This Coconut Chicken Curry proves you don’t need a long list of spices or a jar of curry paste to make a truly Indian-tasting curry – just 3 simple spices and very little effort. Tastes like a coconut-y Rogan Josh! I love that it’s made from scratch rather than using a jar of paste.
Coconut Chicken Curry
This is just a Coconut Chicken Curry recipe that is quick, easy and fabulous. It’s not the first coconut curry I’ve shared, and definitely won’t be the last. Some versions are more involved, with longer spice lists, longer cooking times, or marinating time.
This one is none of that – but it still tastes like a real Indian curry. Consider it a dialled up version of the western-style Chicken Curry from the 80’s which will always have a place in my life!
It’s based on a Lentil Curry I shared years ago, a streamlined take on Indian Dal with that same irresistible curry flavour but far less effort, using just a couple of spices. This version uses three – curry powder, turmeric, and cumin – and my friends say it tastes like a creamy, coconut-y take on Rogan Josh that’s real-Indian-flavoured enough to keep the grown ups happy but mild enough for the kids. Everybody’s happy!
Ingredients in Coconut Chicken Curry
Here’s what you need to make this Coconut Chicken Curry.
Fresh ginger and garlic – This recipe calls for 1 1/2 tablespoons of each. I know that’s a lot! But this the backbone to getting tasty flavour using so few spices in this curry sauce. Both the ginger and garlic are grated so you’ll make quick work of preparing them – no need to finely mince with a knife!
Boneless chicken thighs – Stays juicier than breast so it’s my preferred cut. If using breast, add it in for the last 5 minutes of the simmering time to prevent it from overcooking and drying out.
Curry powder – Just regular Western-style curry powder you get from grocery stores, like Clives of Indian and Keens. While I find they are a little plain used by themselves, when pimped up with other spices and fresh garlic and ginger, it is a wonderful shortcut to flavour!
Turmeric and cumin – Extra spices to give the sauce flavour a boost. Turmeric also gives the sauce a lovely warm yellow glow.
Coconut CREAM rather than milk – For a richer, fuller-bodied sauce with better coconut flavour that thickens faster than using coconut milk. Recipe shortcut. 🙂 (Fun fact: Coconut cream only has ~15% more calories and fat than coconut milk, so the calorie trade-off is modest. They are also the same price.)
Quality note: Use a good coconut cream – the best ones are 100% coconut and naturally thick (like Ayam), while cheaper versions (as low as 75% coconut) are diluted with water and thickeners.
Coconut oil or other oil – Also for flavour reasons, I use coconut oil rather than a flavourless vegetable oil, though you can really use any cooking oil, butter, or ghee. Be sure to use virgin or unrefined coconut oil which has coconut flavour, sold in jars as it’s firm like butter at room temperature, melts with heat. Refined coconut oil, which is commonly in liquid form, has had the coconut flavour removed.
Tomato paste – This helps thicken the sauce, adds colour and a touch of flavour too.
Chicken stock/broth – The liquid for simmering. I did try with water, but for a speedy recipe, I couldn’t get enough flavour in the sauce. See tip below on cost savings using chicken powder instead.
Onion – Use one large onion or two smaller ones. It is part of the flavour base.
Chickpeas – I use this to fill the curry out just by cracking the lid of a can! Other ideas – potato (see below), lentils.
Other add-in SUGGESTIONS
I deliberately made this curry very saucy for great rice soakage, so there’s sufficient sauce for more add-ins if you’d like to incorporate vegetables and/or bulk the curry out to serve more. Here are some ideas.
Potato – Cut into cubes so they cook through in the 13 minute sauce simmer time. Add in addition to or replace the chickpeas
Leafy greens – Like baby spinach, torn pieces of kale, frozen spinach. Stir them in at the end.
Frozen peas – I regret not adding these now, I held off because it would look so similar to the retro Chicken Curry! Add them in at the beginning of the simmer time.
Other diced vegetables – Zucchini, capsicum/bell peppers, carrots etc. Sauté after the onion.
Lentils – Add a can of lentils, or use dried split lentils and simmer for a little longer until they are cooked through.
💰 Cost saving tip of the day
Using chicken bouillon powder rather than liquid stock or broth saves a lot of money – 75c versus $4.50 per litre (confession: I never buy full price!). However, not all chicken powders are created equal! The only ones I use in place of liquid chicken stock are Chinese chicken powders – Knorrs and Lee Kum Kee. I find these have a cleaner chicken flavour than Western brands which taste more artificial. You can get these at large grocery stores in metropolitan areas of Australia (Coles, Woolworths) as well as Asian stores.
