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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry

    Published: Sep 11, 2020 Modified: Aug 25, 2021 by Kristin King / This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe | Pin Recipe
    Side view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    Overhead view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a large brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    Side view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    Overhead view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a large brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    Side view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.

    Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is a great one pot meal and packed with delicious flavors! This curry can be made in just 15 minutes with pantry ingredients. It's an easy to make, affordable weeknight dinner!

    Overhead view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a large brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    This recipe is super unique and flavorful with minimal effort required!

    First Published: February 25, 2013... Last Updated: September 11, 2020 with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change

    Jump to:
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe Back Story
    • 🥘 Ingredients Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 👪 FAQs
    • 💭 Top Tips
    • 💡 More of my Favorite Curry Dishes
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe Back Story

    Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry is one of our go-to meals. I mean anything that Thing 2 (the hard-to-please child) gobbles up and asks for more? Yes, that becomes super popular in our house!

    It will be super popular in your home too, because it only requires a handful of ingredients - all of which are in your pantry - plus it only takes minutes to make!

    This complete meal comes together in a snap!

    If you want even more curry recipes, try this Vegan Chickpea Curry, which can be made in one pot for easy prep and cleanup!

    🥘 Ingredients Needed

    Overhead shot of ingredients- green beans, cooked chicken, cooked rice, coconut milk, salt, and curry powder.
    With minimal ingredients this creamy coconut chicken curry recipe is super easy to prepare.
    • 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!

    🔪 Instructions

    Five panel grid of process shots- mixing together ingredients in a pan over the stove.
    This recipe is super easy to prepare and doesn't require much cleanup!
    1. Add the chicken pieces to a skillet on medium heat.
    2. Sprinkle with the curry powder and salt.
    3. Sauté until all are combined and chicken is warmed through.
    4. Add rice, green beans, and coconut milk.
    5. Heat and stir for 2-3 minutes until hot.

    👪 FAQs

    Is a chicken curry healthy?

    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.

    What does creamy coconut curry chicken taste like?

    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!

    No curry in your spice cabinet?

    There are several types of curry: green, red or yellow. There are many spices in each curry, with slight variations. Red curry has an addition of red chilies. Green curry adds green chili powder and yellow curry contains a high amount of turmeric. For this recipe, we will be using yellow curry powder.

    If you don't stock it in your spice cabinet currently, look to purchase a moderately priced spice blend. Each brand is flavored slightly different and over time you'll find the blend that speaks to you. My favorite is McCormick. Read more about curry here.

    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!

    💭 Top Tips

    • 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.
    • I recommend that you use the light coconut milk to cut down on fat and calories without compromising on flavor!
    • If you like to spice things up, add a pinch of cayenne to the curry for a little heat.
    • This recipe is great for using up leftover chicken and/or leftover green beans or other vegetables!
    • 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 an onion/bell pepper combos also work well. Use this recipe as a jump-off for future meals.
    • Store leftovers 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 a little dry.)
    • Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
    Overhead view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a large brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.
    This creamy and slightly sweet recipe is a great dinner for any day of the week!

    💡 More of my Favorite Curry Dishes

    There is no shortage of great curry recipes on the blog. If you're looking for a casual meal for movie night, be sure to check out this pizza recipe. Perhaps you're looking to use up some of that zucchini from the garden, then this soup is right up your alley!

    Easy One-Pot Curry Pasta and Vegetables
    This is one of my healthy recipes and uses red curry paste, light coconut milk, and frozen vegetables to create a unique and delicious easy weeknight pasta dinner the whole family will love. Make it in one pot for speedy cleanup!
    Close up shot of curry pasta and vegetables on a black plate with vegetables in the background.
    Slow Cooker Red Lentil Curry
    This dish is vegan, but that doesn't matter because it's so tasty you will love it for the flavor alone! Adapted from Our Best Bites.
    Side view of red lentil curry in a white bowl with a glass of wine in the background.
    Shrimp Curry with Broccoli and Rice
    Quick and easy, healthy and delicious. And the kids love it!
    Side shot of shrimp curry in a metal bowl on a white and green cloth with a fork on the side.

    Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry !

    📋 Recipe Card

    Side view of creamy coconut chicken curry in a brown bowl on a blue and grey surface with herbs sprinkled around.

    Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry

    Recipe Author: Kristin
    A great one pot recipe and packed with flavor! Easy to make, with pantry ingredients, it's a delicious weeknight meal!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Share by Email Bookmark Saved!
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Entree
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 279 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces (leftover chicken or pre-cooked frozen chicken are great options)
    • 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)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Place the chicken pieces in a large skillet and heat over medium heat.
      2 ½ cups cooked chicken, in bite-size pieces
    • Sprinkle with the curry powder and salt, and saute until all are combined and chicken is warmed up.
      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

    • You can use any fresh, frozen, or canned veggies. To use canned veggies, just drain and add. To use fresh or frozen, cook before using.
    • You can use leftover chicken or pre-cooked frozen chicken. I like to cook chicken ahead of time, chop it, and freeze it to use in this recipe. In a pinch, however, it's handy to use store-bought frozen diced chicken, like the kind from Tyson.
    • Don't have pre-cooked chicken handy when you start to make this recipe? Poach your raw chicken by placing it in a saucepan, covering it with about an inch of water, and bringing it to a boil. Lower the heat until the water is simmering, cover the pot, and let the chicken cook until done, about 8-15 minutes depending on the thickness. 
    • Add some cayenne pepper if you want to add some heat. 
    • Serve with a side salad for a complete meal!
    • Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days. 
    • Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
    • To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator first (if frozen), then heat in the microwave, or on the stove top. (You may need to add a little water to reconstitute the rice if it seems a little dry.)

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 446mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 408IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.

    Want to make cooking even easier?Sign up here to receive FREE DBH exclusive content, including my favorite kitchen shortcuts and hacks, and unlock access to the DBH resource library with many other free downloads!

    Thanks so much for reading! I also invite you to follow me on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, or INSTAGRAM to keep up with what's going on in my kitchen.

    And you might want to check out my Dizzy Busy and Hungry store on Amazon for a whole bunch of great kitchen products I love!

    Happy cooking!

    Close up of a signature of Kristin.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. KAS

      May 18, 2014 at 10:10 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Kristin King

        May 19, 2014 at 7:07 pm

        Thanks, K! So glad you like the dish! And I really appreciate you stopping by to let me know! 🙂

        Reply
    2. sally @ sallys baking addiction

      February 27, 2013 at 7:50 pm

      This looks wonderful! I love curry and don't cook with it nearly enough. I need to change that! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kristin

        February 28, 2013 at 4:57 pm

        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!

        Reply
    3. Pam

      February 27, 2013 at 11:17 am

      It looks like a tasty dish.

      Reply
      • Kristin

        February 27, 2013 at 5:45 pm

        Thanks, Pam! It is one of the favorites in my family now! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Danielle @ the Growing Foodie

      February 26, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      Looks delicious and quick - my two requirements for a weeknight meal!

      Reply
      • Kristin

        February 26, 2013 at 8:10 pm

        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! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jennifer L.

      February 26, 2013 at 3:34 pm

      This looks great, can't wait to try!

      Reply
      • Kristin

        April 26, 2013 at 9:02 pm

        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! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Greg King

      February 26, 2013 at 1:07 am

      I was one of the beneficiaries of this tasty meal. I enjoyed it!

      Reply
      • Kristin

        February 26, 2013 at 6:46 am

        Thanks, hon!! Glad you liked it! 🙂

        Reply

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    👋 Hey there, I'm Kristin! As a full-time working wife and mom, my life is such a whirlwind, it makes me dizzy sometimes! So I have been working to develop quick, easy, family-friendly recipes for 20+ years, and this site is where I share them with you! Happy cooking!

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