Coconut Chicken Curry Recipe

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021760-coconut-chicken-curry?smid=share-url

Total Time

1 hour

Rating

5(9,245)

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Curry powder is stirred into this braise only during the last minute of cooking, delivering a bright hit of spice on top of the paprika and turmeric mellowed into the slow-simmered chicken. This dish from “Burma Superstar” by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy (Ten Speed Press, 2017), needs time on the stove but not much attention, and gets even better after resting in the fridge, making it an ideal weeknight meal that can last days. There’s plenty of coconut milk broth to spoon over rice or noodles. At his restaurant, Burma Superstar in Oakland, Calif., Mr. Tan also serves this with platha, a buttery, flaky Burmese flatbread, for dipping. —Genevieve Ko

Featured in: [A Kitchen Resolution Worth Making: Follow the Recipe Exactly](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/dining/cookbook-recipe-resolutions.html)

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Yield:4 servings

*   2½pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
*   1tablespoon ground paprika
*   ½teaspoon ground turmeric
*   2teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
*   ⅓cup canola oil
*   2yellow onions, finely diced
*   4garlic cloves, minced
*   1(13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
*   1½tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
*   1teaspoon Madras curry powder
*   ½teaspoon ground cayenne
*   Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
*   1cup cilantro sprigs, for serving
*   1lime or lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

[Ingredient Substitution Guide](/article/ingredient-substitutions)

##### Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

797 calories; 50 grams fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 61 grams protein; 1265 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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1.  Step
    
    1
    
    Trim the chicken thighs of excess fat and cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces; transfer to a bowl. Add the paprika, turmeric and salt, and use your hands to mix well. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
    
2.  Step
    
    2
    
    In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high. Stir in the onions, lower the heat to medium-low and cook gently, stirring often to prevent scorching, until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring often, until most of the water from the onions has been cooked out and a glossy layer of oil has risen to the surface, about 5 minutes more.
    
3.  Step
    
    3
    
    Add the marinated chicken and stir to release the spices into the onion. Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a near boil. Let the coconut milk simmer briskly for about 4 minutes to thicken a bit. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the fish sauce. Stir in 1½ cups water and bring to a near boil. The broth will thin out as the chicken starts to release its juices.
    
4.  Step
    
    4
    
    Lower to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Droplets of paprika-red oil will rise to the surface. Stir in the curry powder and cayenne, simmer briefly and remove from the heat.
    
5.  Step
    
    5
    
    If time permits, let the curry sit for at least 20 minutes before serving. This allows the chicken to soak in more flavors as the curry cools. Bring to a simmer again right before serving and taste, adding more salt or fish sauce if desired. Serve over rice or noodles, with bowls of cilantro and lime wedges.
    

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A list of ingredients is good, but I also wish recipes were written like this: Trim 2 ½ pounds chicken thighs of excess fat and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces; transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon turmeric and 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and use your hands to mix well. ... In a large pot, heat ⅓ cup canola oil over medium-high. Stir in 2 yellow onions, finely diced ... add 4 garlic cloves, minced, and continue to cook ... add 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut

A Cantonese take on Thai. Very good, very bland. So I doubled & pounded the garlic, grated a 1 1/2" piece of ginger, used 3 tbsp fish sauce, used 2 tbsp of Thai red curry paste (not the cayenne) & 1 full tsp turmeric, added the zest of 1 lime, & sauteed in coconut oil. Also used good chicken stock instead of water, reducing the amount to 1 cup. Served with chopped cilantro & lime wedges. Delicious, though NOT as written.

I also wish that recipe writers were more specific about onions. Yellow onions range widely in size, so cups or ounces or grams would be much appreciated in the interest of following the recipe precisely! Geez!

Worked very well with cauliflower rice in place of starchy rice, for my keto-focused hubby.

Didn’t add a drop of water, and it was sufficiently brothy. I, too, substituted red curry paste for Madras and more than doubled the rest of the spices, especially the salt. Frozen peas into the mix as well. Such a comfy meal for a -10 degree New York City winter evening!

I cut chicken smaller and used less than a pound so it didn't need to cook so long. Just used 1 cup of water. Added veggies with garlic. Used fish sauce, but maybe try soy sauce next time. Maybe add a bit a grated ginger??

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