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Get It NowHave you been missing your favorite Indian takeout meal? Then this easy chicken curry recipe is for you! It’s surprisingly simple to make at home. Chicken coconut curry is rich and warming, with a little spice and a whole lot of coconut cream curry flavor, just like my coconut curry soup. Serve it over rice for a classic taste, but it would also be fantastic over cauliflower rice.
Why This Is My Best Chicken Curry Recipe
- Creamy coconut sauce with spicy curry flavor
- Juicy, tender chicken
- Natural, common ingredients found in any grocery store
- Made in one pan or pot, for easy cleanup
- Done in 30 minutes
- Naturally gluten-free and healthy
Chicken Curry Ingredients
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this Indian chicken curry recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Olive Oil – Used for sauteing. Any heat-safe cooking oil, such as avocado oil, also works.
- Onion – Traditional chicken curry recipes typically use red onions, but I used a white onion. Feel free to use red or yellow if that’s what you have on hand.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but boneless skinless chicken thighs also work if you prefer dark meat. Cut into bite-sized pieces. If you only have bone-in chicken, you can cook it whole without cutting into pieces, but it will take longer to cook through.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – To prevent the curry coconut chicken from getting too watery, be sure to drain the diced tomatoes before adding them to the coconut chicken curry.
- Coconut Milk – You won’t need the entire can of coconut milk, just the cream part. Place the can in the fridge overnight — this will separate the coconut cream from the coconut water and you’ll be able to skim the cream from the top. Alternatively, you can just buy canned coconut cream, or Greek yogurt should also work.
- Chicken Broth – I use reduced-sodium store-bought or my homemade chicken broth. You could also use chicken bone broth as well.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic adds the best flavor, but you could use jarred minced garlic for convenience. If you don’t have any of either, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Curry Powder – This spice blend of turmeric, chili powder, coriander, cayenne pepper, and other spices is a must for this dish! If yours doesn’t have cumin in it, add 1 teaspoon of cumin to the recipe.
- Other Spices – Ground ginger, paprika, and sea salt.
Some curry chicken recipes add sugar as well, but I don’t find this necessary. The tomatoes and coconut milk add a little natural sweetness on their own.
How To Make Curry Chicken
This section shows how to make chicken curry with coconut milk, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute the onion. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent and browned.
- Sear the chicken. Push onion to the side. Increase to medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon oil and add chicken in a single layer. Saute the chicken only to brown the outside.
- Make the chicken curry sauce. Add diced tomatoes, coconut cream (skimmed from the top of canned coconut milk), chicken broth, garlic, curry powder, ground ginger, paprika, and sea salt. Stir everything together.
TIP: Only use the cream portion of your canned coconut milk.
This is the important secret trick! If you want your curry to taste like it came from an Indian restaurant (which you do!), only use the cream. Most cans of coconut cream will have directions to shake the can before using. DON’T do this. Simply open the can and scoop out the thick cream portion. Thanks to my friend, Emily from My Everyday Table, for this tip!
- Simmer. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, sauce is thick, and flavors develop to your liking. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Allow coconut curry chicken to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Curry will stain some plastic storage containers — beware!)
- Meal prep: Chicken coconut curry is similar to soups and chilis where it gets even better after a day in the fridge. Simply make the full recipe ahead of time and store.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove or in microwave until hot. If it’s too thick, you can thin it out with a bit of water or broth, or even a bit more coconut cream.
- Freeze: Chicken curry recipes freeze quite well. Once it has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the freezer. Or, to save space, store in a freezer bag and lay it flat so that it freezes flat. Once it’s solid, you can stand it up.
What To Serve With Chicken Curry Recipes
This is important… because you don’t want to lose any of the flavorful curry sauce! Here’s what I like to pair with this dish:
- Rice – Serve chicken curry over a bowl of basmati rice, or for lighter options, try cauliflower rice (shown in the photos above) or shirataki rice.
- Naan – Classic Indian curry dishes include a side of naan.
