This Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is a fantastic one pot meal that's packed with delicious flavors! Made in just 15 minutes with common pantry ingredients, it's simple to make and super affordable.
Using rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut that still delivers on flavor and filling protein. If you're a fan of easy, delicious dinners, this amazing homemade curry is a must-try recipe!
Jump to:
- 🩵 About This Recipe
- What readers are saying...
- 🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- 🔪 Let's Make Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry!
- 💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- ❔ FAQs
- 📝 Substitutions and Variations
- 🥡 Storage and Reheating
- 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
- 😋 More Delicious Curry Recipes You'll Love
- 📋 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews and Comments
🩵 About This Recipe
This amazing leftover chicken curry with coconut milk is a creamy and flavorful dish that comes together in minutes. Using leftover or rotisserie chicken cuts down majorly on cooking time, and the addition of green beans provides some extra nutrition.
The end result is a delicious meal with vibrant colors and flavors that's perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekend dinners! Easily customizable, this dish comes together in less than 20 minutes and turns out perfectly every time.
And if you and your family love this recipe, try my One Pot Vegan Chickpea Curry or this Mushroom Curry for even more hearty dinners!
What readers are saying...
The Chicken Curry was delicious! It was very quick and easy to make and the flavor was amazing! Thanks so much for this great recipe!
- Kas
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- brown rice - I keep frozen rice on hand because it takes just minutes to make - I love this time-saving option! Make your own and freeze it, or buy a package at the grocery store.
- cooked chicken breast - using the oven-roasted variety by Tyson is a great shortcut if you don't have any on-hand.
- yellow curry powder and salt - for tons of flavor.
- fresh or canned green beans - seriously? Canned vegetables? You bet - it's a great affordable time saver!
- coconut milk - low or full fat, your option!
🔪 Let's Make Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Cook Chicken
Add the chicken pieces to a skillet on medium heat. Sprinkle with the curry powder and salt. Sauté until all are combined and chicken is warmed through.
Add Other Ingredients
Add rice, green beans, and coconut milk.
Finish Cooking
Heat and stir for 2-3 minutes until hot.
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- If you don't have leftover chicken, you can make this chicken curry with rotisserie chicken instead. This is a cost-effective way to keep the prep time down but still make a delicious meal! Simply slice or shred the chicken and warm it according to the recipe.
- I recommend that you use the light coconut milk to cut down on fat and calories without compromising on flavor!
- If you're using frozen cooked chicken, be sure to thaw it fully before cooking to make the heating process easier.
- This recipe is great for using up leftover chicken and/or leftover green beans or other vegetables!
- You may need to give your coconut milk a shake or stir as it often naturally separates a bit.
❔ FAQs
If you choose the right ingredients, yes! Smothered in cream, curries can be high in calories. Using light coconut milk is a healthier choice. There are several tasty options in the market. I prefer the unsweetened/first pressing kind from A Taste of Thai.
It's a great combination of warm, sweet, and savory flavors mixed with the meat and vegetables. The coconut gives it a tropical flavor and you can adjust the heat by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper if desired. It's super delicious and so easy to make!
If you don't have yellow curry powder, try one of the following substitutions:
- ½ teaspoon turmeric + 1 teaspoon cumin + ¾ teaspoon coriander + ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of red curry paste (this will result in a Thai-style flavor profile)
- 1 tablespoon of yellow curry paste
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- For a fun twist on this recipe, use leftover BBQ chicken! This will create a unique sweet and smoky flavor that pairs well with the curry. I recommend using less saucy pieces of the BBQ chicken so the flavor doesn't overwhelm the other flavors of the dish.
- No fresh green beans? No worries! You can use canned green beans or just about any fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables. Just be sure to cook the vegetable prior to using, since the cook time for this recipe is not long enough to cook raw vegetables.
- Use white rice if you don't happen to have brown. I like to use brown rice because it's healthier than white rice.
- If you like to spice things up, add a pinch of cayenne to the curry for a little heat.
- Mix up the meal by adding a variety of vegetables. Canned carrots would be a great substitute. Many fresh vegetables would work in this meal - broccoli, summer squash or zucchini, cauliflower, fresh peas, etc. Frozen vegetable blends like onion/bell pepper combos also work well. Use this recipe as a jump-off for future meals.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
MY FAVORITE THING about Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is that I can keep all the ingredients on hand to use this as an emergency meal when my other plans fall through. Simply stock the following: Frozen cooked rice, frozen cooked chicken, frozen or canned green beans, canned coconut milk. All of those items, plus the salt and curry powder, keep for a long time so you can have them on hand to use at a moment's notice!
