Thai-Style Coconut Chicken Curry (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more information.

Say goodbye to take-out! This Thai-style coconut chicken curry has shredded chicken, peppers, and peas simmered in a creamy sauce that’s perfect for busy weeknights.

Spicy, satisfying, yet surprisingly quick….get your mind out of the gutter, I’m talking about dinner!

Weekdays are tough for most of us when it comes to meal-planning. You’ve put in a long day and in a perfect world after commuting, chauffeuring the kids, and helping with homework, you’re sitting down to a well-balanced meal at the kitchen table to relax and catch up.

It’s rarely a perfect world.

This is a great dinner for those not so perfect nights.

My Thai-style coconut chicken curry is a stick-to-your-ribs bowl of goodness that is just what you’re craving during the week and a cinch to make thanks to prepped chicken (more on that in the tips for success). I serve it over a scoop of jasmine rice and top it with a sprinkling of sliced scallions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime for a pop of brightness.

And since we’re having one of those not so perfect nights, we’ll grabour bowls from the table, pop open a couple of Stellas, and head into the living room. We’ll skip the daily recap in favor a DVR’d favorite show and settle into a perfectly imperfect night.

Let’s makeThai-Style Coconut Chicken Curry

1. Saute onion, garlic and minced fresh ginger in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven.
2. Stir in the flour, then the curry paste.
3. Whisk in the soy sauce and the sherry.
4. Whisk in the brown sugar, coconut milk, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
5. Add the shredded chicken and peppers. Simmer, covered for about 15 mins.
6. Uncover, simmer for about 10 more minutes, then stir in the lime juice, zest, and peas. Season to taste.

Tips for success

• I often poach and shred some boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs over the weekend to be used in soups or stews mid-week. This makes quick work of a weeknight meal and really cuts down on the cooking and prep time.
• To Poach Chicken: place chicken in a large pot with aromatics (sliced onion, garlic cloves or herbs – use whatever is handy and in keeping with the flavor profile of the dish you’re going to make), cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Let stand about 15 minutes or until cooked through). Remove the chicken and discard the rest. Allow the chicken to cool slightly and then shred with your hands or two forks. I keep mine for a few days in a large ziploc bag in the refrigerator.
• No time to poach?Grab a roasted chicken from your local market and simply shred the meat.
• Dial up the heat (if you like it hot) by stirring in extra curry paste or mincing a fresh jalapeño and stirring that in with the garlic and ginger.
• Lite coconut milk helps to reduce calories, but won’t skimp on taste.
• Brown jasmine or basmati rice is a great, healthy alternative to white rice.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in October 2015 but was republished with step-by-step photos and tips in November 2018.

2