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
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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.
I added small chunks of pineapple
Great recipe
How refreshing! Love that idea.
I tried this tonight as a last minute replacement and it came out nice! Good flavor too! At first I thought it was soupy but it ended up being perfect. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Thanks! Excited to try this. Is the calorie count there for each serving (1/4 the entire recipe)? Is that with or without the rice?
Hi Danielle – the nutritional information is accounting for the rice in it.
Tastes like the real thing.
You can play with the recipe too. Will work with other meat and can add veggies. Only thing missing was the heat. Thai food has hot peppers so i just threw in red pepper seeds.
Glad you loved this coconut curry chicken!
Hello,
Thank you for this recipe! I like the flavor… however it was too liquid.. do you use the whole can of coconut milk? I added almond meal but it did not help… I definitely want to try it again!! Thank you!!!
Hi Maria – yes, I use one can of full-fat coconut milk. If you used low-fat or light coconut milk, it may have been more watery.
I made this for dinner last night and it was super yummy and sooo simple! I added mushrooms and an extra half of pepper. I also replaced the lime juice with a little lemon juice, only because that’s what I had on hand. It came out great! I’ll definitely be making it again soon! Thanks!
Love those little additions you made – glad you enjoyed it!
Is ginger powder the same thing as ground ginger?
Yes, same thing. :)
Just tried this recipe. Fabulous taste and super easy to make!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Julie-Ann!
can ground chicken be used instead of chicken breast
That’s fine!
Very good… all the family loved it😋
Wonderful! Glad everyone enjoyed it :)
Thankyou for this simple and tasty recipe! Found it simple to whip up after being at work all day and teamed with some cauli rice for us and some normal rice for the kids it was a winner!
Thanks Lisa for your wonderful tried and tested recipes
:)
Definitely one to keep for busy weeknights!
I love this recipe so much! I skip the bell peppers (as they don’t agree with me) and the ginger (same reason) – but it still turns out fabulous! So much healthier than regular curry chicken, and it’s super easy to make. I always accompany the curry chicken with Lisa’s Cilantro Lime Rice. Perfection!
This actually sounds amazing with my cilantro lime rice! I’ll have to try that next time :)
This recipe is sooo good. I’ve done multiple times already and I’m planning on doing it again tomorrow.
So glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe :)
This was a hit this weekend at a dinner with friends! As I’m savoring the leftovers I think it might be nice to add golden raisins to this dish. Or serve a mango chutney as a condiment.
A friend brought over raita which made it next level.
Good one!
Hi Rachelle- So happy to hear this was a dinner hit! A mango chutney would pair perfectly with this :)
This was not good. I’m sorry to have to say it. It was too sour and had a flavor that did not remind me of other curries.
Hi Lisa – sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe. It definitely shouldn’t be sour (there’s no ingredient with a sour flavor), so I’m wondering if you used a milk that may have gone off? This recipe is best with canned coconut milk for that extra creamy and slightly sweet flavor mixed with the curry powder.
It has lime juice in it, makes it sour. Found it delicious once I added a bunch of extra curry powder, fresh ginger, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes and a few Thai chilies.
Made this for dinner last night and my husband commented it was the best curry he’s ever had! Easy and delicious recipe! Thank you!
Amazing! Now you have a coconut curry recipe you can come back to again and again :)
This is so delicious!!!!! I did increase the garlic and curry. I added fresh ginger in addition to the powered. I offered fresh ginger and parsley at the table. BIG HIT!!! Yum yum!! Love it!!!
Hi Lissa- Happy to hear this recipe was a hit for everyone! Can never go wrong with adding additional ginger :)
OK, so I’ve written a review before BUT i made this tonight but added roasted cauliflower and carrots to the curry and it was a great way if you want to amp up the veg factor!!!
Hi Jillian- Adding cauliflower to this sounds great and definitely gives it a boost in veggies! Glad you enjoyed this one.
This recipe packs so much flavor and is so comforting on a cold day (or any day)! It takes less than 30 minutes to make. I always add cauliflower florets to the recipe for extra veggies!
This recipe could not be easier or more flavorful. Next time I make it (and there will be many more), I would add even more veggies like mushrooms, snap peas, etc. I wish I had doubled the recipe as I think it would be tastier the day after… but alas there were no leftovers to be had… ALL GONE…
Hi Stephanie- You can never go wrong with adding more veggies to this recipe!
Hi Lisa. Just a question please. Is rice allowed in Paleo diet?
Hi Andry – no, because it’s a grain. Though some people still enjoy it on a more flexible approach. You can always use cauliflower rice in this recipe and I have another recipe for that!
First, I LOVE all things curry, so I knew I would like this. I was so excited about how easily and quickly this came together! I made it for my boyfriend and he was just excited that dinner came together in just 20 minutes. My family also loved this recipe, even my step-dad, who is a pretty picky eater!
I served with jasmine rice and roasted carrots and broccoli. One of my new favorite meals!
Hi Jillian- Glad to hear both you and your boyfriend loved this recipe!
Lisa,
I love your recipes, however, I am not a fan of meat. I am wondering how to make this without the chicken. What do you think would be best? My first thought was to make the recipe and at the last moment add some vegetables that simply needed to be heated? My second thought was to make the recipe without the chicken and then use it as a sauce to place over the rice and cooked vegetables. Also, how does one make the recipe smaller? I am single and definitely don’t need four servings Does cutting a recipe in half in some way alter the flavor? Thank you for your time
Nancy
Hi Nancy- You can definitely substitute the chicken with other veggies instead! I would maybe suggest the first method, but depending on the vegetables you use. If you’re adding more veggies that need to be cooked longer such as zucchini, carrots, or potatoes, then I would cook the recipe as is. But with veggies that don’t need a longer cook time such as bell peppers or mushrooms, then toss them in at the end. And if you want to cut down the servings, you can cut the recipe in half :) Hope this helps!
I made this yesterday so yummy and easy recipe. I am glad I bought two cans of coconut milk I am doing it again soon.
Hi Heydi – Wonderful! This will definitely be a quick and easy recipe to keep on hand for weekdays :)
It was super tasty! Thank you so much :)
Sorry, I missed where the stars where when I originally posted and didn’t look like I could edit my post. It’s definitely five stars! As some people have already mentioned, few ingredients and quick to make, which makes it even better :)
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this dish :)
Very simple to make, delicious, and versatile. I added carrots and potatoes, so you could add whatever veggies you like or even make it spicy.
Hi Lisa – Yes! This is definitely a versatile recipe in terms of ingredients being added. Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this the other night and it turned out beautifully! Both my husband and I loved it! Thank you so much for all of your great recipes and kitchen tips! I posted my dish on FB and had 3 friends ask for the recipe so I gladly told them about your website and told them how much I enjoy all of your great advice, tips and recipes! Keep on with your great information!
Hi Marianne- Wonderful! Thanks so much for spreading the word and I hope all your friends and family continue to enjoy Downshiftology recipes :)
I cannot even begin to tell you how simple this was to make! Very few ingredients, yet so flavorful! This is a perfect weeknight meal. I was so sad there were no leftovers for my lunch the next day, but that’s cause my family ate it all! I have a picky 17 year old and she loves every recipe I make of Lisa’s! Thanks for another great recipe Lisa!
Hi Christy- Wow! Can’t believe everyone gobbled this dish up in an instant. Looks like you’ll have to make 2 batches next time! But, I’m glad everyone enjoyed this :)
Made this for dinner, super easy and delicious. I snuck in a few extra veggies for the kids and everyone enjoyed it, thank you!
Hi Jessica – Wonderful! I’m glad the whole family enjoyed this recipe. Plus, you can never go wrong with adding more veggies.
Great recipe – super easy and super tasty. Added a small chopped red chilli and it really came alive. I was also surprised how well the coriander on the side went with it. This is certain to be a regular.
Hi Lawrie- I’m so glad you loved this coconut curry chicken recipe!
Simple and delicious. Very adaptable for different proteins and veggies. Healthy comfort food!
Hi Daphne – Most definitely an adaptable recipe :) Glad you enjoyed this one!
This recipe looks so delicious and easy, which is perfect because I’m new to curries. One question: can leftovers be frozen?
Hi Kim – Yes! You can freeze this in freezer safe containers for up to 2 months.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! Delicious super simple recipe!
