Name: Coconut Curry Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 5 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 tbsp. butter; 1 medium red onion, chopped; 2 large shallots, minced; Kosher salt; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 tsp. finely chopped ginger; 1 1/2 tbsp. curry powder; 2 tbsp. tomato paste; 1 (13-oz.) can coconut milk; 1/2 c. water, plus more as needed; 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces; Juice of ½ lime; Lime wedges, for serving; Mint leaves, torn, for serving; Cilantro leaves, torn, for serving; Cooked rice, for serving

PARKER FEIERBACH

How To Make Coconut Curry Chicken

Ingredients

Red Onion & Shallots: I like to use both red onion and shallots as my alliums, but if you prefer only one or the other, you can just use one.
Garlic & Ginger: Finely chopped ginger and garlic not only will make your kitchen ridiculously fragrant, but they’re also the base of flavor to this curry.
Curry Powder: Along with coconut milk, this powerful spice forms the backbone of the dish.
Tomato Paste: Cooked down slightly, tomato paste will slightly caramelize and provide a great, slightly sweet base of flavor. It will also help tone down the spices.
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into pieces) are my go-to choice here. Cooking the chicken in the sauce ensures it stays tender and juicy and allows it to absorb all that flavor (while simultaneously giving its chicken-y goodness to the sauce). In a pinch you could use leftover chicken breast or shredded rotisserie chicken, throwing it into the sauce to heat up. Just keep in mind that this dish will be most flavorful if the chicken is actually cooked in the curry sauce.
Lime: Fresh lime juice adds a boost of acidity, zing, and freshness to the curry.

Step-By-Step Instructions

After heating up your butter and vegetable oil in a pan, add your onions and shallots. Cook these down until they are not only tender but translucent.

PHOTO: TIM RACCA MORRISH

Once your alliums are tender, add in your garlic, ginger, and curry powder, and give it all a good mix until combined and your kitchen starts to smell incredible. Then you can add the tomato paste, and stir that all together. Cook the tomato paste down until it has slightly darkened in color, this should only take a couple of minutes.

PHOTO: TIM RACCA MORRISH

Once everything is cooked down and combined, add your coconut milk and water. Before adding your coconut milk, give it a good stir in the can. Once those are both added to the pan, bring everything to the simmer.

PHOTO: TIM RACCA MORRISH

Once your sauce is simmering, add your pieces of chicken to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken pieces are cooked through completely. Your curry will be done when your chicken is cooked through, but you want to keep an eye on your sauce too. If your sauce seems to be too thick, you can add a little bit of water at a time until your sauce is looking smooth and silky.

PHOTO: TIM RACCA MORRISH

Once your sauce has reached your desired consistency, add in your squeeze of lime juice, and give it a good stir to combine. Now, you can plate and serve! Garnish with mint and cilantro, then serve on top of a heaping bowl of rice.

PHOTO: TIM RACCA MORRISH

Recipe Tips

What else can I serve with this curry? I love serving this curry over a pile of fluffy rice (it’s great for soaking up all that saucy goodness), but if you’re not feeling the rice, why not try making a batch of homemade naan? It’s super simple and super tasty.
Can I add more vegetables? Thinly sliced bell pepper, sliced zucchini, broccoli, and snow peas would all be delicious. Larger, denser vegetables (like broccoli) might need to be pre-cooked (we recommend steaming) before you add them to the curry. If you’d like to go completely vegetarian, check out this simple coconut milk and tofu curry.