Description
A flavorful Thai Chicken Coconut Curry featuring tender chicken breast simmered in creamy coconut milk with aromatic spices, fresh spinach, and a touch of lime. This easy one-pan dish brings a perfect balance of spice and sweetness, ideal for a comforting dinner served over rice, quinoa, or naan.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, diced small
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- one 13-ounce can coconut milk, lite or full-fat
- 1 to 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
- 1 to 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar, optional
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Optional for Serving
- rice, quinoa, or naan
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: To a large skillet, add the coconut oil and diced onion, then sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Cook Chicken: Add the diced chicken to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping and stirring often to ensure even cooking until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add Garlic and Spices: Stir in the minced garlic, ground or fresh ginger, and ground coriander. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Combine Coconut Milk and Curry Paste: Pour in the coconut milk, shredded carrots, Thai red curry paste, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine, then reduce heat to medium. Allow the mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and the liquid reduces to your desired consistency.
- Add Spinach and Lime: Stir in the fresh spinach leaves and lime juice. Cook until the spinach wilts and becomes tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the curry and optionally add brown sugar, more curry paste, salt, or pepper to adjust the flavor.
- Serve and Garnish: Sprinkle the chopped fresh cilantro evenly over the curry and serve immediately. Pair with rice, quinoa, or naan if desired.
Notes
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier curry.
- Thai red curry paste can be adjusted to heat preference; start with less and add more if desired.
- Brown sugar is optional and helps balance the spiciness, but you can omit it for a less sweet dish.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken with tofu or chickpeas and use vegetarian curry paste.
