Creamy Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe

Coconut Curry Chicken is a quick, comforting dinner that comes together in about 30 minutes. The sauce is rich and creamy from coconut milk and perfectly seasoned with curry, ginger and garlic. Serve it over white rice to soak up every bit of the sauce, or enjoy it with bread, pasta or your favorite sides. This recipe is simple enough for weeknights but flavorful enough to share with guests.

Family favorites praised this one immediately—my daughters declared the sauce five stars and our friends that joined us for dinner wanted the recipe. It’s dependable, kid-friendly, and flexible enough to adjust to what you have on hand.

Ingredients For Coconut Curry Chicken

• Chicken thighs: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (breasts can be substituted).
• Curry powder: 1 tablespoon, use a good-quality blend for the best flavor.
• Ginger: 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ginger paste/minced ginger).
• Salt and white pepper: 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (black pepper works if you don’t have white).
• Vegetable oil: 1 tablespoon for cooking.
• Onion: 1 cup chopped onion to build the flavor base.
• Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon to add depth and color.
• Garlic: 5 cloves, minced.
• Water: 1 1/2 cups.
• Chicken bouillon powder: 1 teaspoon (or use low-sodium chicken broth in place of the water).
• Coconut milk: 14 oz (one can) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk for a creamy sauce.
• Vegetables: 1 1/2 cups chopped vegetables such as bell peppers and carrots (optional).
• Basil: 6–10 chopped basil leaves (Sweet Thai basil if available) for freshness.

How to Make Coconut Curry Chicken

1. Prepare and season the chicken: Cut the chicken into 1-inch strips and place in a bowl. Add the curry powder, grated ginger, salt and white pepper. Toss until evenly coated.
2. Brown the chicken: Heat the oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until no longer pink, about 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the chicken and set aside. If using lean breast meat, add a little extra oil after removing the chicken.
3. Build the sauce: In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook about one minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Pour in the water, add more curry powder if desired, then stir in the remaining salt and chicken bouillon powder.
4. Simmer with coconut milk: Return the chicken to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Pour in the coconut milk, stir, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes so flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a splash of water or a little extra coconut milk if the sauce is too salty, or a pinch of salt if it needs more seasoning.
5. Add vegetables and basil: Stir in the chopped bell peppers and carrots and add the basil leaves. Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat to wilt the basil and finish cooking the vegetables.
6. Serve: Serve warm over hot, fluffy white rice, with pasta, or alongside crusty bread for dipping. Jasmine rice pairs especially well with the creamy coconut sauce.

What to Serve With Coconut Curry Chicken

• White rice (jasmine is ideal) to soak up the sauce.
• Pasta as an alternative to rice for a different texture.
• Crusty bread for dipping and enjoying the rich sauce.

Watch How To Make Chicken Curry

If you prefer a visual guide, a short video demonstration is available for this Coconut Curry Chicken. Search for a video titled “Coconut Curry Chicken” or a similarly named demonstration to follow along step by step.

More Family-Friendly Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Avocado Salad
• Mayonnaise Chicken
• Easy Chicken Stir-Fry

This post originally included product recommendations and a video demonstration.