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Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables and Jasmine Rice

This delicious, healthy coconut chicken curry is simple enough for a weeknight and packed with fresh vegetables

Easy Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables

Before we had kids, Alex and I kept a relaxed dinner routine: dinner at 8 p.m., with a main, a side, and a big salad. After Owen arrived, our routine tightened—dinner still happened at 8 p.m. after he went to bed, but I usually prepared only a main and either a side or a salad. Now with two little ones, mealtime is its own kind of chaos.

Last night we squeezed dinner in between Owen’s bath and story time. He sat at the kitchen table having dessert while watching an episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on a portable DVD player. We took turns trying to soothe June in her seat until she was inconsolable. I ended up nursing her while eating and praying I wouldn’t spill on her—full disclosure: I once dropped a crumble of blue cheese in her ear while doing this. Parenting is glamorous.

Most evenings there’s no time to prepare multiple dishes, so I’ve been relying on one-pan meals. This easy coconut chicken curry with vegetables has become a go-to: flavorful, flexible, and quick to make.

Why I love this curry:

  1. It’s easy to make ahead—just finish it with a few quick touches before serving.
  2. Use almost any vegetables you have on hand. For this version I used red bell pepper, cremini mushrooms, snow peas, and a few handfuls of baby spinach.
  3. Serve it over whatever you prefer: white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice all work well.
  4. Leftovers reheat beautifully. We often make a double batch and enjoy the rest the next day.

Easy Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables

I only managed a couple of photos this time—June was upset during the shoot—so please forgive the short gallery. Even with minimal photography, this dish is a weeknight winner: hearty, bright, and comforting.

Weeknight chicken dinners for the win!

Easy Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables

Easy Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables

A flexible, flavorful weeknight curry you can customize with whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Ingredients

  • 2
    Tablespoons
    vegetable oil
  • 1 – 1 1/2
    lbs
    boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    cut into strips
  • Kosher salt
  • 1
    onion
    diced
  • 1
    red bell pepper
    cut into strips
  • 1
    cup
    sliced mushrooms
  • 2
    cloves
    garlic
    minced
  • 2
    Tablespoons
    grated fresh ginger
  • 2
    Tablespoons
    curry powder
  • 1
    Tablespoon
    granulated sugar
  • Pinch
    red pepper flakes
    (optional)
  • 1
    13.5 ounce can
    full-fat coconut milk
  • 1
    cup
    chicken stock or water
  • 1
    cup
    snow peas
  • 2-3
    handfuls
    baby spinach
  • Juice of one lime
  • White or brown rice
    for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt. Working in two batches if needed, brown the chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate.

  2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the curry powder, sugar, and red pepper flakes if using.

  3. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock or water. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the snow peas and spinach and cook until the snow peas are bright and the spinach has just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.

  4. Serve the curry over white or brown rice, or your preferred grain.

Easy Coconut Chicken Curry with Vegetables