Coconut curry chicken is my favorite one-pan meal packed with comforting flavor. The chicken simmers in a creamy coconut milk sauce with warm curry spices, then gets served over fluffy rice to soak up every saucy bite!
Why You’ll Love This Coconut Curry Chicken
With all my travels, it’s been amazing to experience how different cultures interpret curry. In India, I’ve had curries with fiery heat, while in Thailand, they often lean tangy and slightly sweet. This yellow curry chicken recipe is a blend of both, with bold, warming spices, creamy coconut milk, and a splash of zesty lime. And if the sauce sounds familiar, it’s because it’s similar to my chickpea curry recipe! Here’s what else you’ll love about this dish:
- It’s loaded with flavor. With just a few fresh ingredients and the right spices, it’s amazing how this tastes like it’s been simmering all day! It’s layered with delicious curry flavor, but not spicy or hot.
- It’s simple yet elevated. I love that it’s easy enough for weeknights, yet impressive enough for dinner guests. In fact, this is one of my most frequently made “go to” recipes for when I have friends over.
Curry Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: I’m using boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a lean protein option, but chicken thighs would work too.
- Veggies: A combination of freshly diced onions, bell peppers, and garlic creates the aromatic base for the curry.
- Spices and seasonings: Curry powder, garam masala, and ground coriander bring a warm, earthy flavor, while salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice brighten everything up.
- Coconut milk: A can of full-fat coconut milk makes the sauce luxuriously creamy with just the right amount of natural sweetness.
- Rice: You can serve this over white rice or cauliflower rice (if you’d like a great low-carb option).
- Herbs: I love the way fresh cilantro tastes with this curry. The more the better in my opinion!
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Coconut Curry Chicken
Step one: Start by heating a splash of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and sautéing the onion and bell pepper. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another minute.
Step two: Add the cubed chicken to the pan, along with the curry powder, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the chicken is browned and cooked through.
Step three: Pour in the coconut milk and squeeze in the juice from one lime. Let it all simmer together for about 5 minutes so the flavors meld into a creamy, flavorful sauce. Then, serve it over fluffy white rice and finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Dinner is served! For side dish ideas, check out my recipe notes below!
Storage Tips
If you happen to have leftovers (though I doubt you will!), they’ll keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. I’d store the curry and rice separately to keep the rice fresh and fluffy. For longer storage, you can freeze this for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Baked Chicken Breasts: A staple in my kitchen!
- Chicken Fajitas: Always a family favorite.
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Perfect for a light dinner.
- White Chicken Chili: A great one-pot meal.
- Or browse through my list of tasty chicken breast recipes!
If you make this chicken curry recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- All-Clad Saute Pan My favorite stainless steel saute pan.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 ½ pounds of chicken)
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
- 4 cups cooked rice
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another minute.
- Add chicken and seasonings. Add the chicken to the pan along with the curry powder, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently.
- Make the curry sauce. Add the coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish and serve. Add a portion of rice to a bowl and top with several spoonfuls of curry chicken. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. I’d store the curry and rice separately to keep the rice fresh and fluffy. For longer storage, this curry can be frozen for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
- Optional side dishes: If you want extra veggies, I love making this garlic ginger bok choy.
- To make this low-carb, just use cauliflower rice. Super easy!
Nutrition
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Recipe originally published April 2017, but updated to include new information and photos for your benefit! There was also a slight tweak to the spices used, based on reader feedback.
This was excellent and I will definitely make it again. It was even better the next day. I would add cardamon pods to it next time as well. I added 1/2 tsp salt to the curry and that seemed to be the right quantity for us along with the 1/2 tsp. I added to the cup of rice I cooked.
Thrilled to hear you loved this curry chicken, Joanne!
So easy and so delicious! One of the rare times that I looked forward to eating leftovers.
This is such a delicious recipe to enjoy the next day!
Packed with flavor, a party for the taste buds.
Glad you loved this curry dish, Donna!
What an amazing (and quick) dinner dish!!!
Thank you again!!
Of course, Menny! Enjoy :)
The flavour of this dish is incredible!!!!! I made it last night and it was so easy to make. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs as I prefer them to chicken breasts. I will be making this dish again and again. Your website is my absolute favourite Lisa.
