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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
Jason
0So I worked out the carbs on this meal and I come out with around 10 net carbs per serving. Not sure where I’ve gone wrong, but 6 seems low. Maybe its the ingredients I’m getting personally from the supermarket, even though I try to get the lowest carb versions they sell.
But great recipe none the less, tastes great and really helped me with my keto.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jason, I’m glad you are enjoying the curry recipe! The biggest variance with carb counts in this recipe is the tomatoes. Be sure to read labels on canned tomatoes too. Some contain added sugar or spices that you don’t want.
Adele
0Why can’t I print the recipe? I prefer to print and cook not have to keep going to my phone for the next step
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Adele, There is a ‘Print it’ button in the recipe card. If you can’t find the recipe card in the post, please use the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of the page and it will take you to the right location.
Marlene Alcorn
0I looked so forward to trying this recipe but then I was so disappointed. I thought it was very bland. It was not what I was expecting … no heat … just bland. What did I do wrong?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Marlene, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. By chance, did you use the whole can of coconut milk or just the cream? Using the whole can adds a lot of water to the recipe that can wash out the flavors. I recommend only using the thick coconut cream.
Chrystal Welham
0I made this tonight for dinner from a Google search. I served my partners meal with rice as he needs extra filling up then i added in courgette quarters to mine. It was so delicious omg Im ashamed to say, i licked the plate. Partner said it was bloody good and hes very picky. Love, love,love!!!!! I see why it has high ratings.
Cammi Quinton
0Made this tonight for dinner and the family really liked it. I doubled the recipe (doubling all ingredients) and ended up adding 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper (which would be 1/2 tsp. to the additional recipe). The family would like me to make it hotter/spicier next time. Any recommendations? Just add more crushed red pepper, or something else? Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cammi, Yes, you can add extra crushed red pepper, or a teaspoon of hot sauce will also work. Enjoy!
Nancy Sproull
0Made this tonight and it was perfect! I used a little more ginger and curry, but other than that it was perfectly seasoned for us and we will make it many more times, I’m sure!!
Elizabeth
0I enjoy this easy recipe, and you’d never know it is keto.
Carolyn Brul
0This recipe is awesome! Probably one of the best low carb recipes I have ever made! Thank you for posting this I will come back to it again and again!
Ann
0This was amazing! Simple to make and incredible on the taste buds!
Mindy
0I have never tried curry at home this was so easy and soooo good! I added it to cauliflower rice!
Will definitely be a favorite here!
Sue Ashby
0I have made this recipe a few times and it is delicious. I also add some chilli and cardamon, but thats cause I like a bit of heat in the curry. Every recipe I have made from this site works perfectly and is delicious.
Andrea
0I just made it for a quick early dinner! Easy, and delicious! Will be part of my weekly keto rotation. 🙂
P.S. I did sub in canned chicken(all I had) and only used one fresh tomato to cut down on carbs, but it was still awesome.
Nik
0Thanks for the recipe but it was hard to follow on mobile with there being way too much content. I appreciate SEO and so on but all I wanted was the video, ingredients and the steps. I had to keep scrolling down the lengthy page to check ingredients and measurements as I progressed with the steps which wasn’t great. Once I found the ingredients, i then had to scroll back up to try and find the step I was at which was difficult.
My suggestion is: Why not have the key info first and maybe add the rest as questions after or ideally remove or shorten as it’s just way too much and hard to go back and find the step you were following. Perhaps put the receipe in numbered steps!
Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nik, Thank you for the feedback. The recipe card gives a full list of ingredients, amounts, and numbered steps to make the recipe. I hope this helps!
Ann Wilson
0I had the same problem. Take screenshots of the ingredients and steps. Works great!
Kat
0This is outstanding! It was so good that I made some for my father too and he ask for more.
nicole
0is there anyway i can use coconut milk and maybe add cream so it is a bit thicker i would love to make this tonight but only have a can coconut milk and no way of getting any coconut cream tonight?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nicole, Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge for a couple of hours before making dinner. When it is time to add the coconut cream, open the can scoop out the coconut cream solids. The water in the can is not necessary for the recipe, so you can either throw it out or save for another use.
Andy
0Very easy and tasty, I used thighs as I think it’s more juicy than breast and through in a chilli for a little spice. Great tip re the coconut cream. Tasted even better after a day or two in the fridge.
Mai
0Just made this curry and it really hit the spot, so flavoursome! Will be a on regular rotation.
Robert Jepsen
0Loved the recipe! So easy and delicious!! I did have one issue with the site…when the ad video doesn’t load there is just a big black box blocking over 50% of the screen with no way to close it.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Robert, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Andy
0Loved it!
Nicole Jowers
0I love your recipes and make them more than any other. I would love to make this but am having a problem with the curry powder. Curries consist of so many different spices, what spices did you combine to make your curry?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nicole, I purchased curry powder. This brand of curry powder is the one I always use.
Toony L.
0I’m generally not a fan of curry, but man, this is by far the BEST curry I’ve ever had! Super easy to make and delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
Kim
0We made this tonight and it was SO GOOD! We had a spicy curry powder and used a can of Rotel’s (as that is what I had on hand) and it gave it a nice spice. We served it with a cauliflower rice stirfry mix we got from Costco and it complimented it well. Thanks for making chicken fun tonight lol.
Jen
0This is a delicious recipe! I only change it a bit by making my own curry blend. You’d never know this keto!
KG-Atl
0Looks fabulous – can’t wait to make it tonight. Have you made this either in Instant Pot or in a slow cooker? if so, please post any changes you would recommend that I make. In addition, I was thinking I’d ad some cauliflower/broccoli florets (probably frozen=easier). Any suggestions on when to add that (esp if doing in either slow cooker or Instant Pot)? Any help/suggestions appreciated.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi KG-Atl, I think this recipe would do well in a slow cooker, however, the sauce won’t be as thick due to the cooking method. Frozen broccoli will thin the sauce as well, so be aware of that. If you are setting this recipe up to cook all day on LOW in a slow cooker, then I would add the broccoli in the last hour (1 – 1 1/2 hours) of cooking, so it doesn’t get too mushy. Best wishes!
Kristy
0Thanks so much. I will def add veggies toward the end. And I can do a corn starch/water addition to thicken. Please keep publishing more Indian low carb (slow cooker/IP friendly) recipes! Your site is the best!!!
Karen Fincham
0Can you freeze the curry sauce?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Karen, Yes this sauce should freeze nicely.
Heather Jones
0I’ve just cooked this curry and have to say it’s the most delicious curry I’ve cooked and I love my curries. Absolutely gorgeous.
Jo
0I want to try this recipe, is it okay to add turmeric spice?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jo, Curry powder does contain turmeric, but you can add more if that is your preference.
Ketan Patel
0I made this recipe today using ready cooked chicken instead of fresh chicken. I also didn’t have curry powder, but I had all the ingredients for making curry powder and made it on the fly. I’m indian and my wife has all the spices. This recipe is my favorite and I will be making this on a weekly basis. Too good! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
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.