🥡 Storage and Reheating
Store leftover creamy coconut chicken curry in the fridge for 3 days or so. Leftovers taste even better since the flavors have a chance to really meld! Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top. (You may need to add a little water if it seems dry.)
Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating from frozen.
Keep It Handy
Don't have time for this creamy coconut chicken curry recipe right now? Click on or tap the heart icon on the BOTTOM RIGHT of the screen to save it for later!
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
This dish has all you could ask for in a meal, but if you're looking to round things out you could serve it with a side salad, pair with naan or your favorite flatbread, or add some additional garnish like cilantro or sliced green onions for extra flavor and presentation.
😋 More Delicious Curry Recipes You'll Love
- One Pot Curry Pasta and Vegetables - Red curry paste, light coconut milk, and frozen vegetables create a unique and delicious easy weeknight pasta dinner the whole family will love.
- Slow Cooker Red Lentil Stew - This vegan red lentil stew is packed with warm and comforting flavors, as well as lots of hearty nutrition that will keep you feeling full!
- Shrimp Curry with Broccoli and Rice - Quick and easy, healthy and delicious. And the kids love it!
- Chicken Curry Pizza - This recipe from Easy Cooking with Molly is a fun way to switch up your weekly pizza night!
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Leftover Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
⭐ Did you make this recipe? Awesome! I would love to hear from you. Please give it a star rating and review below! 👇
📋 Recipe Card
Leftover Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces
- 2 ½ teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (or use 10 oz package of frozen rice, cooked)
- 2 cups cooked green beans (or use 14 ounce canned green beans...drain them but no need to cook further)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (like the unsweetened/first pressing kind from A Taste of Thai)
Instructions
- Place the chicken pieces in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Sprinkle with the curry powder and salt, and saute until all are combined and chicken is warmed up.2 ½ cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces, 2 ½ teaspoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add rice, green beans, and coconut milk. Heat and stir for 2-3 minutes until hot.2 cups cooked brown rice, 2 cups cooked green beans, 1 cup canned coconut milk
Notes
Prep Tips:
- Full-fat canned coconut milk will give you the richest, creamiest sauce, but light coconut milk can be used for a lighter meal.
- If your canned coconut milk has separated, stir or shake it well before measuring.
- Meal prep works especially well for this recipe. Cook and freeze diced chicken ahead of time so dinner comes together in minutes.
- If using pre-cooked frozen chicken, thawing it first helps it heat more evenly and prevents excess moisture from thinning the sauce.
- Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand-just cook fresh or frozen vegetables before adding them, and simply drain canned vegetables.
Variations:
- Swap the green beans for broccoli, peas, carrots, bell peppers, or your favorite vegetables.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Use white rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice instead of brown rice if preferred.
- Stir in a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a handful of chopped cilantro just before serving for a brighter finish.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with a simple green salad for a complete meal.
- Pair with naan or warm flatbread to soak up the flavorful coconut curry sauce.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced green onions if desired.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze the cooled curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. If the rice has absorbed some of the liquid, stir in a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in February 2013, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in August 2026.
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KAS says
The Chicken Curry was delicious! It was very quick and easy to make and the flavor was amazing! Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Kristin King says
Thanks, K! So glad you like the dish! And I really appreciate you stopping by to let me know! 🙂
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
This looks wonderful! I love curry and don't cook with it nearly enough. I need to change that! 🙂
Kristin says
I know what you mean, I have not used curry a lot either. I discovered that I like it even more than I thought! Thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate it!
Pam says
It looks like a tasty dish.
Kristin says
Thanks, Pam! It is one of the favorites in my family now! 🙂
Danielle @ the Growing Foodie says
Looks delicious and quick - my two requirements for a weeknight meal!
Kristin says
Absolutely! I make this one pretty often, and will make it even more often now that I really have it streamlined! Of course, if you have more time you can save a little money by not buying the chicken and rice pre-cooked, but for me it is totally worth it. Either way, delicious! 🙂
Jennifer L. says
This looks great, can't wait to try!
Kristin says
Jennifer, I was just looking through some past posts and saw this comment. I can't believe I missed it back in February, sorry! I appreciate you stopping by! 🙂
Greg King says
I was one of the beneficiaries of this tasty meal. I enjoyed it!
Kristin says
Thanks, hon!! Glad you liked it! 🙂