These Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs are super flavorful and easy to make in just one pot! The perfect cozy dinner recipe. All you need for this recipe are simple ingredients and less than an hour of your time.
This coconut curry chicken thigh recipe is easy and quick! If you are a fan of Thai curry, you will love this recipe!
It is warm, savory and comforting, just what you want and need on a cold night. This dish is full of flavorful chicken thighs, lots of delicious and healthy veggies and a rich and creamy coconut milk sauce. The whole family is going to love this one!
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Easy weeknight dinner. This dish is loaded with flavor but it's still a super simple and quick meal that can be great for even the busiest of nights.
- Flavorful. When I first made this recipe, I was blown away. It has quickly become one of my favorite recipes to make. It is truly a flavor powerhouse.
- Customizable. You can easily add in your favorite veggies to make this the perfect meal for you.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs- you can use boneless chicken thighs but I prefer the additional flavor that bone-in chicken thighs provide.
- Smoked paprika- you cannot beat the smell and flavor of smoked paprika, I promise it will make all the difference.
- Vegetables- you will need yellow onion, zucchini, bell pepper and baby bok choy. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables such as broccoli or snap peas.
- Ginger- you can use fresh ginger, frozen ginger or ginger paste in this recipe.
- Red curry paste- I always use this curry paste from Thai Kitchen. If you can't find red curry paste, use green or yellow. However, I personally think the red has more flavor.
- Coconut aminos or soy sauce- I prefer coconut aminos because they have less sodium but they also add a little sweetness to the dish.
- Oyster sauce- use fish sauce if you don't have or can't find oyster sauce.
- Can full fat coconut milk- full fat coconut milk will make the dish extra creamy. You won't get this if you use lite coconut milk.
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
Equipment Needed
You only need a few kitchen tools for this recipe:
- Cutting board and chef's knife
- Dutch oven or large saucepan
- Kitchen tongs
- Measuring cups and spoons needed: tablespoon, ½ tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon, and ¼ cup.
- Mixing utensil
Instructions
Prep and cook the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, paprika and turmeric. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs sear them on each side until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate for later.
Soften the veggies. Add the diced onion, red bell pepper and zucchini to the pot and cook until the onion is softened. Add the chopped baby bok choy, garlic, ginger and curry paste and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the liquids. Pour in the coconut aminos or soy sauce, oyster sauce and coconut milk.
Simmer and serve. Next, add the chicken thighs back to the pot, partially cover and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat, squeeze in some lime juice and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Braising chicken involves two steps- browning the chicken and then simmering it in a liquid or broth. It results in juicy, flavorful chicken with a nice crust.
Brown the chicken thighs by searing them for about 5 minutes on both sides. Simmer the thighs in a liquid or broth by covering the thighs about ¾ way and partially covering the pot and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks are the best cut for braising. Braising allow the meat to develop a rich flavor and become super tender.
I recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can easily reheat in the microwave.
Serving
Serving up the Thai curry braised chicken thighs and wondering what to pair them with? Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Rice: I love using Jasmine or Basmati rice to soak up the broth in this dish. You can also use brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa.
- Naan bread: Naan bread is perfect for soaking up the juices in this dish and is a great excuse to eat with your hands! Pick a garlic naan for even more flavor.
- Garnish the dish with cilantro or green onions.
Top Tips
- I highly recommend using this Thai red curry paste from Thai Kitchen. Curry paste can be found at most grocery stores in the Asian food section.
- Full fat coconut milk is the only option here (sorry, not sorry). It truly will not be the same with lite coconut milk.
- The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165 degrees F.
More Chicken Recipes
Air Fryer Jamaican Style Curry Chicken
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
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Recipe
One-Pot Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 2 baby bok choy, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
- ¼ cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- salt, to taste
- ½ lime, juiced
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with a ¼ teaspoon of salt, black pepper, paprika and turmeric.
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add chicken thighs and brown for about 5 minutes, per side.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside on a plate for later. Add the diced onion, bell pepper and zucchini to the pot and cook until the onion is translucent about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the chopped baby bok choy, minced garlic, ginger and curry paste to the pot and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the coconut aminos or soy sauce, oyster sauce and a can of coconut milk. Stir in additional salt, to taste.
- Then, add the chicken back to the pot, partially cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat, squeeze in lime juice and let cool for about 5 minutes before servings.
- Serve with Jasmine rice or naan bread and enjoy!
Notes
- I highly recommend using this Thai red curry paste from Thai Kitchen. Curry paste can be found at most grocery stores in the Asian food section.
- Full fat coconut milk is the only option here (sorry, not sorry). It truly will not be the same with lite coconut milk.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Nancy says
Made this tonight.. this is delicious! I didn't use bok choy, had zucc and summer squash in the fridge. So good over brown rice and some Naan.
Flavors are amazing
Sarah Holt says
This is one of our favorite meals!
Anita says
A big pot of this and a pot of rice cooking in my rice cooker = happy family meal time. 😉
Sarah Holt says
Sounds amazing Anita
Caroline says
Easy to make, lots of flavours and just perfect for a family dinner!
Sarah Holt says
Hi Caroline, it makes a great family dinner! Thanks for sharing!
Jessica Formicola says
One pot meals are my favorite, and this one is so full of flavor! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Sarah Holt says
one pot meals are the best, thanks Jessica!
Jenn says
There's some serious flavor in this dish, but I love that it uses an economical cut of meat so that it stays an affordable meal for my family. I'm making this tonight and I can taste it already!
Sarah Holt says
Love using affordable ingredients that you can find almost anywhere, thanks Jenn
Beth says
This looks so delicious and tasty! My family is going to love this recipe! Can't wait!
Sarah Holt says
hope you love it Beth!