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Have you been missing your favorite Indian takeout meal? Then this low carb chicken curry recipe is for you! It’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Coconut curry chicken is rich and warming, with a little spice and a whole lot of coconut cream curry flavor. I serve this keto chicken curry recipe over cauliflower rice for a classic taste, but it would also be fantastic over zoodles!
Indian restaurants can be tricky to navigate on a low carb or keto diet. There are all the sides – the rice, the naan. None of them work for us! Then it’s hard to know what is in all of the rich stews and curries. Are they low carb? Are they not? Are there potatoes or cornstarch in there?
And even if you aren’t low carb, no one wants processed ingredients in their coconut chicken curry, right?
So, we’re just going to make it ourselves! Sound good?
How To Make Coconut Curry Chicken
Coconut cream curry is one of those ethnic dishes that’s a little intimidating to make at home. At least it was for me. But then I made it and I don’t know what I waited so long! Let me show you how to make easy chicken curry with coconut cream:
First we saute the diced onions in a pan. Get them as brown as you like – I like them almost caramelized.
Next, you’ll push the onions off to the side and brown the chicken. You don’t need to worry about the chicken cooking through, it will continue cooking throughout the process.
Then you’ll add the tomatoes, coconut cream, and all of the spices and let it simmer away.
You can simmer it to your liking to make thinner or thicker coconut curry chicken. Up to you!
Can You Eat Curry On A Keto Diet?
You can eat curry on a keto diet – but it’s got to be this keto curry recipe! 😉 Because there are so many different curry recipes and styles, it definitely depends on the recipe. Many curries are made with higher carb vegetables like potatoes and peas, which are definitely not low carb or keto friendly.
How Many Carbs In Chicken Curry?
So you might be wondering, how many carbs are in chicken curry? One serving of my keto chicken curry has just 6 net carbs! Pretty great, huh? The full nutrition stats can be found below the recipe card, but here are the highlights, per serving of coconut cream curry:
- 251 calories
- 8 grams total carbs
- 6 grams net carbs
- 14 grams protein
How To Use Coconut Milk In Curry
It’s best to use coconut milk in curry dishes. Not only does it make the dish dairy-free (which is important for some!), it also means that it’s paleo and whole30 compliant, AND it imparts a delicious flavor that would be sorely missed if it wasn’t included.
PRO TIP: This is the important secret trick for making coconut curry chicken – you don’t want to miss it! The best way to use coconut milk in curry is to use only the coconut cream portion of the canned coconut milk. The curry will still taste good and be creamy, but if you want your curry to taste like it came from an Indian restaurant (which you do!), only use the cream. Thanks to my friend and team member, Emily from My Everyday Table, for this tip!
Most cans of coconut will have directions to shake the cans before using. DON’T do this. Simply open the can and scoop out the thick cream portion.
How To Make Coconut Chicken Curry Ahead Of Time
You can absolutely make low carb chicken curry ahead of time! In fact, it’s similar to soups and chilis where it gets even better after a day in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container and simply reheat on the stove or 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.
PRO TIP: Store curry in a glass container, it will stain some plastic storage containers.
How To Freeze Keto Chicken Curry
Stews like this low carb chicken curry recipe freeze quite well. Once the chicken curry with coconut cream has cooled, store it in a glass or plastic container (see note above if using plastic!) or to save room in the freezer, put it into a freezer bag and lay it flat so that it freezes flat. Once it’s solid you can stand it up, but it won’t be as bulky as a container.
What to Serve with Coconut Cream Curry
This is important… because you don’t want to lose any of the flavorful curry sauce! I love serving low carb curry with cauliflower rice – it doesn’t overpower the dish and soaks up all of the sauce from this keto curry recipe. Top it with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro if you wish!
Here are a few other low carb side dishes that will pair perfectly with keto chicken curry recipes:
- Best Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Recipe
- Easy Garlic Roasted Bok Choy Recipe
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe with Garlic and Parmesan
For a different flavor of low carb curry, try paleo Bangalore chicken curry.
Tools To Make Coconut Curry Chicken:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Ceramic Nonstick Fry Pan – I use these pans daily, they are the best.
- Food Processor – The quickest and best way to make cauliflower rice!
Reader Fave Keto Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers also made these similar recipes after making this one.
RECIPE CARD
Coconut Curry Chicken: A Keto Low Carb Curry Recipe
This flavorful keto chicken curry recipe (a.k.a. coconut curry chicken) is EASY, with a secret trick! You're just 10 ingredients and 30 minutes away from low carb coconut cream curry.
Recipe Video
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!
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Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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.
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.