Hi Andrea – It’s such a warm and delicious recipe to have on a cold weeknight. Happy you enjoyed this one!
How many ounces of chicken is this as I’d like to use chicken thigh meat instead of breast meat? Thanks.
Hi Susan – the average chicken breast weighs between 6-8 ounces. So you’d need three times that.
Can I use fish instead of chicken??
Hi Mindy – Yes! You can use fish if you’d like :)
Love love love it!
Thanks Tracey! Hope you enjoy this recipe :)
Could I use light coconut milk? This looks delicious but I am trying to cut down on my saturated fat intake. Thanks!
Hi Mary – no problem!
I love this recipe! I hope the nutritional info is for the entire recipe and not per serving! I don’t count calories but this seems incorrect? Either way it’s worth it Lol!
Hi Steph – good catch! It was accidentally calculated on 4 cups of dry rice versus 4 cups of cooked rice. I’ve fixed it. :)
Great! Also have made with both red and green curry paste to mix it up. Both are amazing! Such a great recipe!!!
Do u just follow the recipe and add the extra red or green curry??
Hi, I really want to try this recipe and I’m wondering how many people this recipe serves and what the macros are. Thank you!
Hi Marika – this recipes serves 4 people. I don’t have the nutritional info on this recipe yet, but I’m in the process of updating older recipes with nutrition info. That should be completed shortly! :)
Made this for our dinner tonight – seriously so yummy!! Thanks for another quick, easy and delicious meal Lisa. I added baby green beans which I had blanched and frozen when on special a few weeks ago. Win, win, bonus!
Yay, I’m so glad you loved the recipe! And more green beans, yum! Can’t disagree with that! Thanks for the kind words Anita!
I preferred using spinach I added baby spinach right at the end once chicken cooked fully and covered the lid after turning off the stove. Delicious! Thanks for this one!
Yes, spinach is a great addition to this recipe. Glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe couldn’t be more easier or delicious. I made it for girl’s night in and it was a hit. I will be keeping this recipe in circulation for sure. Thanks, Lisa!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe Liza. :)
Thanks a bunch! I’ve got no left overs for lunch tomorrow! The coconut chicken curry was a hit with all five of us, the pot was bone dry. I cannot eat cream (immune system reacts with cream) so the coconut provided that creamy curry I sorely missed! I didn’t have red pepper, but used sweet potato – yuuuuuuummmmm! I made sure I spiralled enough for the egg nest breakfast first.
Yes, the coconut milk is a great way to make this dairy-free and you adds amazing flavor to the dish as well. So glad you enjoyed it. And sweet potato sounds like an awesome swap in! Smart of you to save some for spiralizing though – ha! ;) x
Could you include the serving size for this particular recipe?
Hi Chasity – there are 4 servings in this recipe. I’m currently adding nutritional info to all recipes on my site, so this should be updated in the next few weeks. :)
I made this and loved it but was wishing it had a bit more spice to it. Would I solve that by adding more curry powder or more red pepper flakes?
Hi Micah – glad you loved the recipe! Yes, you could absolutely add more curry powder (or red pepper flakes). I’ve kept it on a fairly medium level for the majority of readers, but absolutely tweak to your liking. Next time you make it, start with 3 tablespoons of curry powder and add more as needed. :)
I added one red chilli chopped, it provided a kick.
I love eating coconut curry chicken, but I actually never made it myself. I had no idea it was so easy to make at home, I’ll definitely give it a try!
It’s super easy (and flavorful)! Hope you like it Andrea!
I think that coconut curry is one of the best things ever but I’ve never tried making it from scratch. Will try your recipe at some point.
This recipe comes together really easily. Gotta love powdered curry spice!
This sounds so lovely, hearty and filling! Great flavour combination here :)
Curry really does take chicken to a whole new level. :) x
What a beautiful and simple dish. I love curries.
They’re the best!
Coconut curry is one of my all-time favorite meals. Total comfort food!
It sure is! :)
Ahh, have a fabulous time in NYC! You’re in luck that the weather on this coast is getting at least slightly warmer ;) Love warming curry recipes – great dish!
Thanks Liz! I do see rain on the forecast…but at least I won’t freeze to death. ;) Enjoy the curry!