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GET IT NOWI Love This Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe More Than Takeout
This chicken curry is one of my first Indian-takeout-inspired recipes, and certainly not my last. When I initially made it, I was surprised at how much flavor I got from ingredients I already had! It was better than any takeout I’d tried, more affordable, and just as important, so easy. Here’s why you’ll want to make this chicken curry recipe again and again:
- Creamy, rich, thick, and full of curry flavor – If you like my coconut curry soup or curry chicken salad, you’ll love this coconut chicken curry, which actually inspired both of those for me. It’s got the same rich, cozy flavor, but in a hearty, saucy dinner.
- Simple, better ingredients – I skip added sugar, letting the tomatoes and coconut milk add natural sweetness instead, with plenty of (common!) spices building flavor. And unlike many restaurant versions, mine doesn’t have a mile-long ingredient list or anything processed. Just simple, everyday staples you probably have on hand!
- Quick, one-pan meal – It’s ready in about 30 minutes, so it’s faster and easier than most chicken curry recipes. And definitely faster than getting takeout!
If you’re craving Indian food and want an easy, healthy dinner you’ll want to make again and again, this coconut chicken curry is sure to satisfy. Make it with me!
“Wow!! What a delicious and easy recipe, you won’t be sorry you made this. My husband even loved it and I will sure be making it many times into the future. This recipe is one of Maya’s best.”
-Janet
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my coconut curry chicken recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breast this time, but have also made and enjoyed this coconut curry with chicken thighs, too. Cut into bite-sized pieces. If you only have bone-in chicken, you can cook the pieces whole without cutting into bites, but it’ll take longer to cook through. For a vegetarian version, I have a cauliflower curry recipe that’s very similar.
- Curry Powder – This is where most of the flavor comes from. The one I use is a blend of cumin, turmeric, coriander, cayenne pepper, paprika, and several other spices. If yours doesn’t have cumin in it, I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of cumin to this recipe, as this is key.
- Other Spices – I added ground ginger, paprika, and sea salt to round everything out.
- 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’ve got.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – I always drain them so the sauce doesn’t get watery. Some readers have told me they had success substituting tomato paste, which will give you a more intense flavor, but since it’s more dense I would add a little extra broth with it.
- Coconut Milk – You won’t need the entire can of coconut milk, just the cream part. I just place the can in the fridge overnight to separate the coconut cream from the coconut water, then skim the cream from the top. Alternatively, you can just buy canned coconut cream, but I find this chilling method actually gets me thicker cream. Otherwise, Greek yogurt makes a decent substitute for this chicken curry, and reminds me of my butter chicken recipe.
- Chicken Broth – I usually use reduced-sodium store-bought or my homemade chicken broth. You can also use bone broth for a richer flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but 1/2 teaspoon of jarred garlic works when I need something quick. If you don’t have any of either, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Olive Oil – For searing the chicken. Any heat-safe oil, like avocado oil, works just as well.
How To Make Chicken Curry
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Sauté the onion. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and lightly browned.
- Sear the chicken. Push the onions aside and increase the heat to medium-high. Add another tablespoon of oil and the chicken in a single layer. Just sear it briefly to brown the outside.
- Make the chicken curry sauce. Add the 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.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, and the sauce is thick and flavorful. I like to garnish this coconut chicken curry with fresh cilantro.
My Recipe Tips
- Let the onions get nice and brown. This gives the whole dish a deeper, slightly sweet base.
- Get the chicken golden brown, too. While it’s just a matter of time for the onions, for the chicken it’s more than that. You need the heat high enough (I do medium-high for the searing step) and the chicken pieces need to be in a single layer. If they’re overlapping, the chicken will stay pale instead of browning, and then can dry out if you try to keep cooking to brown.
- Only use the cream from your canned coconut milk. Most cans of coconut cream will have directions to shake the can before using. I do not do this for this chicken curry recipe. Instead, refrigerate to separate, then scoop the thick part from the top. This gives the curry that rich, restaurant-style flavor. Thanks to my friend, Emily from My Everyday Table, for this tip!
- How fast the sauce thickens depends on the size and material of your pan, and even your stove. I used to use a heavy-bottom hard-anodized nonstick pan, which takes about 15 minutes on my gas stove, but these days I use cast iron (especially this deeper enameled one for this recipe) more often and it’s even faster. If your pan is light, you may need to simmer for longer to reduce and thicken.
