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Chicken Coconut Curry

Name: Chicken Coconut Curry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 chicken thighs (boneless); 1 onion; 3 cloves garlic; 50 g ginger (small knob); 500 ml chicken stock; 400 ml coconut cream; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp lime juice; 4 tbsp curry powder; 2 tbsp paprika; 2 tbsp chicken powder; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp onion powder; 1 tsp coriander seeds

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This chicken coconut curry might just be my new favourite weeknight meal. All done in one pot – instant or dutch – it’s simple and flavourful, what more could you ask for? As a bonus, it’s budget friendly and made with simple household ingredients that most people will have! This chicken coconut curry is great for a cozy and comforting meal, or even on a warm summer’s evening.

This was the first recipe I made with my new Instant Pot, a lovely christmas present from my partner. I’m super excited to try more recipes too, especially after seeing how easy this was to make! Using the saute mode, then pressure cooking for a mere 5 minutes, this is definitely going to become a kitchen favourite of mine… although everything in my kitchen is my favourite…

Key Ingredients

Chicken thighs are my favourite cut of chicken. They’re juicy and tender, thighs are also great at absorbing the flavour of the curry. Typically, they are also fattier which adds to the curry’s taste as well.
Onion I slice these relatively thin, so it gives them the best chance to soften and bring out their flavour. I use brown onions. When sauteed with the other aromatics it helps to build a delicious base flavour.
Garlic helps build depth in the base flavour. It’s a beautiful aromatic you will find in almost every savoury recipe. Fresh garlic is best, but if you have jarlic (jar garlic lol) then that is ok as well.
Ginger adds a little somethin-somethin to the curry. I don’t add too much as I am not a huge fan, by adding just a little bit it ties the aromatic flavours together into a beautiful harmony.
Chicken stock is one of my favourite pantry staples. Rather than using a plain liquid such as water, using chicken stock adds depth to the dish. It brings the sauce to another level, whilst being a great vessel for the spices of the dish to shine.
Coconut cream is a star in this dish! Coconut cream brings a delicious rich and creamy element to the curry, with a beautiful light nuttiness. It blends with chicken stock well, and carry’s the flavours of the spices amazingly.
Tomato paste brings another level of depth to the curry. There isn’t too much added to the sauce, we do not want this to be the main flavour here. Just enough is added to almost act as a ‘middle-man’ between the spices and coconut cream.
Lime juice gives the chicken coconut curry an amazing little oomph! It brings a beautiful slight tanginess that really freshens up the taste of the curry, helping balance out the heaviness of the coconut cream.
Spice mix is the key to building this awesome chicken coconut curry. A harmony of curry powder, paprika, chicken powder, coriander seeds, onion powder, and garlic powder.

How to make this heavenly chicken coconut curry

Prepare and season the chicken

Start by cutting the chicken thighs into smaller pieces. Slightly bigger than bite size, they will shrink as they cook. Add the chicken to a large bowl, pour in all the spices. Toss so that every piece is coated. Set aside whilst preparing other ingredients, so that the spices are able to infuse their flavour.

Prepare the aromatics.

Now it is time to prepare the aromatics. Peel the outer layer of the onion, garlic, and ginger. Slice the onion relatively thin.

Saute the aromatics and chicken.

Turn the instant pot on to low saute mode. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the instant pot. Saute until they are fragrant and the onion has browned slightly. Then add the chicken to the instant pot as well. Saute until the chicken deepens in colour.

Cut the carrots.

While the chicken and onions are sauteing, peel and chop the carrot. Cut into rounds first, then into quarters. Then add the carrot to the instant pot.

Add the liquids and pressure cook.

Pour in the chicken stock, and tomato paste. Stir until combined. Put the lid on the instant pot, set to high pressure cook for 5 minutes. Then press the quick release button, leave until all the pressure has gone and it is ready to open.

Finish the sauce.

Turn the instant pot to saute mode again. Pour in the coconut cream and a dash of lime juice. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens. If needed, use a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water paste) to help the sauce thicken.

Enjoy the chicken coconut curry!

Serve over rice and with your favourite bread – I went for paratha – and enjoy.

What if I do not have an Instant Pot?

Not to fear! Instead of pressure cooking, use a dutch oven. Saute the aromatics and chicken on the stove top first, then add the liquids. Place the pot into the oven at 180℃ for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven to the stove top again, and add the coconut cream and lime juice like the recipe says.

What to serve with the chicken coconut curry?

Great question! Like most curries, this is great served over rice. Honestly, I just used packet rice for time and convenience. Basmati rice is the best, or you could use jasmine would work well too. I also had paratha bread which was ah-maz-ing! Flaky bread that soaks up the sauce, it’s not too heavy which is great. You could also have a naan of your choice as well.

Storage

This chicken coconut curry is a great recipe to make in a bulk batch. So if you have leftovers, it makes a great dinner or lunch in the following days. Let the curry cool to a lukewarm temperature, then place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge and the chicken coconut curry should keep for 3-4 days.

More cozy recipes:

Alrighty, are you ready to embark on this flavour journey? Come on, it’s simple, you do not want to miss out! Grab those pantry ingredients, let’s get to cooking this amazing chicken coconut curry.