To use: dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoon of powder per 250ml (1 cup) boiling water (instructions say 1 teaspoon but I find I need a little more). So you’ll need 2 1/4 teaspoons to make the 1 1/2 cups you need for this recipe.
How to make Coconut Chicken Curry
To help the sauce thicken faster, the liquid is reduced in two stages – first the chicken stock, then the coconut cream. It shaves close to 10 minutes off the simmer time!
Grate the ginger and garlic using a microplane. Not only is it quicker than mincing with a knife, grating is a a specific step here as we want it “paste-like” which is how it’s traditionally prepared for Indian curries.
Sauté – Melt the coconut oil in a pot then sauté the onion first to give it a head start. Then cook the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds – keep it moving so it doesn’t stick to the base (if it does, scrape). Next add the spices and stir for 15 seconds. If it starts to stick to the base of pot, add a splash of water then wait until the water evaporates before adding the chicken.
Coat chicken – Next, stir in the tomato paste then stir in the chicken to coat it in all the tasty flavours. The chicken doesn’t get cooked during this step, it gets cooked in the sauce.
Reduce stock 5 minutes – Add the chicken stock and simmer rapidly for 5 minutes to give it a head start reducing.
Simmer 8 minutes – Add the coconut cream, chickpeas and salt. Simmer rapidly for 8 minutes, stirring every now and then. The sauce will thicken a bit but will still seem a little on the thin side – it will thicken more with a brief 5 minutes rest to take some of the blazing hot heat out of the pot before you serve it.
Ready! Ladle over basmati rice, being generous with the sauce (I made a lot of it especially!). Dollop with a little yogurt, sprinkle with coriander leaves then get stuck in.
What to serve with this Coconut Chicken Curry
Serve over basmati rice, or other rice of choice (white, jasmine, brown). For a low carb option, try cauliflower rice (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!). It’s also pictured with homemade naan which really is easier to make than you think. Yes, it uses yeast, but it’s a no-knead dough. Otherwise, I often reach for this simple No-Yeast Flatbread, a great all-rounder for everything from gyros wraps to dipping into tzatziki and curries.
I’ve also added a drizzle of yogurt (just thin it with water) and a few fresh coriander leaves – the yogurt adds a cooling tang that balances the richness, while the coriander brings a hit of fresh, herby brightness. Simple but works really great for just about any curry.
As for a side salad, a Minted Yogurt Cucumber Salad is my favourite one for Indian night. Cooling, refreshing and quick to make.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Coconut Chicken Curry – quick, easy, fabulous
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil (virgin), ie coconut flavoured, or butter, ghee, or any cooking oil you want (Note 1)
- 500 g/1lb boneless chicken thighs , cut into ~2cm / 0.8" pieces (Note 2)
- 1 large onion , diced
- 1 1/2 tbsp garlic , finely grated using a microplane (~6 large cloves)
- 1 1/2 tbsp ginger , finely grated using a microplane
- 2 1/2 tbsp curry powder , mild – just regular ones like Clives, Keens (feel free to use HOT for spicy!)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 400g / 14oz coconut cream (substitute coconut milk), full fat (Note 3)
- 400g / 14oz can chickpeas , drained
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, double for flakes)
Serving:
- Plain yogurt , slightly thinned with water to make it drizzle-able
- Coriander leaves (cilantro) , roughly chopped, recommended
- Basmati rice (you'll need to cook 3 cups rice grains to make enough) or other rice of choice
- Naan , optional
Instructions
ABBREVIATED
- Melt oil, sauté onion, then garlic and ginger. Toast spices, then tomato paste, coat chicken. Reduce chicken stock by half (5 min), then add coconut, chickpeas and salt. Simmer rapidly 8 min, stand 5 min then serve over rice.
FULL RECIPE
- Sauté – Melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium high heat (or a large deep skillet). Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, stir constantly for 30 seconds (scrape base if it starts to stick).
- Toast spices – Add the curry powder, turmeric and cumin. Stir for 15 seconds, taking care to make sure it doesn't stick and burn on base (if it does, add splash of water).
- Coat chicken – Add tomato paste and stir to coat all the onion, then add the chicken and stir to coat.
- Reduce chicken stock 5 minutes – Add the chicken stock, stir well, then once it starts bubbling, simmer rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid, stirring once in a while (adjust heat as needed, we want rapid bubbles – this is a speedy recipe remember!).
- Simmer 8 minutes – Add the coconut cream, chickpeas and salt. Stir well, bring back up to a simmer then simmer rapidly for 8 minutes, stirring every now and then. The sauce should be creamy but a little thinner than you'd expect.