Happy to hear you’re loving this curry chicken, Judy!
Absolutely delicious and a great meal for the work night. No time at all to prep and cook!
Thrilled to hear you loved this for a weeknight dinner, Sheryl!
So so yummy. I had a littlest chicken than the recipe calls for so I added a can of drained & rinsed chickpeas and a couple of diced carrots. It was a hit!
Love the addition of chickpeas and carrots! Enjoy, Carol :)
I previously made this recipe and it was a real hit with my guests. And i loved it too! and easy to make. If i wanted to make it a little more hot spicy, what would you suggest i add?
Hi Sally – I’m happy you loved it! For a little more heat and spice you can always add a chopped spicy red pepper or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
This recipe comes together so easily. Love the creaminess of the coconut milk and spices. Was hoping to have leftovers for lunch…so such luck!
Glad you loved this curry chicken, Jo-Ann!
I was craving coconut curry and this recipe was perfection! So delicious and easy to make! I loved all the flavor, my family loved it too!
Glad this recipe hit the spot, Lindsay!
This is one of my favorite recipes! It’s so easy and flavorful! It’s definitely a staple at my house.
Happy to hear you loved this curry chicken, Natalia!
I have always been intimidated by curry but thought I’d give this a go as we’ve really needed to switch up our weekly meals. I was so proud of myself and enjoyed it! I just need to make it 12 more times so that my young kids will get used to it now 😄
Glad this curry dinner was such a hit, Cassie!
Yep!! Super Easy and Super Good.
Thrilled to hear you loved this curry chicken, Francine!
I made this recipe and it was delicious, my family loved it. I added chickpeas and used chicken thighs instead because that’s what I had in my freezer. I got your cookbook and I am super excited to try more recipes. Thanks Lisa.
Hi Julissa – I’m so thrilled you loved this recipe! And thanks so much for buying my cookbook as well. Happy meal prepping!
We are always up for another good curry recipe. Lisa is right- this one is easy. We had to leave out the onion due to health restrictions but it still turned out tasty.
Glad this dish still turned out great without the onion, Sharon!
This recipe is delicious! I love the warm curry flavor and balanced taste.
I’m so glad you’re loving this curry chicken, Karl!
I just tried this delicious coconut curry recipe for the first time. As promised, it was quick and easy, but the taste was spectacular! We served it over jasmine rice and had steamed broccoli on the side. Perfect meal in a bowl! I will experiment with the recipe next time by using homemade garam masala, and a mixture of turmeric, coriander, cumin powders and a bit of kashmiri chili powder to replace the store bought curry powder and see if I can get as good results as the original recipe. As a newcomer to this site, I am delighted with the quality of recipes and excited to try a number of them! Thank you, Lisa!
Hi Sheetal – Thanks for leaving a review and I’m so happy to hear this curry chicken was the perfect dinner! I can’t wait to see what you make next.
This was perfect. So flavorful, and the spice level was just right. This will definitely be on the usual rotation at our house.
Glad this curry chicken has made it into your rotation, Karen!
Yes I would add spice mix to onions etc for a couple of mins before adding chicken.
I did use coconut milk and ended up making it a bit thicker with cornstart mix. Next time I will use coconut cream. Good flavor!
Glad you loved this curry dish with a few adjustments, Joanne!
Hi Lisa, just wondering if we can use Rani Organic Chili Powder, or just Chili Powder if that’s all we have – or is this one a flavour changer. And how about other chicken parts? Just wondering. Thankyou!
What an easy, yet delicious recipe! Keep these quick dinners coming! What a joy to spend so little time in the kitchen and please everyone at the table. A great recipe to introduce Indian cuisine. So yummy and warming. Great for cold weather
Happy to hear you’re loving this coconut curry chicken recipe, Carla!
This was so simple to make, quick, and delicious!! My family loved it and will be adding it to our regular rotation. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re more than welcome, Jackie! I’m happy you and your family loved it. :)
This curry is utterly FABULOUS! It is so full of the most beautiful flavours, and so easy to make. I used a can of full fat coconut cream. I think this is my favourite recipe of yours Lisa. Thank you so much for all that you do!!
