Easy Coconut Curry Chicken – Creamy One Pan Dinner

There is a particular light that comes through the kitchen window in the late afternoon, and it seems made for this dish. The curry turns the color of warm honey, and the whole room softens with it.

Everything happens in a single wide pan. Chicken first, browned until it smells of toasted spice, then onions and garlic breathing out their sweetness. The coconut milk goes in last, quiet and pale, and then the sauce thickens into something velvety.

I make this on the evenings when I want the kitchen to feel like a small, warm country of its own. It asks very little of you and gives back a great deal.

About the Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Thighs stay juicy where breast can dry out; if you only have breasts, reduce the simmer to 10 minutes. Look for thighs with a little marbling rather than pale, trimmed pieces.

1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola

Ghee works beautifully here and adds a faint nutty note. Avoid olive oil, which can turn bitter at this heat.

1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups / 200 g)

Shallots are a softer, sweeter substitute if onions feel too sharp. Choose onions that feel heavy and have tight, papery skins.

3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

A teaspoon of garlic paste from a jar saves time on busy nights. Fresh cloves should be firm and smell sweet, not sharp.

1 tablespoon (8 g) freshly grated ginger

Frozen ginger grates easily and keeps for months; peel it only if the skin is thick. Skip ground ginger here, as it turns dusty in a wet sauce.

2 tablespoons (16 g) mild curry powder

Madras curry powder brings warmth with less heat; garam masala is a good half-measure swap. Buy small jars, as ground spices fade within a year.

1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well

Light coconut milk will thin the sauce noticeably, so use full-fat for body. Choose a can without added gums or sugar if you can find one.

1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

Vegetable broth makes this fully meatless if you swap the chicken for chickpeas. Homemade stock freezes well in ice cube trays for exactly this purpose.

1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, drained

Two chopped fresh tomatoes work in late summer. Crushed tomatoes give a thicker, more rustic sauce if you prefer it.

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Kosher salt is coarser, so use a heaping 1 1/2 teaspoons if substituting. Season in layers rather than all at once.

2 cups (60 g) baby spinach, packed loosely

Frozen spinach, squeezed dry, is a fine substitute; add it with the coconut milk. Kale needs an extra five minutes of simmering.

1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving

Thai basil or flat-leaf parsley both work if cilantro tastes soapy to you. Keep the stems, as they carry the most fragrance.

Tips & Tricks

• Do not crowd the pan when browning the chicken. A hot pan with space lets the pieces turn golden instead of steaming in their own moisture, which is where most of the flavor begins.
• Shake the coconut milk can hard before opening. The cream separates and settles at the top, and stirring it back in is what gives the sauce its even, silky body.
• Taste for salt at the very end, after the coconut milk has simmered. Coconut milk mutes seasoning as it reduces, so a curry salted early can still taste flat at the table.
• Keep the heat low once the coconut milk is in. A hard boil can split the sauce into curdled threads; a gentle simmer keeps it smooth and glossy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Season the chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry and toss them with half the salt. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you chop the onion, so they cook evenly.

2. Brown the chicken

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat (375°F / 190°C) and add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the pieces are golden brown at the edges and reach 165°F (74°C) at the center, then transfer to a plate.

3. Soften the aromatics

Lower the heat to medium (325°F / 165°C) and add the onion with the remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until translucent and soft, then add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Bloom the spices

Sprinkle in the curry powder and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until it darkens slightly and smells toasted. This brief moment in the hot pan is where the whole dish finds its depth.

5. Build the sauce

Pour in the coconut milk, broth, and drained tomatoes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer at 200°F (93°C), then lower the heat to keep it there.

6. Simmer and return the chicken

Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces by about a quarter and coats the back of a spoon. Return the chicken and any juices and simmer for 5 more minutes at 195°F (90°C).

7. Wilt the spinach

Stir in the spinach in handfuls and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until it collapses and turns deep green. Taste and adjust the salt.

8. Rest and serve

Take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes; the sauce will thicken as it settles. Scatter the cilantro over the top and serve with rice or warm flatbread.

Delicious Variations

Chickpea and Sweet Potato

Swap the chicken for two cans of chickpeas and two cups of cubed sweet potato, simmering 20 minutes until tender.

Red Curry Version

Use two tablespoons of Thai red curry paste in place of the curry powder for a sharper, more fragrant sauce.

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Add raw shrimp in the final five minutes instead of chicken, cooking only until they curl and turn opaque.

How to Store Easy Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe – Creamy One Pan Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Frequently Asked Questions

Make it tonight, in the one pan you already love, and let the kitchen fill with that warm golden light. If it becomes part of your week, I would love to hear how it turned out for you.

Easy Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe – Creamy One Pan Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

This easy coconut curry chicken simmers in one pan into a creamy, golden sauce, ready in 50 minutes for a cozy weeknight dinner.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

15 minPrep time35 minCook time6Servings412 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups / 200 g)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons (16 g) mild curry powder
• 1 can (13.5 oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach, packed loosely
• 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving

📋 Instructions

1. 1Season the chicken — Pat the chicken pieces dry and toss them with half the salt. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you chop the onion, so they cook evenly.
2. 2Brown the chicken — Heat the oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium-high heat (375°F / 190°C) and add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the pieces are golden brown at the edges and reach 165°F (74°C) at the center, then transfer to a plate.
3. 3Soften the aromatics — Lower the heat to medium (325°F / 165°C) and add the onion with the remaining salt. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until translucent and soft, then add the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. 4Bloom the spices — Sprinkle in the curry powder and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until it darkens slightly and smells toasted. This brief moment in the hot pan is where the whole dish finds its depth.
5. 5Build the sauce — Pour in the coconut milk, broth, and drained tomatoes, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer at 200°F (93°C), then lower the heat to keep it there.
6. 6Simmer and return the chicken — Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces by about a quarter and coats the back of a spoon. Return the chicken and any juices and simmer for 5 more minutes at 195°F (90°C).
7. 7Wilt the spinach — Stir in the spinach in handfuls and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until it collapses and turns deep green. Taste and adjust the salt.
8. 8Rest and serve — Take the pan off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes; the sauce will thicken as it settles. Scatter the cilantro over the top and serve with rice or warm flatbread.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: A wide skillet matters more than a deep pot here, because surface area is what reduces the sauce to a glossy coating. Taste once more before serving; a pinch of salt at the end often does more than any spice.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Indian-inspired

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 412 kcal · 27g protein · 14g carbs · 28g fat

Written by Ingrid Sørensen

Ingrid explores Scandinavian minimalist design and slow living. She writes about creating calm, functional spaces with fewer, better things.