One-Pot Thai Inspired Coconut Chicken Curry

A one-pot Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is simple, creamy and flavorful. It’s a healthy weeknight meal with TONS of flavor and vegetables made in under 30 minutes. Swapping out the rice for cauliflower rice makes this Paleo and Whole30 compliant, too!

this recipe

Okay, as I start out writing this post I am sitting at my dining room table CLEARLY avoiding cleaning up the mess that is this Thai coconut chicken curry. And it’s not even the dishes that are bothering me (HOLLA to 1-pot meals, my friends!). It’s the fact that cauliflower bits are lingering all over the place.

If I weren’t trying to keep this chicken curry Whole30 compliant, I probably would have just used plain rice or quinoa. I mean, I like cauliflower rice and it is a great grain-free option for dishes such as this. And it makes an amazing healthy meal for weekly meal prep, too!

One-Pot Curry Recipe

Yeah, you read that right: just one pot for this Thai style dish.

It’s simple, delicious, and takes just about 30 minutes! AH I know, a one-pot, 30-minute dinner. How pumped are we right now? PUMPED.

Ingredients List

• ghee or coconut oil 
• garlic
• onion
• chicken breast
• broccoli
• bell peppers
• canned coconut milk
• unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk
• red curry paste
• fish sauce, optional but adds that “authentic” flavor
• turmeric
• pink salt
• cayenne 
• cauliflower
• cilantro, for garnish

How To Make Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

To make this Thai-Inspired Coconut Chicken Curry:

1. Cook the Chicken. In a large pot over medium heat, add the ghee or coconut oil, garlic and onions, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, cover the pot and cook until white on the outside.
2. Add the vegetables, milk and seasonings. Add in the broccoli, bell peppers, coconut milk, nut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, turmeric, salt and cayenne. Cook to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Make the cauliflower rice. Chop the cauliflower head into florets and process in your food processor or blender into bite-sized pieces, in batches if necessary.
4. Serve. Spoon the cauliflower rice into serving bowls. Top with the Thai coconut chicken curry, garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Coconut Cream For Curry

Coconut cream is much thicker than coconut milk. To replace the coconut milk with coconut cream, simply use half the amount (half a can) and dilute it with 1 cup water to reach the desired consistency.

Do not purchase cream of coconut, however, which is a sweetened version of coconut cream. Extra sugar is not what we need!

Red Curry vs Green Curry

Let me tell you – I like this Thai Coconut Chicken Curry extra spicy, which is why I use red curry! The difference in color in the curries is the chiles that are used.

Red curry is made with the much hotter dried red chiles whereas green curry is made with milder, fresh green chiles, with the addition of fresh herbs.

Cooking Tips

• Replace the coconut milk with nut milk. If you want to make a Thai chicken curry without coconut milk, simply replace it with an equal amount of almond or cashew milk. Note it will not be as creamy as the original recipe.
• Use green curry to make it mild. Red curry is much hotter than green curry, so you can always use the green variety to tame down the spice.
• Purchase frozen cauliflower rice. If you want to save yourself a step, purchase two 16oz bags of cauliflower rice from the frozen foods section of your grocery store and thaw – no one will ever know!

How To Store

The chicken curry recipe will keep in an airtight container stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To get ahead on meal prep, portion out the chicken curry recipe with a serving of cauliflower rice in individual airtight containers for a healthy lunch or dinner throughout the week.

More Curry Recipes You’ll Love

• Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
• Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs [Paleo, Whole30]
• Thai Slaw with Cashew Curry Dressing

If you make this Thai Coconut Chicken Curry recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

How to Make…

Thai Coconut Chicken Curry [Paleo, Whole30]

A one-pot Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is simple, creamy and made in under 30 minutes. A healthy weeknight meal that’s Paleo and Whole30, too!

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins

• Yield: 6
• Scale: 1x2x3x

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Ingredients

• 1/2 TBS ghee or coconut oil
• 1/2 TBS minced garlic
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into chunks
• 1 medium head broccoli, chopped, about 3–4 cups
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 medium orange bell pepper, chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 13.5oz canned coconut milk* (full-fat is best, but lite also works)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk (Whole30 compliant)
• 3 TBS red curry paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce, optional but adds authentic taste
• 1 heaping tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp pink salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste
• 1 large head cauliflower
• cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add in ghee or coconut oil, minced garlic and diced onion. Stir frequently about 2 minutes. Next add chicken breast chunks to pot and stir. Cover with lid and allow chicken to cook until white on the outside (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked).
2. Once chicken breast is slightly cooked, add chopped broccoli and bell peppers. Next, gently pour in canned coconut milk, unsweetened almond or cashew milk. Then add curry paste, fish sauce, turmeric, salt, and cayenne. Gently stir until evenly combined. Allow mixture to come to a simmer on medium-high heat, then simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Veggies should be slightly soft and chicken cooked through when done.
3. While pot is simmering, make cauliflower rice: Chop head of cauliflower into large pieces, then add to blender or food processor. Process until cauliflower is in bite sized pieces. You may need to do this in batches depending on size of appliance used.
4. Transfer cauliflower rice into serving bowls. Use large serving spoon to serve red curry into bowls and garnish with cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

Recipes Notes:

*If you don’t have coconut milk on hand, replace it with half a can coconut cream diluted with 3/4 cup water. You can also omit the coconut milk all together and use all nut milk. Just note the curry will not be as creamy.

Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker Nutrition approximate, based on 6 servings. Does not include cauliflower rice.

Nutrition Information:

• Serving Size: 1/6
• Calories: 245
• Sugar: 14g
• Sodium: 552mg
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 31g
• Cholesterol: 67mg

Category: Dinner Method: Stovetop Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: Thai Coconut Chicken Curry, Creamy Coconut Chicken Curry, Thai Chicken Curry, Coconut Curry Chicken and Vegetables
Author: Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen

NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, with no extra cost to you. Should you choose to purchase through those links, I will receive a small commission. Thank you so much for supporting Fit Mitten Kitchen!

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