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.
Like Lisa says, this is perfect week night dinner. Quick and simple and DELICIOUS!!!…. We have enjoyed it several times…. Thanks Lisa!!
Thanks so much, David! I’m happy you love it!
Can you use chicken thighs as a substitute? Otherwise, I’ll go with the breasts.
Hi Kathleen – yes, you can use chicken thighs in this recipe. Enjoy!
Thanks for this Lisa! I made the curry this week as a meal prep one morning and left it simmering in the slow cooker to be ready for dinner. Nice and simple. I subbed in zucchini because that’s what we had ;)
The perfect prep for the week! Happy to hear you loved this curry chicken, Co!
After a summer of erratic food behaviour and too many convenient dinners of chips or bread with cheese (dream easy dinner for us French girls) I decided to get back to good eating yet without complicated cooking. This COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY recipe is so satisfaying. It is an explosion of eastern flavours, crisp pepper versus chewy chicken, bitter lime in the sweet coconut. And uncomplicated to cook, will definitely become a star go-to dinner for me! Thank you so much Lisa Bryan!
Hi Barbara – I’m so thrilled to hear you loved this curry chicken recipe! It really is the best easy recipe that’s also healthy and satisfying. Happy to hear it helped get you back on the “good eating” path… though I totally understand a little bit of indulgence in the summer months. :)
SO delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this curry chicken, Angela!
So, so, soooo good!! I cannot believe how easy it was to make and how delicious it turned out! I added a few frozen peas just to have more vegetables and it was delicious. I would die for a green curry with eggplant recipe please?????
Thank you for sharing these amazing recipes with us!!!
Hi Patrizia – I’m so glad you loved this curry chicken! I will definitely keep a green curry in mind :)
This Coconut Curry Chicken is everything I crave in a comfort meal—rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor.
I couldn’t agree more! This is definitely comfort in a bowl. Enjoy, Yanina!
I made it tonight and it was very good. I must’ve cooked the chicken too long because it was dry. What I would like to know is why did my coconut milk curdle?
Hi Pat – the coconut milk shouldn’t curdle. Did you use full-fat coconut milk from a can?
Great chicken curry!! Lovely aroma, tastes delicious- make it on repeat!
Happy to hear you’re loving this coconut curry chicken, Karen!
Looks yummy! If I want to lower the saturated fat, what would you suggest? Can I dilute the coconut milk or is there a better option? TIA :-)
This is the best curry recipe! Quick, easy, and so flavorful!! I make this when I’m hungry for curry!
I’m so glad you love this curry chicken, Susan!
Excellent! Thanks for this recipe! Worked wonders
Glad you enjoyed this curry chicken, Tulin!
I read somewhere that people tend to use the same handful of recipes day in and day out. Not wanting to be boring, I like to experiment and keep new dishes coming to the table. I have used recipes from other sites but I have found that your recipes are easy to follow and taste great!
Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback, Carolyn! Thrilled to hear my recipes have been a hit every single time. I can’t wait to see what you make next.
This was a very good recipe. It was easy, and my husband and I enjoyed the meal. Next time, I will follow the recipe exactly; I had to use substitutions because I didn’t have certain ingredients. I used a green bell pepper instead of red. I didn’t have an onion (I know! I couldn’t believe it either!). So I seasoned the chicken with some onion powder. I also added carrots and potatoes. I didn’t have a lime to include in the recipe. Despite this and the substitutions, it was delicious!! Thank you for the recipe!
Glad this curry chicken still turned out okay with the ingredients you had on hand! Definitely give the complete recipe a go next time, enjoy!
Great fast dinner that everyone loves. Also, I often substitute chicken with tofu
Glad this chicken fajitas turned out great with tofu instead, Heather!
Delicious
Happy to hear you’re loving this chicken curry recipe, Karen!
I was looking for dinner inspiration when I received your Instagram post. I made this for dinner tonight and so happy I did. It was easy to make and absolutely delicious! Thanks, Lisa!
Amazing! Glad the post came at a good time for more dinner inspiration, Alan!
So flavorful and easy! This was so good! I love curry and this wasn’t too spicy for me. I was surprised my husband loved it too!! It all was so easy and one pot!! Easy to make and clean up!
Happy to hear both you and your husband loved this coconut curry chicken recipe, Susan!
Easy and quick! Pretty tasty!
Glad you found this coconut curry chicken to be quick yet delicious, Debbie!
Have made this several times now when everyone fancies a tasty curry, easy straightforward quick recipe, delicious and healthy too! Thank you for sharing 😊
Can’t beat a simple curry dish like this! Glad you’re loving this recipe, Rob.
Made this for dinner last night! It was so good! We love Thai curry and have always gone to a restaurant for it…Not anymore! Thanks for a great recipe!
