Coconut Chicken Curry

Coconut chicken curry? Coconut curry chicken? No matter how you say it, this one-pot chicken dinner is a winner.

Jump to Recipe

Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe

What makes a curry a curry? As usual, Wikipedia can help you to grasp the basics, but the best way to experience curry is to order it. There's no shortage of places to find curry, either: Indian, Thai, Filipino, Japanese, and even various African cuisines have curry in one way or another.

It's also massively popular in the UK, though

When you're not supporting your favorite local joints, though, you can be making curry yourself. This coconut chicken curry is a real winner: it's rich in flavor, veggie-forward, and even gluten-free.

Curry is also an amazing option for meal prep, as it seems to get even more flavorful as it sits in the fridge.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

You don't have to be a fan of coconut to appreciate what coconut milk can do for a recipe. Don't get me wrong—coconut milk still tastes like coconut—but in the context of a curry recipe, it adds a creaminess and subtle sweetness to balance out the spice of a dish.

Coconut milk ties things together. If you'd rather avoid it, though, you've got options to substitute. Alternative milks (soy, almond, oat) can work well in the place of coconut milk, for example, or even heavy cream. Check out this post for substitution details.

Coconut Chicken Curry Ingredients

Here's what's involved in my take on coconut chicken curry:

• chicken breast
• diced tomatoes
• coconut milk
• yellow onions
• bell peppers
• canola oil
• cauliflower
• curry powder
• turmeric
• paprika
• cumin
• salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes

How to Make Coconut Chicken Curry

Curry may taste magical, but there's no magic involved in making it. Here's the process to get yourself curry:

• Gather all ingredients.
• Chop onions, bell peppers, and cauliflower. Set aside.
• Chop chicken into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Measure spices and add to a small bowl. Set aside.
• Heat a large dutch oven (or large skillet) over medium heat.
• Add canola oil to skillet and let it heat up.
• Add sliced onions. Cook for about 13 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add spices. Cook for about a minute, until fragrant, stirring frequently.
• Add coconut milk. Let thicken 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add chicken. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add peppers and cauliflower. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add tomatoes. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring frequently.
• Place lid on the dutch oven until ready to serve.
• Optional: Serve over rice with toasted naan.

Is coconut curry spicy?

The short answer: curry can be spicy, but it doesn't have to be.

What curry is is more like... spice-ful. It's got a lot of flavor, but it doesn't have to be burn-your-mouth hot or anything. This coconut chicken curry recipe is not particularly spicy.

But then again, it can be!

How to meal prep coconut chicken curry

You don't need anything fancy to make your curry into a meal prep masterpiece. Just make the recipe as described and divide it into 6 air-tight containers to enjoy throughout the week. You can also store in one large container and take it out of there as desired.

If you're going to enjoy this with rice, I recommend either making and storing the rice separately or making rice fresh when you're going to enjoy the curry. That said, you can also store the rice directly in the containers with curry, with the understanding that it's going to get a little bit soggy.

Want more easy healthy recipes?

Try one of these Jordo's World staples:

• Chicken Caprese Pasta
• Salmon Roll Sushi Bowl
• Ground Turkey Skillet with Veggies