This simple Dump-and-Bake Thai Chicken Curry recipe is an easy one pot meal that comes together with just 10 minutes of prep! There's no need for restaurant takeout when you can create your own healthy, Asian-inspired meal any night of the week.
We live in rural Central Virginia, so there are no specialty Asian food markets or restaurants anywhere nearby. On the rare chance that Keith and I get away for a date night, we often head to Charlottesville or Culpeper, just to visit an authentic Thai or Indian restaurant ("treats" that we don't have access to on a regular basis).
When we were recently on one of these dinner dates, I ordered a special off the menu that was described as a chicken curry recipe that was similar to a Thai Panang curry. The chicken was served in a creamy coconut-peanut sauce with stir-fry vegetables over jasmine rice. So delicious! I instantly knew that I needed to recreate the dish at home...
How to Make this Chicken Curry Recipe:
Let's start with the easy curry sauce! You can whisk together the sauce directly in your baking dish or in a separate bowl. To do so, you'll need the following ingredients:
- Coconut milk
- Red curry paste
- Peanut butter
- Water
- Worcestershire sauce
- Ground ginger
- Zest and juice from 1 lime
I use this Thai Red Curry Paste, which I order online because my little country grocer doesn't keep it in stock. This is a great way to add authentic flavor to your homemade recipe because it includes red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger) and other flavorful spices.
Quick tip about zesting a lime, too: be sure that you grate only the green peel ("zest") from the lime -- not the white pith. The pith is bitter, and you don't want that in your sauce!
Next, add the chicken to the sauce. You can buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins, or chicken thighs. For a shortcut, I pick up this pre-diced chicken when I see it available.
Then you literally just have to dump-and-bake! Put a foil cover or lid on the dish and pop it in a 425-degree F oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.
During the final 5 minutes of baking, add a bag of thawed stir-fry vegetables to the dish. This will give the vegetables time to heat through and soften a bit, but they won't get mushy and overcooked.
After about 30 minutes in the oven, you'll have juicy chicken and crisp-tender veggies in a warm, creamy coconut peanut curry sauce. Heaven!
How to serve Thai Chicken Curry:
Since you've got the vegetables and protein in one dish, you don't need much more to serve with this meal. Try adding a batch of jasmine rice, white rice or even riced cauliflower (for a grain-free option).
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Instead of baking, you can prepare this chicken curry recipe in the slow cooker. Follow the instructions below, but cook the chicken and sauce in the Crock Pot on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Stir the thawed vegetables into the slow cooker during the final few minutes of cooking -- just enough to heat through and become slightly tender, but not so long that they get mushy and overcooked.
- Both regular canned coconut milk and light canned coconut milk will work for this recipe. The full-fat coconut milk will yield a richer, creamier sauce, but they're both delicious!
- This Thai Red Curry Paste has some kick to it, but you can make a spicy chicken curry recipe by adding crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne to your sauce mixture. To spice up individual servings, serve Sriracha hot sauce on the side!
- I used a frozen broccoli stir-fry blend that included broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, carrots, onions, mushrooms and celery. You can use any stir-fry blend or any other frozen vegetables that you prefer. For instance, if your family just likes broccoli, use about 4 cups of frozen broccoli florets. Just pick whatever you enjoy most!
- This chicken curry recipe has no tomatoes. If you prefer tomatoes in your dish, you can add a can of drained, diced tomatoes during the final few minutes of baking.
- I use pre-diced chicken breast for a shortcut, but you can buy boneless, skinless chicken breast, tenderloins or thighs and dice it on your own.
More easy chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
- Curried Chicken Salad
- One Pot Coconut Indian Chicken Curry Recipe
- Ethel's Curry Chicken Salad
- Dump-and-Bake General Tso Chicken
- Dump-and-Bake Moo Shu Chicken
- Chicken Ramen Noodles in Peanut Sauce
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (13.66 ounce) can coconut milk (shake well before opening)
- ¼ cup peanut butter, warmed slightly in the microwave to melt
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Zest and juice from 1 lime
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins or thighs, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 (14.4 ounce) bag frozen stir fry vegetables, thawed (or 4 cups of frozen vegetables of choice)
- Optional for serving: rice or riced cauliflower; chopped peanuts; sliced green onion; cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Spray a large baking dish (or a Dutch oven or braiser) with cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together the sauce ingredients: coconut milk, peanut butter, water, red curry paste, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, salt, lime zest and lime juice until completely combined.
- Add the diced chicken to the dish, making sure that the chicken is evenly distributed.
- Cover tightly with foil or with a lid. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, stirring the chicken and sauce halfway through. I use a cast iron braiser, so my chicken is done in 30 minutes (or less). If you’re baking the chicken in a glass or ceramic dish, you may need to add some extra time to allow the chicken to cook through.
- During the final 5 minutes of cooking, stir thawed vegetables into the dish. Remove the lid and return the dish to the oven (uncovered) for 5 more minutes (or until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender).
- Allow the dish to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve chicken, vegetables and sauce over rice (if desired) and garnish with chopped peanuts, green onion or cilantro.
Notes
- Instead of baking, you can prepare this chicken curry recipe in the slow cooker. Follow the instructions below, but cook the chicken and sauce in the Crock Pot on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Stir the thawed vegetables into the slow cooker during the final few minutes of cooking -- just enough to heat through and become slightly tender, but not so long that they get mushy and overcooked.
- Both regular canned coconut milk and light canned coconut milk will work for this recipe. The full-fat coconut milk will yield a richer, creamier sauce, but they're both delicious!
- This Thai Red Curry Paste has some kick to it, but you can make a spicy chicken curry recipe by adding crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne to your sauce mixture. To spice up individual servings, serve Sriracha hot sauce on the side!
- I used a frozen broccoli stir-fry blend that included broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, carrots, onions, mushrooms and celery. You can use any stir-fry blend or any other frozen vegetables that you prefer. For instance, if your family just likes broccoli, use about 4 cups of frozen broccoli florets. Just pick whatever you enjoy most!
- This chicken curry recipe has no tomatoes. If you prefer tomatoes in your dish, you can add a can of drained, diced tomatoes during the final few minutes of baking.
- I use pre-diced chicken breast for a shortcut, but you can buy boneless, skinless chicken breast, tenderloins or thighs and dice it on your own.
i love chicken curry. this looks so delicious.
Thank you!
This was so good!! Nice job.
Thanks, Stacey! So glad that you liked it! 🙂
Hi Blair! Just found your blog and am working my way through all of your posts. I'm curious about the curry - do your boys like it? My husband says he doesn't like curry but I am encouraging him to try it. Perhaps using just curry powder would work? What do you think?
Thank you, Susan
Hi, Susan! My husband really loves this recipe, but he generally enjoys curries (so that's not a shock). The kids "tolerate" it, but it wouldn't be their first choice. 🙂 They eat it with rice and they're fine...it's just not their favorite. That's definitely the adults' favorite curry recipe, though -- it seriously tastes like something you'd get at a restaurant. If you want a similar curry recipe that just uses curry powder, though, you can try this version: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/one-pot-coconut-chicken-curry/
Hope that helps!