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This simple Baked Curry Chicken 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.
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We live in rural Central Virginia, so there are no specialty ethnic 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” we don’t have access to regularly).
When we were recently on one of these dinner dates, I ordered a special off the menu that was described as a curry chicken dish 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.
What is Curry Chicken?
Curry is a classic dish rooted in Southeast Asian, Thai, and Indian cultures. It’s all about the flavorful curry sauce made with an array of warm Indian spices and a handful of other simple ingredients. This simple chicken curry has all the iconic curry flavors in one easy dump-and-bake dinner that the whole family will enjoy.
You only need a couple of minutes to prep this recipe. The base is a creamy spiced curry peanut sauce – how good does that sound?! While cooking curry at home might seem intimidating, it’s really not. You can find everything you need for this simplified recipe at most local grocery stores.
What is the difference between curry chicken and chicken curry?
You may have heard this dish called both “curry chicken” and “chicken curry,” but the truth is that they both refer to the same dish – chicken pieces cooked in a sauce made with curry powder or curry paste, as well as other seasonings and spices. Whether you call the dish curry chicken or chicken curry comes down to preference and regional conventions, but there is no real difference between the two.
Ingredients for Baked Curry Chicken
You only need a handful of ingredients for this easy curry chicken recipe. Below is an overview of everything you need. As always, the complete ingredient list and directions are in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Chicken: I use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs would also work in this recipe.
- Coconut Milk: the creamy base of the curry sauce.
- Red Curry Paste: a bold and mild curry paste made from red chilies.
- Peanut Butter: adds a nutty sweetness to the sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: adds a rich umami flavor to the sauce.
- Ground Ginger: a classic spice in Asian and Indian curry dishes.
- Lime Juice: the juice and zest of lime add a citrusy freshness that balances beautifully with the warm spices and sweet peanut butter.
- Vegetables: I use a frozen stir-fry mix, but any vegetables your family loves will work.
Can I substitute coconut cream for coconut milk in this curry chicken recipe?
The good news is that coconut cream and coconut milk are very similar, but I would not recommend using coconut cream in this recipe. The curry sauce already has a thicker consistency due to the red curry paste and peanut butter and needs to be diluted down. Using coconut cream could make the sauce even thicker. If you want a thicker consistency, use less water to dilute the sauce and stick with full-fat coconut milk.
How to Make Dump-and-Bake Curry Chicken
Next time you need an easy weeknight meal, pull out this baked curry chicken recipe! It’s a simple yet flavorful take on one of the most classic dishes, made right in your own home. 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!
- Whisk together the curry sauce ingredients.
- Add the diced chicken and stir the chicken pieces into the sauce.
- Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Add the thawed stir fry vegetables and stir them into the sauce.
- Bake for 5-10 more minutes until the chicken is done and vegetables are tender.
Homemade Chicken Curry Sauce
Let’s start with the base of this baked curry chicken recipe – the easy curry sauce! Coconut milk and red curry paste are the main traditional ingredients in a curry sauce. These ingredients thicken and flavor the sauce with warm, savory spices. If you don’t have coconut milk on hand (or are allergic to coconut), you can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream as a substitute.
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.
Lime juice and zest add brightness to the curry sauce, really bringing it to life. A quick tip about juicing and zesting a lime: First, be sure to roll the lime to make it easier to juice. You always want to zest the lime before cutting and juicing. 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!
Baking Homemade Chicken Curry
The next step is adding the chicken to the sauce. You can buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenderloins, or chicken thighs. I pick up pre-diced chicken for a shortcut when I see it available. This recipe would also work with other pieces, like chicken drumsticks or chicken legs (but the cooking time would vary).
I use a deep cast iron skillet, so my chicken is usually cooked in 30 minutes or less. If you’re using a glass or ceramic baking dish, you may need to add some extra cooking time to allow the chicken to cook thoroughly.
This recipe is the definition of a dump-and-bake family dinner recipe! Just cover the dish and pop it in a 425-degree oven. 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.
Fresh vs. Frozen Veggies in Baked Curry Chicken
I use a frozen stir-fry vegetable mix for ease and convenience – it’s so quick and easy to take the already chopped and diced bag of veggies out of the freezer, let them thaw while the curry is in the oven, and toss them in towards the end of the cooking time. However, if you prefer fresh vegetables, that’s perfectly fine. Just allow more total time and add the vegetables to the chicken curry mixture before cooking.
If you prefer to use fresh vegetables, here are some options:
- Onions (use white or yellow onion)
- Red and yellow bell peppers
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Green beans
What to Serve with 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 or brown rice, or even riced cauliflower (for a grain-free option).
Additionally, serve curry chicken with naan bread, pita bread, or homemade dinner rolls to scoop up the delicious, creamy coconut peanut curry sauce.
Homemade Curry Chicken Recipe Variations and Tips
- 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, but you can make a spicy curry recipe by adding crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper to your sauce mixture. To spice up individual servings, serve Sriracha hot sauce on the side!
- I used a frozen stir-fry blend that included broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, carrots, onions, mushrooms and celery. You can use any stir-fry blend or other frozen vegetables 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, add a can of drained, diced tomatoes during the final few minutes of baking, or add tomato paste to the curry sauce.
- I use pre-diced chicken breast as a shortcut, but you can buy boneless, skinless chicken breast, tenderloins, or thighs and dice it on your own.
More Flavorful Chicken Recipes to Try
Baked Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 can can coconut milk (13.66 oz) shaken 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 bag bag frozen stir fry vegetables(14.4 oz) thawed
- 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.1 can can coconut milk (13.66 oz), ¼ cup peanut butter, 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
- Add the diced chicken to the dish, making sure that the chicken is evenly distributed.2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenderloins, or thighs
- Cover tightly with foil or with a lid. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, stirring the chicken and sauce halfway 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).1 bag bag frozen stir fry vegetables(14.4 oz)
- 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.Optional for serving: rice or riced cauliflower; chopped peanuts; sliced green onion; 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, but you can make a spicy curry recipe by adding crushed red pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper to your sauce mixture. To spice up individual servings, serve Sriracha hot sauce on the side!
- I used a frozen stir-fry blend that included broccoli, bell peppers, water chestnuts, carrots, onions, mushrooms and celery. You can use any stir-fry blend or other frozen vegetables 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, add a can of drained, diced tomatoes during the final few minutes of baking, or add tomato paste to the curry sauce.
- I use pre-diced chicken breast as 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!
Tried this in the crockpot and loved the ease of preparation but the taste was just slightly off. Then realized there was no onion or garlic in the recipe. I fried a chopped onion and some garlic and added it after the fact and that fixed it. In the spirit of dump-and-bake, could I suggest just adding onion powder and garlic powder to the sauce in the 1st place?
That’s a great suggestion, Julie. Thank you!
Can I use pre-cooked chicken in this?
For the best results, we recommend raw chicken. Cooked chicken is likely to dry out.
Thanks!
Thanks!