- Vegetables – A side of roasted cauliflower, sauteed broccoli, or garlic roasted bok choy pair well with Indian cuisines. You can also add Indian spices, such as curry powder, to roast potatoes.
More Indian Chicken Recipes
If you like dishes with a little kick, try these other spicy Indian-inspired favorites:
Tools To Make Chicken Coconut Curry
- Large Saute Pan – To make the best chicken curry recipe, be sure to use a nonstick saute pan. This will prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan while it cooks.
Chicken Curry Recipe (30 Minutes!)
This easy chicken curry recipe makes the best chicken coconut curry, with simple ingredients like chicken, coconut milk, tomatoes and spices.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for about 7 to 10 minutes, until translucent and browned.
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Push the onion to the side. Increase heat to medium high. Add another tablespoon oil and the chicken in a single layer. Saute the chicken for just 1 to 2 minutes per side, only to brown the outside.
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Add the diced tomatoes, coconut cream, chicken broth, garlic, curry powder, ground ginger, paprika, and sea salt. Stir everything together. Adjust salt to taste.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, sauce is thick, and flavors develop to your liking.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 3/4 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
219 Comments
Kimberly
0I made this for dinner tonight for my family because I don’t like curry but this was delicious! Very easy to make and we topped riced cauliflower with it.
Minkyung Park-Oates
0We tried this recipe today. We didn’t follow exact portion recipes as it said since we kinda winged with some flavors such as more salt, and adding lime juice. It turned out fantastic. Thank you for your recipe 🙂
Janice
0You really should put “coconut milk” as your ingredient – not coconut cream…i bought the wrong thing…now i have to go back to the store.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Janice, Coconut cream is the correct ingredient, not coconut milk.
Janice
0Yes, but it should say “from coconut milk”
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0It isn’t from coconut milk. It’s a can of just coconut cream. However, it still tends to release water even if you buy cream, which is why you skim off the cream.
Janice
0Love this recipe! I buy cut up rotisserie chicken from COSTCO and add in for a faster meal. Just the right amount of spice! Perfect with cauliflower rice!
Ketonoob
0The 8g carb is for one serving right? This recipe is for 6 servings right? Meaning 48g carb in 6 servings?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, nutrition info is always per serving. No one would eat 6 servings in one sitting. 🙂
Erica
0This came out amazing! I served it with roasted garlic cauliflower rice spiced with cumin and red pepper, lime juice and cilantro. I love your recipes and the step by step instructions are very helpful. Thank you this will be one I will use often.
Lisa
0I needed to use up a can of coconut milk and came across this recipe. I’m so glad I did because WOW, this is so delicious. I will freeze the leftovers with riced cauliflower for a quick lunch. Will definitely make this again.
Kathryn
0I made your chicken curry and loved it, I even made cauliflower rice to go with it. I did add some chopped capsicums, just to bulk it out a tad. Thank you so much. It was so easy, but oh so delicious!
Sandy
0I’m so happy I stumbled upon your website! I tried out this recipe and it was packed with flavor and it was delicious. I’m making it for the 3rd time again!
Similar to what some other commenters said, I added in the spices to the chicken first and then waited a bit to add in the tomatoe and coconut milk. It was amazing!
Chef Neeraj
0It is awesome
Patty Pittman
0This sounds yummy! Could I use a whole cut up chicken instead of chicken breast? Would I have to double the sauce?
Wholesome Yum A
0Absolutely, Patti! You may have to triple the sauce if it’s an especially large chicken. Be sure to check your meat to make sure it’s fully cooked as well.
Richley
0Make sure you read the entire posting before you make this! The picture looked good and it said 8 carbs, so I just printed the recipe. It calls for 7 oz. of Coconut cream. Not being that familiar with canned coconut products, I bought a can of Coconut Cream. My blood sugar numbers soared to 375 when I had a serving. I looked at the can and found that Coconut Cream has about 220 carbs!!! Had to throw the rest of it away. My bad for not reading the entire posting or looking at the carbs on the can of Coconut Cream. I just trusted the information that printed out on the recipe. This recipe should be amended to say 1 14-oz can of Coconut MILK followed by the info in parenthesis.
