my recipes on these platforms 🙂 Do let me know if you try any fo my recipes - I love hearing from people!
Emma says
I added a couple of extra gloves and a cheeky bit more chilli but what a banging recipe! Tonnes of flavour. My boyfriend used to be a chef so he's hard to please but he loved it. Will definitely be serving this up again ???
Slow The Cook Down says
So glad you enjoyed it Emma - I for one am always an advocate for more garlic and chili! That's great your boyfriend enjoyed it, high praise indeed! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