Thai Chicken Coconut Curry
This Thai Chicken Coconut Curry truly hits the spot! If you're craving some authentic tasting Thai food that's better than takeout, you've come to the right place.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 whole onion, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 3 stalks lemongrass, inner whites, thinly sliced, OR 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 8 tablespoons red or green curry paste, see notes
- 28 ounces coconut milk, Thai variety, unsweetened, from cans
- 2 cups chicken broth, regular strength
- 6 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs, or breast, cut into bite size pieces
- 8 lime leaves, sliced OR 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
- ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1-2 chilies, optional, seeded and sliced, if you like heat
- lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- In a deep large pan or pot, add the cooking oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add garlic and onion, stirring until soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Add ginger, lemongrass (or lemon zest), curry paste, and optional chilies. Stir fry 30 seconds. Add coconut milk and chicken broth.
- Add fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice. Stir to combine - the flavor should be a nice balance of tangy, sweet, spicy, and salty. If needed, season with additional sugar, fish sauce, or lime to adjust the balance of flavors.
- Add chicken, lime leaves (or lime zest), and red bell peppers, stirring well. Bring liquid to a boil and immediately reduce to medium-low for a low boil.
- Simmer 5-10 min. uncovered, or just until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Don't overcook the chicken.
- Remove from heat. Add basil and cilantro, stirring to combine. Serve with rice and lime wedges.
Notes
- Traditionally, lemongrass and lime leaves are used in Thai curry, but if they're not readily available in your area, you can use lemon zest and lime zest as substitutes.
- I use Thai Kitchen brand of curry paste, as it's readily accessible and has a nice flavor balance.
- Different brands of red or green curry paste will vary in their spice levels, so taste test before deciding how much to use.
- Make sure to buy canned, unsweetened Thai coconut milk. Shake the can before opening so the cream and liquid are evenly blended.
- If you make the broth/sauce (just prior to adding chicken) one day ahead, the flavors will meld and become even more wonderfully concentrated the next day.
- This recipe is part of our Healthy Chicken Recipes Collection.
- We love serving this Thai Chicken Curry over Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or fragrant Coconut Rice to soak up the rich, creamy sauce.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 755kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1762mg | Potassium: 1194mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5239IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 14mg