This flavorful south indian style coconut chicken curry is made with boneless chicken thighs, simmered in an aromatic base made with ginger, garlic, spices and finished with creamy coconut milk. Takes about 35-40 minutes on stove top and 25-30 minutes using instant pot (instructions included). It pairs absolutely perfect with steamed basmati rice!
I've shared many indian dinner recipes with chicken , and like some of my favorites (palak chicken, vindaloo chicken or chettinad chicken), this coconut milk chicken curry also relies on a freshly ground spices to elevate its flavor.
You may wonder, why do I bother grinding spices when I could just pop open a jar and sprinkle? One reason goes back to watching my mom in the kitchen. She always treated non-vegetarian dishes with extra care, toiling over them and coaxing out every bit of flavor.
That extra effort truly transforms a curry. Why? Because, whole spices hold their essential oils far better than pre-ground ones, and grinding them just before cooking releases those oils, giving your dish a deeper aroma, richer color, and amore complex taste. It's a small step that makes a big difference. And once you taste it, you'll know it's worth it. Plus, as one reader said, it makes your whole house smell wonderful!
Featured Review
Thank you so much for the recipe. It came out awesome n my family absolutely loved it....and I would love to add that while it was cooking, the kitchen smelled heavenly
Mousumi
Not convinced? No worries, I've included convenient powdered spice measurements in the recipe card so you can enjoy a similar rich taste with less prep.
My Recipe Development
- If you look at the ingredients, you will notice that spices do the heavy lifting in my recipe. There are no tomatoes to provide acidity or body, and the onions + coconut milk give more of a sweet and mellow base, hence the freshly ground spice blend is really what defines the dish.
- Secondly, onions and coconut milk together, if not kept in the right proportion, can tip the sauce toward a slightly sweet profile. My goal, however, was to create a sauce that feels balanced, it should be aromatic and bold rather than overly sweet.
Ingredients
- Curry leaves (Kadi Patta)- Are super aromatic herb native to India, extensively used in southern parts of india. They add a distinct taste and aroma to dishes. You can easily find them at indian stores, but if you can't, just skip.Unfortunately there is no substitute
- Coconut Milk- Full fat, unsweetened coconut milk gives a beautiful creaminess to the curry. You can use light coconut milk, the sauce will be runny(because of more water content) and not too rich. Coconut cream can be used to finish the dish, I don't suggest cooking it together with chicken. I personally feel that with coconut cream, the coconut flavor doesn't come through.
- Lastly, Tamarind paste is optional, I do love the hint of smoky tang it brings. But can be skipped or substitued with lemon juice. Tamarind sauce/pulp/paste available in stores can be sweetish to super salty depending on the brand. Make sure to taste it and adjust as needed before adding.
Which Cut of Chicken is Best
It is uncommon to make curries with boneless chicken in India. Indian restaurants outside India popularized curries with boneless chicken because they were less messy to serve to non- indian guests. Slowly it became a practice among home cooks like you and me. Boneless chicken curries are definitely quick to make and if we use the right techniques, the flavors come out absolutely amazing.
Always use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for making indian chicken curries. Chicken thighs have more fat hence they are a super flavorful cut for any kind of curry. Chicken breast isnt my favorite because it gets dry & stringy doesn't stand up to the cooking time or add much to the flavor to the sauce.
How To Make Coconut Chicken Curry (Step Pictures)
Preparation
- Toast and grind the spices or if using powdered, keep the spices ready.
- Cut chicken thighs into 2.5 to 3 inch pieces.
- Sprinkle the salt and spices over chicken thighs. Rub thoroughly. Let sit while we prepare the sauce base.
- Chop onions, mince ginger and garlic.
Cooking The Coconut Chicken Curry
Stove Top Method:-
- In a heavy bottom cooking pot or heavy kadai(indian wok), warm up oil and temper with bay leaf, green cardamom and cinnamon.
- Add the onions and lightly brown them for 6-7 minutes. Too much color on onions starts interfering with flavor of coconut milk.