- Serve – Remove the pot from the stove and leave to cool for 5 minutes, during which time the sauce will thicken a bit more. Serve over basmati rice with a drizzle of yogurt and sprinkle of fresh coriander. I wouldn't say not to a warm naan or flatbread either. 🙂
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Remembering Dozer
This has nothing to do with today’s recipe, but I came across this photo the other day and it made me laugh. Dozer was such a heavy sleeper! He also wasn’t allowed on the couch – so naturally, we used it as an excuse to see just how deeply he slept.
Pretty deep, it turns out. We ran out of cushions. 😂
Flower robber update – In other news! I’m happy to report the Dozer flower robber seems to have retired from their life of crime. Not a single bloom has gone missing lately from the Dozer memorial outside RecipeTin Meals, which either means they’ve turned over a new leaf or found a more lucrative patch elsewhere. 🌻🌻🌻
And that little “D” biscuit you spy was made using scraps from JB’s Galettes Bretonnes which I made on the weekend. I was happy to hear from the team at RTM that the ants have left that alone. All in all a good weekend – no flower robber, and ant free!
Dear Dozer – On the weekend, a breeder sent me a photo of the most adorable litter of golden retriever puppies and said that the gold boy had my name on it. I know getting a new puppy would cheer me up, but I also know I’m not ready because I bawled like a baby for hours.
It’s been 68 days since I lost you, and while some days I’m better, other days it hurts like it was yesterday. A friend told me that it takes great courage to love so completely as I did you, and I understood what she was saying but didn’t really “get it”. But now I do – because, damn it hurts.
I am not sure when I’m going to be ready, and I know it’s different for everyone. But for me, I don’t think I am the right type of person to get a new dog as a bandaid, but rather a new chapter I step into with a full heart, not one still breaking.
Then again, maybe I’m wrong, because you were my first, and I don’t really know what “ready” is. Maybe, as so many wonderful supportive readers say, I should look at a new fur baby as a new door opening rather than closing the door on you.
I miss you every day. I hope you are living your best life up in the Big Sky Kitchen, surrounded by endless snacks and very questionable rules about staying off the couch. Love – your mum. xx
Delicious, easy curry!
I added a little pinch of sugar and some fenugreek leaves (just because they’re on hand) and it’s super delish! Mild enough the kids should like it and the chickpeas give a nice little pop (and make the chicken stretch that bit further)
Made it tonight. Added a cubed potato and half a cup of red lentils and cooked it about 15mins longer than the recipe. It was great. Very similar to both the everyday curry and the lentil curry. Kind of like the best of both those recipes!
Made this curry this morning. Delicious and very nice to have a recipe that is basically pantry ingredients and comes together with a minimum of fuss and dirty dishes. Another winner!
Just crying 😭 lost our first fur baby Max in December I know what you are feeling very difficult 💖
I totally agree! It takes time to be ready to give the deep love shared with such a special part of your life! We lost our beautiful puppy nearly twelve months ago after 16 years and only now am I starting to feel ready to fully welcome a new furbaby into our lives.
Made for dinner last night – as easy as described and so tasty (why do we buy jars of curry paste??!!) – I added a diced carrot for extra veg and served with steamed rice and broccolini and beans. Winner!
(sorry, no puppy advice!)