Hi Judy – I’m so glad you loved this curry chicken recipe!
thank you for the great reciepe it turned out fantastic my hubby and I enjoyed it very well !
Perfect! Glad you both loved this curry chicken dish, Deborah.
This was a hit for my family dinner and so easy to make! Just a note that the simmering time when I added the coconut milk took longer as I wanted it to reduce and thicken.
Wonderful! Glad everyone loved this curry chicken, Nat.
I just put the items in my grocery list. Going to try this with leftover turkey
This would be a great recipe to swap in leftover turkey, enjoy!
The recipe is super easy and taste as good as any restaurant order. This dish will definitely be in my family’s rotation.
Glad this recipe is now a part of your family’s rotation, Alvin!
This recipe is so amazing!! Perfect for a chilly Fall day. I’ve been making so many of your recipes for almost a decade. And you truly are the best!!! Thank you Lisa!!!
Aww, thanks so much, Susan! I’m glad you enjoyed this coconut curry chicken. And thanks so much for making my recipes for almost 10 years!
Every single bite was perfect and delish! Intense flavors we love in my household, why go out when you can cook this dish!
Thrilled to hear everyone loved this curry dish, Daisy!
Lisa, this dish was simple to make (now that I’ve sharpened all my knives…😊) and so delicious! It checked all the boxes for me and my husband could smell it before he walked in the door. I so appreciate you continuing to share your recipes. I’m becoming a better and more confident cook thanks to you.
Hi Angelita – sharp knives make all the difference, don’t they? And that makes me happy to hear you’re becoming a more confident cook. I hope you continue to enjoy this coconut curry chicken and my other recipes as well!
I made this recipe for some friends and it was a big hit! I loved it too. I served it with Basmati rice (my fave). For something a little different next time, any ideas what i could add to make it a little spicier?
Hi Sally – I’m happy to hear this recipe was a winner! And for a little extra spice or heat, you could always add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Enjoy!
I made this the other night and it was delicious. I agree with one of the other reviewers to add the spices with the garlic and ginger to “cook” them all together. The other reviewer said it tasted flat- and I agree Next time I’ll change that up and also simmer the whole thing longer. The longer it warmed the thicker the sauce became and was more flavorful.
Glad you enjoyed this curry chicken, Jeannie! And yes, you can always make those small tweaks for a more prominent flavor.
This was a hit with the family thank you!
Hi Stephanie – I’m happy to hear it was a winner of a recipe!
I wish I could say I loved this dish. I don’t think it was due to the recipe but the quality of the coconut milk. I wanted to warn folks not to buy coconut milk for Trader Joe’s. I got the full fat version and it was the most watery product I’ve ever used. No body or flavor. I’ll try the recipe again with the Thai coconut milk I usually buy at the asian store.
Delicious. I have been using your baked chicken recipe for a few weeks now. I just tried your roasted butternut squash recipe. A second hit in my family and now included in our fall rotation. I have been watching your YouTube videos for years now but only last month started actually trying your recipes. Each one I have tried has been amazing. Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m so happy you’ve begun trying my recipes. And thanks so much for being a long-time YouTube follower as well. :)
Oh my. Damn good! Easy as well. Just lots of chopping, which is always the case for home cooking. I made rice, but had mine over roasted Japanese sweet potatoes and broccoli mix.
Hi Margaret – I’m happy you enjoyed this coconut curry chicken! Yes, there is a bit of chopping with home cooking, but I think the end result is worth the effort. :) Enjoy!
My hubby and I really enjoyed it. I used the tiny peppers so I could get more color…orange, red, yellow, and orange. I forgot to buy the garam masala so I added a tad more curry and coriander. Question: do you cut the stems off the cilantro? I usually cut the stems off but have been told I didn’t necessarily have to do that.
Glad you both loved this curry dish! For the cilantro, I’ll typically cut the stems off, but it’s personal preference.
A week night staple! I love this recipe, it tastes delicious and it really is so simple to make! Highly recommend!
I’m so glad you love this one, Hannah!
I suggest that you add the Indian spices to the sauteed veggies before adding the chicken. Let them saute for a 3-5 minutes with the veggies and then add the chicken, etc. Otherwise the spices taste a bit raw.
Thanks for the tip, Ruth!