- Next, add the ginger & garlic. Saute for few seconds. Add curry leaves and turmeric powder and saute for 10 seconds.
- Add the spiece rubbed chicken and stir around for about 6-7 minute till you see that the chicken is starting to turn whitish.
- Cover and let cook till the chicken is 90 percent cooked. There is no need to add water, keep the heat on low medium and check 1-2 times to make sure that the chicken is not sticking to the bottom of the pot. On low heat, it will release its own juices and cook.
- Pour the coconut milk, mix and turn the stove to low. Cover and let cook for 15-18 minutes. We don't need to any water, the water from chicken along with coconut milk will form a good amount of sauce. Make sure that coconut milk should simmer and come to a boil(increases chances of curdling).
- Finish the curry with tamarind pulp or lemon juice. Serve warm.
Instant Pot Method:-
- Set the instant pot on saute mode. Warm up the oil and temper with bay leaf and cinnamon. You can also add a small piece of star anise.
- Add the onions and lightly brown them for 6-7 minutes. Then, add the ginger & garlic, green chilies curry leaves and turmeric powder and saute for 20 seconds.
- Add the chicken and saute. Add ⅓ cup water and close the lid of the pot fitted with vent in the sealing position.
- On pressure cook mode, cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid and again put the IP in saute mode. Add the coconut milk and tamarind. Stir around and cook the sauce for 4-5 minutes. Dont let coconut milk come to a boil.
Stove Top Or Instant Pot?
I like the stove top method more because while the curry cooks, I like that I can take a peek here and there and adjust the stove from low to high depending on what's going on in the pot. Also I feel that the texture of the chicken is far more tender.
Instant Pot method is awesome for busy evenings. In about 25 minutes you got a beautiful yellow colored, fragrant chicken coconut curry waiting for you without much effort.
Serving & Variations
Like most south indian dishes, this curry is best served with some plain steamed basmati rice. You can serve a few pieces of naan and a fresh salad to go along. This chicken curry freezes so well. Cool it completely, portion it in plastic containers, cover with lid and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw for a few hours before reheating.
Variations You can Try :-
- Add vegetables - You can add potatoes, green beans, carrots or broccoli to this chicken curry to make it extra satisfying. Potatoes can be added with chicken and for other vegetables, blanch them before adding them towards the end.
- Make it Non Spicy - Skip or reduce the chilies.
Coconut Milk Chicken Curry Recipe (Stovetop & IP)
Ingredients
For Rubbing on Chicken
- 6 dried red chillies or use 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (or as per taste)
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds or use 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds skip if not available
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or use 1 teaspoon ground cumin powder
- 8-10 black peppercorn or use ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 cloves or use ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds or use 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1.25 lb chicken thighs boneless & skinless, cut into 2.5 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
For The Coconut Sauce
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced, about 1 cup onion
- 1-2 green chlilies any hot variety like serrano or thai bird, adjust to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 3 green cardamom pod cracked open
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon tamarind pulp optional, adjust to taste
- 8-10 fresh curry leaves skip if not available
- 1 cup unsweetened full fat coconut milk
Instructions
Rub the Spices on Chicken
- If you are using fresh ground spices - In a small sauce pan, dry roast the spices on low till you smell a nice aroma. Do not let them turn dark brown. Let cool once roasted.
- Grind the roasted spices (not too coarse or too fine ).In a large bowl, add the chicken, sprinkle salt and ground spices (fresh or ready to use). Combine so that chicken is coated in spices, cover and let stand nearby while you make the sauce. Tip : - If you are able to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight, that would make for extra flavorful curry.
Making the Coconut Chicken Curry
Stove Top Method
- In kadhai(indian wok) with lid or dutch oven, heat up the oil on medium. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaf, green cardamom, cinnamon stick and wholes spices crackle for 10-12 seconds in oil.You can also add a small piece of star anise.
- Next, add the onions. Saute the onions for 6-7 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Add the ginger garlic, curry leaves and turmeric next and saute for 15 seconds or so.
