Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs

Remember that Thai Curry Vegetable Soup that I made a while back that was like, “GAH! THIS IS SO GOOD!”? Well, yesterday I had a craving for those flavors again, but decided to do them up a little differently. I used the same concept to make these tender and juicy Braised Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs. I made the coconut curry broth a little more concentrated and and braised the chicken thighs, then served the whole lot over a scoop of jasmine rice. The flavors are bold, rich, and complex, yet the dish is ridiculously simple to make. Just my style.

What Thai Curry Paste Did You Use?

The red Thai curry paste that I used is a store bought mix purchased in a small jar (see photos below). The brand is Thai Kitchen, which can be found in most major grocery stores in the U.S. I’ve even seen it in Walmart. They also make a green curry paste, which I think would be just as awesome.

Are Curry Paste and Curry Powder the Same?

Take note: Thai curry paste is not at all the same as the curry powder used in Indian cuisine. Totally different set of ingredients, despite the fact that they are both called curry. That being said, Indian curry goes great with coconut milk and chicken, too, so I bet it wouldn’t be so bad in this dish! Totally different, but still good. :)

Is this Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Spicy?

This dish is only somewhat spicy. Thai curry paste can vary quite a bit in heat level from brand to brand, so you may get a different result if using a different brand.

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Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs

4.54 from 77 votes

Thai Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs are rich and bold in flavor, with spicy Thai curry paste and creamy coconut milk, but crazy simple to prepare.

Author: Beth – Budget Bytes

Servings 5

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Total 35 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs ($5.30)
• 2 Tbsp red Thai curry paste ($0.62)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger ($0.05)
• 1 13oz. can coconut milk ($2.17)
• 1 cup chicken broth* ($0.13)
• 1/4 tsp fish sauce ($0.02)
• 5 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice ($1.10)
• 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.20)
• 2-3 green onions** ($0.17)
• 1 lime ($0.33)

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Instructions 

• Heat a large deep skillet or soup pot over medium heat. Add the cooking oil, then swirl to cover the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and cook until browned on each side (about 3-5 minutes each side). Remove the chicken from the skillet.
• Add the Thai curry paste, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the skillet. Stir and sauté the aromatics for about one minute.
• Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and fish sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add the chicken back to the skillet, place a lid on top, and allow the skillet come to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low or medium-low and let the thighs simmer in the coconut sauce for 15 minutes.
• To serve, scoop about 1 cup of cooked rice into the bottom of each bowl. Add one of the braised chicken thighs, then top with a ladle or two of the coconut broth. Add fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onion, and a wedge or two of fresh lime to each bowl.

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Notes

*I use Better Than Bouillon to make my chicken broth.
**I usually use red onion for these curries, but I already had green onion on hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 461.46kcalCarbohydrates: 50.84gProtein: 29.58gFat: 15.22gSodium: 1112.38mgFiber: 1.44g

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Scroll down for the step by step photos!

How to Make Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs – Step by Step Photos

Start by heating a large deep skillet, or soup pot, over a medium flame. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer). Tilt the skillet to distribute the oil over the surface, then add five boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs.). Cook the thighs on each side until browned (about 3-5 minutes each side), then remove them from the skillet. They won’t be cook through at this point. They will finish cooking when they simmer in the coconut curry broth.

Add 2 Tbsp red Thai curry paste, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and about 1 Tbsp grated ginger to the skillet.

Sauté these aromatics for about a minute.

BTW, this is the curry paste I’m using. It can be found in most major grocery stores in the U.S. They also make a green curry paste, which would probably also be awesome in this.

Add a 13oz. can of coconut milk, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1/4 tsp fish sauce. Stir to combine and dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Now add the partially cooked chicken thighs back to the skillet and place a lid on top. Let it come up to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low or medium-low and let the chicken simmer in the coconut broth for 15 minutes.

And then you’ll have this deliciousness! Squeeze a little lime juice over top and add a few fresh cilantro leaves and sliced green onion.

Serve the Thai Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs over a scoop of cooked jasmine or basmati rice, with a little more fresh cilantro, sliced green onion, and a wedge or two of lime. Does it get any better than this??