I lost my beautiful Sunny and felt exactly as you are about getting another fur baby. But, as time went on I started to feel excited about it and that I had love to give.. I think that’s the time to get a new puppy.. as you said not as a bandaid but as an exciting new chapter. You’ll know xxx
Forgot the recipe I as went straight to Dozer 💛🧡- I saw the D on your baking tray in your dressing gown on FB – bless you ❤️🩹
We love our dogs implicitly and heartbreak is such a part of loving them ,for me I can’t go dog free and I have as part of my healing looked for a new pup as it helped me cope with the inevitable loss of my darling dog – all my dogs have been cremated and live on a shelf with photos and my last beautiful girl had her paw prints and nose prints done ❤️🩹 I miss them all and think of each one everyday but our new boy has many similarities to each of our past dogs individually and reminds us of them and how we can’t now live without Tommy …..I’m going back to the recipe now …take care Nag x
Hi Naghi, it’s an incredibly hard decision. Personally I think it’s something you will feel when the time is right. My husband and I are onto our 8th dog now, not because we are suckers for punishment ( as you know when we loose them it cuts, deep ) but because they give us such great joy, a helluva lot of laughs, massive amounts of love. I think they enjoy our crazy household as well. In the words of one very famous Beagle called Snoopy “Life is just better with a dog” I don’t think it comes down to a timing thing, I think it’s just as simple as ‘you’ll know’. We started our fluffy life with a Smooth Coat St Bernard, Kenworth what a guy, he was just sensational. Sadly he lived only 5 years, that was just heart wrenching. Since then we have had a Bearded Collie, Three German Shepherds, two rescue fluffies, Harry who we have now is our second rescue, is just a delight we have no idea really what he is, he’s our Harry. I think dogs are just the most wonderful critters, who else is going to be that bloody excited when you walk through the front door? That in it self is just the most wonderful thing. So, just follow your heart you’ll know when the time is right. Thank you for all your wonderful food, most importantly thank you for sharing Dozer, cheers Tanja
Believing in reincarnation, Dozer would already have chosen his dog soul to return to you, so please don’t cry, embrace him in his new form. Love Maggie
Having lost many dogs, I can tell you no dog will ever replace Dozer. My “Dozer” was Max and of all my dogs, he is the one I miss the most. I loved all of them and they were wonderful but Max was my soul dog. I am in between dogs right now and older so I am thinking about an older shelter dog who lost its owner. Problem is I never go to shelters because I want to take all of them home. Ha! Have you seen the videos where the dogs pick their owners… that is amazing to watch. You have a hole in your heart right now and love will fill it up again when the time is right. Love heals! As I write this, what comes to mind are puppy kisses, puppy snuggles and puppy naps. Hmmmm Sending you much love and prayers.
Oh my goodness, that pillow pile on Dozer is such a precious picture! And what a deep sleeper. My golden wakes up if I breathe in the same room as him when he’s asleep. This curry so delicious and simple. Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Nagi! Nope,you’re not ready for a new pup. I know that because I’ve been there. Even though we have 4 other pets, none took the pain away of loosing Mandy. She was the sweetest black lab. We were so blessed to have her for 15 years. Our other pets missed her as much as we did and for a long time I would hear her nails walking on the travertine. Getting another dog would not replace Dozer, would not make the pain go away and would not bring you the joy that everyone wishes for you. You are not there yet! One day,you will, but that day hasn’t come yet. And your love for dozer will never fade or dissappear out of your heart. Your heart will grow a bit,and behind the love you have for dozer,another love will squeeze in slowly. Dozer will always occupy that space in your ❤️
Dear Nagi. I said goodbye to my dear sweet Smooth fox terrier in October. I still cry at the thought of her and the lovely life we shared. I know I’m not ready. I crave the company of another dog but feel like I’m betraying my gorgeous Alby’s memory. I’m scared to try to love another dog while my heart is so crushed. I feel for you. Our hearts will heal. 🐾
Well, the comments are full of advice! I would caution against getting another dog until you feel it’s right and don’t let anyone pressure you. I’ve been through this so many times! You might consider a different breed. If your heart is set on goldens, then that’s that. But a very different dog can be good in many ways. But only when the time comes.
Not advice but OUR personal experiences…..it helps US to talk about genres and loss too !!
It’s not a replacement. It’s a new child with a different personality. Families grow.
Yo have a great capacity for love. A new fur baby needs your love.
And this recipe looks delicious!
Can’t wait to make it. xxxx
Please keep Dozer in your emails. Dogs don’t usually live as long as most humans. Allowing Dozer to live in your emails extends his wonderful life.
Dear Nagi, you will know when & if you love again 🙏 it will happen when you least expect it ♥️ no need to question it 🤞you are a loving, generous person & it will find you again 🤩
Just a note about the puppies… I would go to meet him. Perhaps Dozer has picked him out for you.
Hi Nagi,
I love dogs but have always had cats. My very special Maggie and Sammy died one year apart. I just cried for so long both times. I would be somewhere and see something very innocent and just start crying again. They are our family. I decided about 2 months after Sammy passed away to get kittens. My step son ( who was very close to Sammy) thought I should wait. Didn’t I love Sammy? How could I replace her? You’re still sad – wait awhile. But I told him that my love for Maggie and Sammy had nothing to do with wanting another animal in my life. My love of them did not diminish because there was another animal. However, it did remind me that love is infinite. My two young kittens give me joy and I give them my love. I think Maggie and Sammie would approve.
I cry each time I read your posts. My Danny, my first dog, passed away in 2006. I was told to get a puppy right away. Since then, I buried six adorable dogs. 😭 Somehow, if I start thinking about my Danny, tears come back. A new dog is a new personality and a new love. Still, the first loss is the hardest. My love to you. ❤️