Coconut Chicken Curry (Easy 30-Min Recipe)
My coconut chicken curry recipe is creamy, cozy, and full of flavor, with simple ingredients. Easy to make in just 30 minutes!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 3/4 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best flavor and texture in this coconut chicken curry.
- Store & meal prep: Let it cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. The flavors get even better overnight! Keep in mind that curry can stain plastic containers (I always use glass anyway).
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, or microwave in 30-second intervals. If it gets too thick, stir in a splash of water, broth, or coconut cream.
- Freeze: This curry chicken freezes well for up to 3-6 months.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System, Healthy Ebook Bundle, and Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Coconut Chicken Curry
How To Serve It
I usually serve this chicken curry recipe with cauliflower rice and a side of almond flour naan, as shown above. Feel free to use regular rice or even shirataki rice.
If you want veggies on the side (always a good idea!), this dish pairs well with my roasted bok choy or sauteed broccoli.
228 Comments
Steven Bosecke
0nice recipe, easy to prep, delicious result, thanks.
Dianne
0Simple to make and delicious..
Savanna
0I will definitely be making this again! Thank you so much.
Rachael
0Hello this looks amazing and I’m making it tomorrow. I don’t suppose you know how I’d calculate the nutrition if I used Tofu instead? I’m new to keto sorry!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rachel, You can enter the recipe (along with the addition of tofu) in an online recipe calculator to help you get the revised macros. I hope this helps!
Monica
0Best curry recipe ever! I keep cooking it and never get sick of the taste. There’s only a few spices used but it really has deep flavours. Yum!
Justine
0Amazing recipe! Even better than my local Indian place! I used hot curry powder to give it a bit of a kick and it was perfect! Highly recommend!
Sum
0I want to try this recipe next week! Instead of ground ginger, can I use ginger paste instead?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sum, Yes! You may want to use a little less. You can adjust the amount of ginger to taste.
Akhil
0Sumptuous! Really easy to make and turned out delish. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Being an East Indian, I like a bit of heat. The only addition I did was, added 2 Thai peppers when adding spices/garlic and other ingredients in the chicken.
Agnes
0This is soooooo gooood! I paired it with keto-friendly naan and it’s like I am in an Indian restaurant! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Deborah Williams
0This recipe was great. My family loved it. It was easy to prepare and very tasty.
Cyndi Heaton
0Made this recipe last week, realized I did not have diced tomatoes too late…substituted Habanero Rotel tomatoes and prayed it would not kick it over to texmex, lol. It was delicious, my husband raved about it! We had it on Costco’s cauliflower rice mix…..so good, I am making it again tonight! Thanks for your hard work! Been doing Keto since last August and feel better, have lost a total of 71 lbs total!
Samara
0This was soooooooo good. It now will be a regular on our table from now on. Thanks for the recipe.
This is what makes keto worth doing.
Samara
0OMG. This was sooooooo good. The first time I’ve made this and it now will be a regular for us. Thank you for the recipe.
Joyce
0Really good flavour! I used meat from a cooked chicken and added some more spices to my liking. Also I used the whole can of a 28oz can diced tomatoes. We like things with more sauce. Turned out great!
Cathleen
0So good! Made this a week ago. Making it again. 13yo alway leery of new recipes. He gobbled this one up and asked for more.
marcy e McNally
0You know what ? I don’t even need to taste it (it’s simmering on the stove as I type this and it smells soooooooo good. I’m using tofu in place of the chicken because I’m not really a chicken person…but anyway, I’ve made several of your recipes and I’m sure this one will be delicious as well ! Thank you !
Sonia
0J’ai tellement hâte de faire la recette, j’en ai déjà l’eau à la bouche.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sonia, Thanks! I hope you love it!
Chuck
0Pretty good, little bland. I added some keto sugar and spice (raw chiles) and it boost a bit of flavor. Any other recommendations?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Chuck, If it needs a little extra kick, I would add a little more ginger and paprika.
Lou
0OMG! I’m new to keto (1week in). This recipe surprised and delighted me. I ended up shaking the can by mistake and put more coconut milk than I should have. But the curry the most amazing flavour! I used coconut oil instead of olive too. Xx
Joanne Swift
0This was so easy and very tasty! Thank you !
Libby Grubert
0Just totally delish!!!
Juz
0This was so delicious! I added my cauli rice and grated zucchini to the curry towards the end of cooking to boost the veg content. I can tell it will taste even better tomorrow.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!