Now you can always make your favorite curry dish at home! Glad you’re loving this recipe, Vickie!
I LOVE this, easy and delicious! Quick question: How many pounds of chicken should I buy for the recipe?
Hi Christine – 3 chicken breasts are usually just under 1 1/2 pounds of chicken (assuming 7 to 8 ounces each). Enjoy the recipe!
Flavorful, but not overbearing. I used boneless chicken thighs cause it’s what I had and the meat was tender. I’ll have to add this to mealtimes more often because I’m so sick of eating the same things so this was perfect.
Hi Tonya – I’m so glad you found another great recipe to add to your rotation! I’m sure chicken thighs tasted even better.
I didn’t have a full can of coconut milk, fresh cilantro or a red bell pepper…. I added 3 small red thai chillies and used thai rice sticks instead of rice. Oh my…. incredible and sooooo delicious. I will use this again!
Hi Marilyn – Happy to hear you were able to make do with what you had on hand, and this curry chicken still turned out incredible!
Going to make this tonight! Making the chicken for me and adapting the recipe and making it with lentils for my vegan husband.
I made this for the first time last week.
It was very easy to make and very tasty.
I will add it to my list of favourites.
Thank you, Lisa.
Hi Lyndel – Thrilled to hear your first try at this coconut curry chicken was a success, enjoy!
Looking forward to making this but wondering what you think about using low fat coconut milk? Btw, I just started following you & love the sound of many of your recipes. Thank you
Hi Marylou – yes, you can use low fat coconut milk in this recipe if you prefer, the sauce just won’t be quite as thick. Hope you enjoy it, and many of my other recipes as well!
Family loved it!
Happy to hear it!
Could you please make a suggestion of additional vegetables to include in the curry. Thanks so much.
Hi Cindy – There’s so many different vegetables you could add, like broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, grated carrots, and more!
Made this tonight, absolutely loved it! I did have to make one substition as I was out of ginger powder, I did a sprinkle of turmeric and allspice. I also added broccoli just because I needed an extra serving of veggies. Will absolutely make this again, had all ingredients on hand and it was quick and easy. Made lots of leftovers as well, yay for meal prep!
Hi Danielle – The additional turmeric and allspice sounds great! Glad the whole dish came together beautifully, especially with the broccoli for an extra dose of vegetables!
Hi there can you marinate the chicken thighs ahead of time if so what with? Thankyou
Was really good
Hi Sam — Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Easy to make and has great flavor. Feed this to my 9 month old and she enjoyed it. Mixed cauliflower rice and quinoa as my side.
Happy to hear you both loved it, Jennifer!
I’ve made this a few different times. I have substituted the chicken with fish, shrimp, pork and beef. I do add more curry powder and garlic but that is because my family likes that taste. I have shared this recipe with many. And shared my dinner with a few different families. All rave reviews.
I’m happy you love this recipe, Tabetha, and thanks so much for sharing it with your family and friends!
Delicious! Do you think I could use boneless/skinless thighs? Ty!
Hi Erin – Yes, that’s completely fine!
can I used low-fat coconut milk.
Great recipe. I was too lazy to cook rice and had sourdough bread on hand, so i used less lemon. Scraped all the curry off the plate with the bread. Yum!
This was a perfect flavored curry. I had leftover noodles so we used them today. Our next curry dinner will be with rice. All ingredients melted together perfectly.
Amazing! Happy to hear you enjoyed this coconut curry chicken, Barbara!
Hi Lisa, I love your approach to healthy, delicious and exciting homemade food. Your recipes are so good to follow as they are written in a straightforward way which makes cooking a total pleasure. I’ve made 3 recipes so far and they’ve all brought big smiles to our family and friends – superb! I’m making Tuscan Chicken again tonight because I happen to have the ingredients so that’s saved me a hop to the shop. Thank you for sharing such a great selection of meals and desserts. Michèle in the UK
Hi Michele – Happy to hear you, your friends, and family have been loving Downshiftology recipes so far!
I made this for my family for the first time and it was delicious. Everyone loved, I think its going to become a family monthly meal.
Hi Lara – Happy to hear the whole family enjoyed this coconut curry chicken!
Since I’ve just made this for at least the 20th time, I figured I should finally leave a review to say how perfect and amazingly delicious this recipe is! It’s my go-to chicken curry. So easy to make and crushes it every time!
Hi Karina – Thanks for taking the time to leave a review and glad you’re loving this chickpea curry!
WOW
Making it now…. so hungry… smells sooo good in here
Thank you for so many great recipes that are gluten free… super hard new road to navigate but you have helped so much!
Hi Constance – I hope you loved this curry chicken!