- Add the spice rubbed chicken to the pot, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and stir around so that chicken is well combined. Let cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes or till you see that the chicken pieces have started to become whitish and light brown on the edges.
- Cover the pot, reduce stove to low medium and let the chicken cook in its own juices until about 90% cooked, about 12-15 minutes (note that this time will depend on the cut and size of chicken pieces). You can check 1-2 times in between to make sure that the chicken is not sticking. On low heat, chicken will release and cook in its own juices.
- Uncover and add the coconut milk. Do not stir immediately. Let the coconut milk combine on its own at first. Very gently stir the coconut milk. Check and adjust the salt in the sauce. You can add green chilies and extra curry leaves(if desired) at this point. Cover and let simmer on low for 5-7 minutes or so until chicken is cooked through.Tip :- Dont let coconut milk come to a boil, it may curdle.
- If at the end of cooking you want a more saucy/runny curry add ½ cup water and cook for additional 2-3 minutes or till water that you added is is part of sauce.
- Finish with tamarind pulp. Serve with warm rice.
Instant Pot Method
- Set the instant pot on saute mode.
- Warm up the oil and temper with bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon. Add the onions and brown them lightly for 6-7 minutes.
- Then, add the ginger & garlic, green chili, curry leaves and turmeric powder and saute for 20 seconds. Add the chicken, sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and saute with everything else for good 3-4 minutes until you see that the chicken is whitish and starting to get lightly browned.
- Close the lid of the Instant pot fitted with vent in the sealing position. Set to pressure cook mode and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Let the pressure realease naturally.
- Open the lid and put back the IP in saute mode. Add the coconut milk and tamarind. Stir around and cook the coconut sauce for 4-5 minutes. Dont let coconut milk come to a boil. Check and adjust salt to taste.
- If at the end of cooking you want a more saucy/runny curry add ½ cup water and cook for additional 2-3 minutes till water that you added is is part of sauce.
- Finish with tamarind pulp. Serve with warm rice.
Video
Notes
- Cut chicken thighs into a bit large pieces - 2.5 to 3 inch chunks. As they cook the release their juices and shrink in size.
- This is particularly useful tip for boneless chicken cooking. At any stage of cooking, don't let chicken cook on high heat for long to avoid tough chicken. When we use IP, just 3 minutes of high pressure cooking and rest everything is on saute mode. When cooking on stove top, you should make sure that the curry cooks on low to medium, there should not be any intense bubbling/boiling, only simmering.
- Don't let the curry boil once you have added the coconut milk because there are chances of sauce getting curdled.
- Tamarind sauce/pulp/paste available in stores can be sweetish to very salty depending on the brand. Make sure to taste it before adding to the sauce. Use lemon juice to finish if you dont have tamarind.
- Use light coconut milk if desired
- Add vegetables - You can add baby potatoes, green beans, carrots or broccoli to this chicken curry to make it extra satisfying. Potatoes can be added with chicken and for other vegetables, blanch them before adding.
- Make it Non Spicy - Skip or reduce the dried and green chilies.
Ed says
I had half of a can of coconut milk in the fridge that I didn't want to waste so yesterday I did a search for "Indian curry + coconut milk" and found this page. I just made this recipe and took a taste. WOW! I don't think I've been to this site before yesterday, but I'll be a regular visitor now. Awesome dish. Thanks so much.
Jon says
Hi I love any coconut based and like to use fenugreek seeds too. I usually tenderise the chicken in yogurt for a few hours. Do you think this would be fine with this dish also. Id still be using coconut milk for the gravy base.
Thank you.
ps Ive had trouble with subscribing to updates via your website, can you add me please? Thanks
Tanvi says
Yes absolutely! You can marinate chicken in yogurt, I would say about 1/4 to 1/3 cup.
I will add you to the subscription list. Thanks so much.
Mousumi says
Thank you so much for the recipe. It came out awesome n my family absolutely loved it....and I would love to add that while it was cooking, the kitchen smelled heavenly .
Tanvi says
Yay!Happy to know. Thank you so much for your feedback.