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I 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.
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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)
By
My coconut chicken curry recipe is creamy, cozy, and full of flavor, with simple ingredients. Easy to make in just 30 minutes!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
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.
236 Comments
Andrea
0Can I substitute Thai curry paste for curry powder?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Andrea, I think that should work for you, let me know how it turn out.
Leanne Curtis
0Delicious!!! The entire family loved this! ♥️♥️♥️
Mike
0I didn’t drain the tomatoes so I just cooked it down till it was the right consistency.
Suzana
0Lovely!
Enjoyed by the whole family. Not particularly spicy but you could spice it up to your own requirements
Anne
0How do I print this recipe? It looks great
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Anne, The print button is to the right of the word “ingredients” at the top of the ingredients list.
Rose
0Made this morning in my Instant Pot using the sauté function and glass lid. Easy way to cook the curry and the keep warm function allows the flavours to develop until it’s time to eat later in the day. I used coconut oil in place of olive oil, a full 250 ml carton of coconut cream, 1 knorr chicken stock pot, added 1 tspn garam masala, 1 tspn ground cumin 1 tspn garlic granules as well as the fresh garlic, a few curry leaves and a couple of dried birds eye chillies to add extra depth of flavour. I used Costco curry powder Madras mild and the garlic granules and ground cumin were also from Costco. As others have mentioned, there’s quite a lot of sauce…I added 1/2 tspn coconut flour as a thickener. That was plenty I found and stuck with the coconut theme. Delicious, easy keto meal…smells amazing too.
DENISE KELSEY
0So you didn’t actually make THIS recipe, then.
LizzieD
0Tried this last night and absolutely delicious!
I was a little short on chicken so added some chunky slices of mushroom to pad out and worked a treat, albeit still a bit too much sauce. Bonus is that I saved the sauce and will be frying up some chicken/onion and aubergine (love that in curries) tonight to use up. Coconut rice works a treat with this, as suggested. My husband absolutely loved it too!
I’m embracing keto and have lost over a stone in a month and this is now going to be a weekly staple/treat.
Thank you!
jill
0Thank you for this recipe. It was delicious. I used chicken thighs and used coconut oil instead of olive oil. I put the tinned tomatoes through the blender, because my hubby doesn’t like the pips. Also I added two small chopped chilies, two curry tree leaves and some chopped cabbage, mushroom and kale. I made cauliflower rice as an accompaniment.
Christina
0My 14 yr old loves to cook and wanted to try curry chicken. My husband and I eat low carb so we used your recipe and it was delish! So easy with a super depth of flavor. This will definitely go on our menu rotation.
Glad
0Oops! I was supposed to drain the diced tomatoes! Darn 🙁
Melanie Smith
0Absolutely love this dish..
Glad
0I experienced too much sauce & not enough coconut or ginger flavouring 🙁
Anita
0I made this last night and it was fabulous! I did add some chopped red, green and yellow peppers during the simmer (& reduced the sauce a bit), and a small handful of frozen peas at the end. I also upped the stock to 1/2 cup, and didn’t drain the delicious juice from the canned tomatoes. While it was simmering, I made a couple of Indian-spiced chaffles to serve with it. For those (2 large ones), 2 eggs, 2 T. almond flour, 1.5 t. of baking powder, 1/3 C. of shredded mozzarella, curry powder and about 1/4 cup of very toasted (blackened), diced onion. The chaffles tasted like curry naan! (Not a fan of cauliflower rice.) Big-time keeper!
Prissy
0Oh my gosh this was so good & really easy! My son walked in and said it smells so good in here! Next time I’ll add some extra heat but still such a great dish! Thank you for sharing!
Theresa
0I made this recipe expecting it to taste heavy and coconut “creamy” … but it was a taste and flavour sensation. I followed the recipe and added half a chopped green pepper fried with the onions. What I will do differently next time is to add a touch more heat but it’s winner! Going to pair with cauliflower rice. Being new to keto it was a wonderful surprise! Thank you.
Jason Schick
0Thank you so much, for the detailed recipe. It turned amazing my neighbor rang my bell and told me he had to know what was smelling so good lol. Gave him a link to here. Thanks, I will have fun customizing this recipe.
Alexia
0I just read all the instructions about only using the cream in the coconut milk tin! My bad lol
Alexia
0Can you milk coconut milk with heavy cream,
or does it have to be coconut cream
Rosalie
0Hello good recipe can u make this without coconut
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rosalie, You can sub heavy cream for the coconut cream, just keep in mind it will alter the overall flavor without the coconut.
Lexington
0One thing I love about Wholesome Yum is how Maya makes good on her core promise: natural gluten-free low carb recipes 10 ingredients or less. Don’t let the few ingredients in this recipe fool you. Follow Maya’s lead and you get a tasty chicken curry that is *to die for*. I’ve loved so many of her recipes on Wholesome Yum I bought her cookbook.
You have to try this! It’s so freakin’ good! Hey Maya! Guess what? Here’s another one going into my rotation! Love it!
Joann
0I did use To tel tomatoes to give an extra kick and it was very good!