Kristina G Troxell
0I used Thai Kitchen coconut cream. 13oz has 9.2g net carbs. I used all the cream since I doubled the recipe. I forgot onions, so my carb count for 6 servings (despite doubling everying) was only 4g net.
Sarah
0It sounds like you may have gotten “cream of coconut” instead of “coconut cream.” Cream of coconut has tons of added sugar and is used in drinks like a pina colada. Only know because I’ve made the same mistake in the past.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Richley, Sorry about any misunderstanding. The recipe calls for coconut cream, not coconut milk, and the recipe card is correct. Even if you buy what is labeled as coconut cream, more water tends to separate from it.
You might have purchased something else? Coconut cream has 8g net carbs per cup, so should not send blood sugar soaring when the amount used in this recipe is divided by the number of servings.
Debra Waterfield
0Hello, as I live in the UK I am confused by the serving portion of 3/4 cup. Can you please tell me how many grams or ounces are contained in one portion? Many thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debra, You can tap on the Metric link on the recipe card and it will convert everything to grams. Hope that helps!
Laura
0So good! Also, I just finished a five-day water fast and needed to re-introduce with broth only I strained out the chicken and just drink the broth and it was absolutely delicious!
Lynette
0That curry & coconut chicken is so easy to cook, healthy and delicious thanks for sharing my new favorite meal…I make a batch and freeze in serving size portions kids love it too !
Patti
0My curry was a little watery and I was afraid the chicken would over cook if I let it simmer too long, so I added a little xantham gum and it thickened quick. I really like thick sauces anyway.
Ivea
0Hi Maya, that’s a lovely coconut curry. In SE Asia, we heat the oil, add the curry spices into the oil and heat until fragrant. Then we add the chicken pieces and stir them to coat. Then we add the coconut. Then simmer until reduced. I like to add a few curry leaves (remove before serving, or not) for extra flavour. I prefer enough curry left over for a sauce (members of the family might like it on their Basmati rice. Love your website!
Cindy
0I really loved this! Thanks a lot!
Cathy
0What do I do with the coconut milk left in the can?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cathy, You can use it for another recipe or blend into smoothies.
Victoria D
0Super simple and amazingly delicious. My picky family LOVED this. Definitely making this again.
Darshana
0Delicious recipe ! For extra heat I added Serranos and mixed it with the onions. In the beginning. At the end mixed in cilantro for a bit more flavor. Has anyone tried using lite coconut milk ?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Darshana! I’m not sure what you mean by lite, do you mean the kind that isn’t thick? It won’t thicken if it’s not the canned full-fat kind.
Darshana Patel
0There are brands that have lite coconut milk. I am not sure if these still have the cream in it or not.
Shea
0Can you use curry paste instead of curry spice? I used to make curry all the time before I had to go on the keto diet. With that said, I have so many containers of curry paste left over. I don’t want them to go to waste considering how expensive they were. Please let me know!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Shea, This may affect your carb count some, but the recipe will still work with curry paste.
Mike
0I really love the simplicity and flavor of the dish. The first time I made it, the spices had a raw taste. So I changed it up just a little. I brown the chicken alone first, then set aside. Cook the onions and garlic until translucent. Then add all the spice and let them cook in the oil with the onions. Then add back the chicken and other ingredients. Doing so removed that raw spice bite and really opened up the flavor.
Mariah
0Hi! Would it be possible to substitute the chicken with shrimp instead? And if so, would that change or alter the total net carbs in any way?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mariah, that would work! You’ll just want to cook the shrimp until they turn pink instead of going by cooking time. It won’t affect the carb count.
Vera Polischuk
0I added fresh ginger, cumin and turmeric and bumped up the spices..it was heaven
Kuda
0I added about 1/8 bar of unsalted butter to smooth/balance the flavor because it was too spiced up (I eyeball measured everything so maybe that’s why). Either way it tasted good, especially after the butter! Btw, curry is my favorite food!
Kathy
0Great recipe! I added about a teaspoon of red pepper for a kick.
Pauline
0This recipe is awesome! My husband and I just returned from our vacation from Tokyo and he was desperately trying to get back on keto but misses the curry. So I used this recipe with 70% fat ground beef and skipped the broth because the fat itself produced too much liquid which added to the flavor.
Tess
0This was the most delicious curry I have ever eaten and I am a big fan of curries, thank you for the recipe! I added a side of cauliflower rice and a bit of chilli powder in the sauce which added a little kick. This is going to be a once a week dish for our family!
Brenda
0Made this and I loved it!!! I only used 1 tbsp of the curry and half the portion of the ginger came out great.
Sandi
0I can’t wait to make this recipe again this week. It was delicious.
Pk
0Is this gluten free?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes! Every recipe on this site is gluten-free. 🙂
Wholesome Yum A
0It is time to think about making supper and I’m super excited! I just found this recipe and I have all the ingredients on hand! What are the odds? This looks awesome!
Rohit Sahu
0Great post, will definitely try it out!!
I also have an amazing recipe to share, Honey Glazed Chicken is an easy, fast and delicious recipe for dinner that will be loved by all of your family members. This creamy recipe for Honey Glazed Chicken is packed with great flavors and is very delicious.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Rohit! Unfortunately honey is not low carb, so wouldn’t recommend that for this site’s readers.
Erica D.
0Okay, NEXT time I’m definitely NOT going to shake the can. I’ve been making it with both the cream and the milk, but I can understand how it would be SO much richer just using the cream.
Tish
0Love that this is low carb! This chicken curry has the most amazing flavors!
Tayler Ross
0I am in love with the flavor of this chicken, and I already can’t wait to make it again!
Tawnie Kroll
0Anything curry and I am in!! This recipe really hit the spot.
Jamie
0This was so delicious and flavorful! The sear on that chicken was amazing. I’ve been looking for a good curry recipe and yours was fabulous! Can’t make to try this again!
Pam
0This was great! And, I agree – when you make it at home you know what you’re eating. Love make ahead recipes too!
Jill
0This was rich and delicious with all that coconut cream!
Julie Wallace
0Wow, this was amazing! I love curry. I also love that your recipe doesn’t contain potatoes. Nothing against potatoes and I do eat carbs, but I have to limit them, and one of the things about Indian food that sometimes bugs me is you have the potatoes IN the curry or stew, which is served on top of rice, and then you dunk the naan in there, and all that is delicious, but it’s too much at once, lol!
Doreen
0WOW! This is SO tasty! Thank you Maya. I’ve cried off curries for a long time since I started ketoing…well I do add curry powder to stir fries occasionally, but that’s not quite the same thing is it? LOL! I’ll definitely be making this again…and it’s great with cauliflower rice. I actually mixed my cauli rice in with it and made it more of a biryani, but it’s great either way. Bless you!
Shammi
0I make a similar version but with bit of garam masala powder and cumin+ coriander powder ( all available at the indian stores ) and add chicken thighs instead of breast, as the breast tend to be too dry.
It turns out yumm: ) we have it with keto naan or cauli rice : Your dish look very delicious !
Rosa
0Wow this is fantastic and super flavourful!! Will definitely be adding this dish to the rotation!
Sharon
0I love curry and you just made it even better with this keto inspired curry dish. It was yummy!
Noel Lizotte
0This was delicious! Such a great keto option … without being Bacon.
I mean, we all love bacon, but sometimes, enough is enough.
LOL
Emily
0Great recipe. It really is as good as Indian take-out. I can’t trust myself to go to an Indian restaurant now that I’m doing low carb, so this meal totally hit the spot.
Susan Carraretto
0Such a great tip to use only the cream part from the can of coconut cream. Even though I’m not on a keto diet, I love this recipe.
Lisa
0This curry was quick and delicious! Thanks for the notes on just using the coconut cream in the can, it was a game changer for the recipe!
Tayler Ross
0I’ve been looking for a good, low carb meal and this is by far my most favorite! Thanks for sharing!