Add the diced tomatoes, coconut cream, chicken broth, garlic, curry powder, ground ginger, paprika, and sea salt. Stir everything together. Adjust salt to taste.
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.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 3/4 cup
Video Showing How To Make Coconut Curry Chicken:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Coconut Curry Chicken!
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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96 Comments
Jo
I want to try this recipe, is it okay to add turmeric spice?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jo, Curry powder does contain turmeric, but you can add more if that is your preference.
Ketan Patel
I 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
nice recipe, easy to prep, delicious result, thanks.
Dianne
Simple to make and delicious..
Savanna
I will definitely be making this again! Thank you so much.
Rachael
Hello 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
Hi 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
Best 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
Amazing 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
I want to try this recipe next week! Instead of ground ginger, can I use ginger paste instead?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sum, Yes! You may want to use a little less. You can adjust the amount of ginger to taste.
Akhil
Sumptuous! 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
This 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
This recipe was great. My family loved it. It was easy to prepare and very tasty.
Cyndi Heaton
Made 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
This 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
OMG. 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
Really 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
So 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
You 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
J’ai tellement hâte de faire la recette, j’en ai déjà l’eau à la bouche.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sonia, Thanks! I hope you love it!
Chuck
Pretty 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
Hi Chuck, If it needs a little extra kick, I would add a little more ginger and paprika.
Lou
OMG! 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
This was so easy and very tasty! Thank you !
Libby Grubert
Just totally delish!!!
Juz
This 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
I 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
We 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
You 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
Hi Janice, Coconut cream is the correct ingredient, not coconut milk.
Janice
Yes, but it should say “from coconut milk”
Maya | Wholesome Yum
It 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
Love 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
The 8g carb is for one serving right? This recipe is for 6 servings right? Meaning 48g carb in 6 servings?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yes, nutrition info is always per serving. No one would eat 6 servings in one sitting. 🙂
Erica
This 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
I 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
I made your chicken curry and loved it, I even made cauliflower rice to go with it. I did cheat a little, by adding some chopped capsicums, just to bulk it out a tad. Thank you so much. It was so easy, but oh so delicious!
Sandy
I’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
It is awesome
Patty Pittman
This sounds yummy! Could I use a whole cut up chicken instead of chicken breast? Would I have to double the sauce?
Wholesome Yum A
Absolutely, 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
Make 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
I 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
It 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
Hi 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
Hello, 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
Hi Debra, You can click on the Metric link on the recipe card and it will convert everything to grams. Hope that helps!
Laura
So 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
That 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
My 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
Hi 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
I really loved this! Thanks a lot!
Cathy
What do I do with the coconut milk left in the can?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Cathy, You can use it for another recipe or blend into smoothies.
Victoria D
Super simple and amazingly delicious. My picky family LOVED this. Definitely making this again.
Darshana
Delicious 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
Thank 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
There are brands that have lite coconut milk. I am not sure if these still have the cream in it or not.
Mike
I 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
Hi! 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
Hi 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
I added fresh ginger, cumin and turmeric and bumped up the spices..it was heaven
Kuda
I 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
Great recipe! I added about a teaspoon of red pepper for a kick.
Pauline
This 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
This 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
Made this and I loved it!!! I only used 1 tbsp of the curry and half the portion of the ginger came out great.
Sandi
I can’t wait to make this recipe again this week. It was delicious.
Pk
Is this gluten free?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yes! Every recipe on this site is gluten-free. 🙂
Amanda
It 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
Great 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 extremely delicious.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thanks, Rohit! Unfortunately honey is not low carb, so wouldn’t recommend that for this site’s readers.
Erica D.
Okay, 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
Love that this is low carb! This chicken curry has the most amazing flavors!
Tayler Ross
I am in love with the flavor of this chicken, and I already can’t wait to make it again!
Tawnie Kroll
Anything curry and I am in!! This recipe really hit the spot.
Jamie
This 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
This was great! And, I agree – when you make it at home you know what you’re eating. Love make ahead recipes too!
Jill
This was rich and delicious with all that coconut cream!
Julie Wallace
Wow, 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
WOW! 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
I 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
Wow this is fantastic and super flavourful!! Will definitely be adding this dish to the rotation!
Sharon
I love curry and you just made it even better with this keto inspired curry dish. It was yummy!
Noel Lizotte
This was delicious! Such a great keto option … without being Bacon.
I mean, we all love bacon, but sometimes, enough is enough.
LOL
Emily
Great 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
Such 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
This 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
I’ve been looking for a good, low carb meal and this is by far my most favorite! Thanks for sharing!