Coconut Curry Chicken
About the Coconut Curry Chicken:
This juicy curry and coconut marinated chicken is flavorful and easy! I was inspired by Thai chicken satay when creating this recipe. I wanted to turn it into a main dish star instead of the street food that satay usually is. This is also a great make ahead recipe. You can marinate the chicken the day before and just throw it on the stove or grill the next day. There isn’t a special anecdote or story behind this recipe. I just love Thai flavors and wanted to make an approachable dish that still reminded me of my favorite Thai foods.
Thai cooking is all about balance. Learning how to incorporate spice, salt, sweet and acid, in perfect harmony is a boon to any cook. The balance in this coconut curry chicken is, the spice; Thai chili flakes, the salt; soy sauce, the sweet; coconut milk, and the acid; lime juice.
Alternative Cooking Methods:
I like to cook this recipe on my stovetop with my cast iron grill pan, just to give it some nice grill marks. You can also use any heavy bottomed pan, but cast iron is my personal favorite. You could also easily make this on an actual grill. Just heat it to medium heat and grill for about 15 – 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F. Or you can roast it in the oven at 350 degrees F. for about 15-20 minutes. Note that these cooking times are for “boneless” thighs. You will have to increase the time and temperature for bone-in.
Why marinating is so important:
I know a lot of people get frustrated when a recipe calls to marinate for an hour+ or overnight. There is a really good reason for it though. This gives the acid in the marinade time to penetrate the outer layer of the meat and results in more flavor and a juicier chicken. It also allows the marinade ingredients time to fully incorporate with each other.
You can always skip this step and still get a great tasting coconut curry chicken. Or if you’re like me and forget to marinade the day before, it’s not the end of the world. If you do skip it I recommend brushing extra coconut curry marinade on the outside of the chicken as it’s cooking and when it’s finished.
Coconut Curry Spice:
Thai food is known for its spicy, set your mouth on fire heat. I personally love it, but not everyone in my house does. So the base heat in this recipe is mild but present. This marinade is flavorful even without the spice. So feel free to omit it or reduce it to suit your family’s tastes. However, if you can handle the heat, it adds a whole other level of flavor to this coconut curry chicken. I use thai chili flakes for an authentic spiciness. They are potent but add so much to the overall taste. If you don’t have them, or can’t find them locally, you can always use regular red chilli flakes. Use about 1 tsp more to match the same base heat level in this recipe.
Curry Powder:
The word “curry” is kind of a multinational term. Curry powder isn’t just any one thing but a blend of spices and seasonings. Curry as a dish is also vastly different depending on where you are geographically. Many cultures/countries have their own version of “curry”. There are so many types of curry out there, Japanese, Indian, Jamaican, African, Thai, etc. Each type varies greatly in taste and spices that are used. Thai curries are usually cut with coconut, which is a great way to control the heat in your dish and adds a beautiful sweetness. This is why I decided to add it to my marinade.
Thai yellow curry powder is my personal favorite and the one I chose for this dish. It has lots of turmeric which gives it that yellow color. It also has coriander, cumin, ginger and usually a varying amount of Thai chili flakes and other spices. It’s also the most common and is super easy to find in most grocery stores nowadays. However if you can’t find a blend anywhere, or if you’re like me and are obsessed with making your own spice blends, it’s a very easy recipe.
Coconut Curry Chicken Step by step:
Add all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, except oil. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until it’s fully incorporated.
Add marinade to the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Heat up a pan (I use a cast iron grill pan) to medium high heat. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray or a splash of oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the pan. Allow some room in between them. You may have to cook in two batches.
Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes a side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.** I also throw my limes on the grill for about a minute, but this is optional.
While the chicken is cooking, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil for at least 3 minutes. This will kill off any bacteria from the chicken.* After you flip the chicken brush the tops with more curry sauce.
Garnish with the thinly slice peppers, chopped cilantro and lime juice.
If you don’t want to cross contaminate, just double the marinade recipe and divide before putting the chicken into it. If you’re chicken is done on the outside but still not to temp, simply toss it on a foil lined sheet pan and into a 350 degrees F. oven for 10 minutes.
Coconut Curry Chicken Video Tutorial!
Coconut Curry Chicken
Equipment
- Cast Iron Pan/Grill Pan
Ingredients
- 1 package chicken thighs (6), skinless and boneless
Marinade:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large lime, zest and juice
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons palm sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon curry power, Thai blend
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 3/4 cup coconut milk, canned
- 1-2 teaspoon Thai chili flakes, optional for heat
Garnish:
- 1` red jalapeno, sliced thinly (or any other pepper of your choice)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2-4 limes, halved
Instructions
Marinade:
- Add all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, except oil. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking until it's fully incorporated. Add marinade to the chicken, cover and marinate in the fridge. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Cooking the chicken:
- Heat up a pan (I use a cast iron grill pan) to medium high heat. Spray it with nonstick cooking spray or a splash of oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the pan. Allow some room in between them. You may have to cook in two batches. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes a side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees F.** I also throw my limes on the grill for about a minute, but this is optional.
- While the chicken is cooking, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil for at least 3 minutes. This will kill off any bacteria from the chicken.* After you flip the chicken brush the tops with more curry marinade.
- Garnish with the thinly sliced peppers, chopped cilantro and lime juice.