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.
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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.
Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs
Servings 5Ingredients
- 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)
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 usually use red onion for these curries, but I already had green onion on hand.
Nutrition
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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??
This looks so good, but neither of my local supermarkets carry Thai curry paste. I was thinking of subbing in Sambal Oelek or Huy Fong’s chili garlic sauce. Would either of those work?
No, unfortunately I don’t think those will work. Thai curry paste is very unique. It’s quite a bit more thick and concentrated than the sauces you suggested, as well.
Just made this for dinner and turned out amazing. I used yellow Thai curry paste (the store was out or red) and a pre cooked deli chicken as I had some left over and had to use up. Sooooo good!
Hi Beth! Great dish, we just made it tonight and it was super yum :)
Do you think this would be okay to do in a slow cooker? I’ve never used coconut milk in the crockpot before so I’m not sure how it would turn out. Just asking for future planning…
Thanks again for sharing! It tasted as good as a restaurant.
I actually haven’t used coconut milk in a slow cooker either, so I’m not sure. I do know that you can curdle coconut milk with too much heat, but I don’t know if a slow cooker would get it to that point. I have seen slow cooker coconut curry recipes out there, but I don’t know if they add the coconut milk in the beginning, or just cook with chicken broth and then stir the coconut milk in at the end.
I love all of your recipes I make so I figured I would give this a shot…Husband asked me to make this twice this week! So delicious!
This was yummy to the tummy …Wow I just loved it and will make it again>
Made this tonight. FABULOUS! Added a few veggies as suggested. Thanks, Beth!
Cooked the chicken thighs in a pressure cooker and then added them to the curry along with the veggies . was wonderful!!! :D used your idea for cooking chicken thighs in the pressure cooker from another post. simply amazing. :D thank you for the fantastic recipes
I made this and the veggie based soup also. So delicious, even better than a restaurant, and a fraction of the cost! I added a few vegetables to bulk out the Chicken version: sliced carrot, sliced onion and a little bok choy. Love it! Thanks Beth, for keeping things flavorful and interesting!
This is FANTASTIC!!!! The whole family enjoyed the meal. It was easy to make as well. Next time I may add some red pepper for a little more kick.
I am so grateful for your blog…..everything is great!
Hi! What do you think would be the best method to store this for leftovers? Portioned out in servings with or without rice? I was a little concerned about the rice getting soggy.
I stored mine with the rice and it reheated very well. But, if you’re concerned or extra sensitive to textures, storing the rice and curry separate is an easy alternative. :)
I have been following your blog for quite awhile. Love your concept and the execution of your posts – love the step-by-step photos. Very helpful to someone who is an uncertain cook (nice to see how it is supposed to look). Thanks for your efforts!
This recipe is great, and I think it’s excellent with a couple tweaks. I’m not a fan of one big uncut piece of chicken in a bowl, so I use cubed chicken breast instead. I also add some sweet potato, which I think goes wonderfully with the sauce. The sauce is so tasty!
Just made this and it was soooo delicious! I think I want it a bit spicier next time – more of a kick. Any thoughts on what to add? I know literally nothing about cooking.
You could increase the Thai curry paste, add a sliced jalapeño or other hot chili to the broth before simmering, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or just add some sriracha on top. :) But probably not all of those together. ;)
This was FAN-FREAKIN’-TASTIC. I think concentrating the broth really did wonders for dish, and will have to remember to up the ingredients next time I make the soup, too. I added about a cup of thinly sliced leftover cabbage and some enoki mushrooms, swapped the green onion for red, and drizzled a bit of sriracha on top. Mmmmm…. So tempted to eat bowl after bowl until I have to waddle around!
Love this recipe. I have made it several times. I like the green curry paste so I always use that one. I add in veggies as others have suggested. So delicious! The addition of lime juice and avocado when serving is the perfect finishing touch!
After tasting the sauce, I added a heaping Tbs of natural peanut butter and a bit of (solid) coconut oil. The dish was delicious and I will definitely make this again. I will probably try adding some sauteed red pepper next time.