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chicken curry over rice in a green and white bowl
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4.63 from 8 votes

Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

This weeknight-friendly Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is filled with tender bites of chicken in creamy, rich, coconut curry broth. Customize with any vegetables you have on hand and use any color of Thai curry paste you’d like. This recipe includes instructions for the stovetop and Instant Pot.
To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: Chicken Recipe, curry, easy dinner, easy Thai recipe, Instant Pot curry, Thai curry
Servings: 4
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $10.00

Equipment

  • Dutch oven, wok, saute pan or Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups Coconut Milk, divided (regular, not light)
  • 2 Tablespoons Thai Curry Paste (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon grated Fresh Ginger (sub ground ginger)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
  • 1 pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, cubed
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1 cup Water or Chicken / Vegetable Stock
  • 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce (this will give you the most authentic flavor, but you can sub soy sauce or Tamari)
  • 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
  • 5 ounces Baby Spinach
  • 1 Lime, sliced into wedges
  • Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
  • Rice, for serving

Instructions

Stovetop:

  • Heat a Dutch oven, wok, or saute pan over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup coconut milk (if using canned coconut milk that has separated, use the top, thicker portion of the milk) to the pan. Add curry paste and cook them together, stirring constantly, until it has reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Stir in ginger and ground coriander and cook for a minute more.
  • Add chicken and bell pepper and stir to coat in curry paste.
  • Pour water, remaining ~1 cup coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar over chicken.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to maintain a low simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes. In the last minute of cooking stir in baby spinach until wilted.
  • Remove pan from heat and squeeze lime juice from a few of the wedges into the curry.
  • Serve curry over rice with cilantro on top and extra lime wedges on the side.

Instant Pot:

  • Turn on the pressure cooker’s sauté function to normal / medium. When hot, add 3/4 cup coconut milk (if using canned coconut milk that has separated, use the top, thicker portion of the milk).
  • To coconut milk, add curry paste, ginger, and ground coriander, and simmer, stirring constantly, until thick and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Turn off the simmer function and stir in chicken and bell peppers until coated in curry paste.
  • Add water, remaining ~1 cup coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
  • Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan (this is a key step to prevent the burn error).
  • Close and lock the lid. Set steam valve to Sealing. Cook on manual / high for 5 minutes.
  • Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes and then manually release any remaining pressure.
  • Stir baby spinach into curry until wilted. Squeeze lime juice from a few of the wedges into the curry as well.
  • Serve curry over rice with cilantro on top and extra lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Thai Curry Paste - This recipe works with any type of curry paste - red, panang, green, or yellow. Be sure to use Thai-style curry paste that comes from the international aisle, not curry powder which is usually found with the other dried spices. I find 2 Tbsp of curry paste to make a curry that is noticeably spicy, though tempered by a bit of sugar and the coconut milk in this recipe. Use more or less depending on your spice preference. American-made Thai curry paste like Thai Kitchen can be found in the international aisle of most grocery stores and tend to be more mild than the Thai imports that are found at international / Asian grocery stores, so keep that in mind as you are estimating how much curry paste is right for you. 

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 763mg | Potassium: 939mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5604IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg