These easy curry chicken thighs come together in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for a quick and comforting dinner. Bone-in chicken thighs are seared, then braised in a coconut milk and spice mixture—so the chicken stays juicy while creating its own rich, flavorful sauce. With bold Indian-inspired flavors and a creamy texture, this dish is both satisfying and simple. The sauce is delicious spooned over rice and vegetables.
These creamy curry chicken thighs are really is easy and fast using a few simple ingredients from your pantry. Think you don’t like curry? Try this recipe. The warm spices are so inviting and, well, warming! The creamy sauce is terrific with rice and veggies.
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Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Curry chicken thighs makes it's own sauce.
- It's a fast and easy recipe for a busy weeknight.
- Keep most ingredients in your pantry.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken: Use bone-in chicken thighs, but chicken breasts work too.
- Oil: Coconut oil, avocado oil, or use a healthy neutral oil.
- Coconut milk: Use canned coconut milk for a rich, creamy sauce.
- Chicken broth: Buy low sodium so you control the salt.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Curry powder: Start with mild curry powder and add heat with cayenne pepper or hot sauce if you love heat.
- Curry paste: I use this clean red thai curry paste which is medium heat. Use yellow for more mild curry paste.
- Ginger: I use a ginger puree in a jar as it's easy, but you can use fresh ginger finely grated, or the tube puree.
- Limes: For the tart, bright, acidity it adds to the dish.
- Saffron: Use a pinch of saffron threads if you have it for more flavor and color. Just a few threads will do (optional).
- Thickener: Use either cornstarch or arrowroot starch to thicken the pan sauce at the end.
- Cilantro: Fresh chopped for a nice visual counterpart to the golden sauce and adds fresh flavor.
Please see the recipe card for all ingredients and measurements, salt and black pepper.
Substitutions and Variations
- If your family doesn't like dark meat thighs, use bone-in chicken breasts and cut them in half cross wise. Bones add flavor and moisture to chicken.
- Swap fresh Italian parsley for the cilantro.
- Add carrots. Peel and thinly chop 4 carrots and add with the braising sauce.
Recipe Instructions
Pull the chicken out of the fridge and unwrap for 45 minutes if you can. This gets the chill off and helps the chicken cook more quickly with better results.
Trim extra fat and skin with a sharp knife. Season the chicken with sprinkles of sea salt and ground black pepper.
Choose a pan that holds the chicken skin side down in a single layer as well as the braising liquid. Sear chicken skin side down in oil until golden.
Pour off the extra fat in the pan, turn chicken over and pour the coconut curry mixture in the pan around the chicken. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes until chicken reaches 170°F - 175°F. Thighs need to go to a little higher temperature than chicken breasts.
Serving and Sauce
To thicken the braising liquid into a sauce, whisk together the cornstarch and equal water until smooth. Add to the sauce in the pan and cook stirring 1-2 minutes until thickened. If the sauce get lumpy, pulse for a few seconds in a blender.
Serving Suggestions
Curry chicken thighs are great served with either brown, white rice, or quinoa for no-grain. I like to blanch sugar snap peas for 2-3 minutes and serve with the chicken. Simple green beans work perfectly too.
Make Ahead and Reheat
A great way to streamline meal preparation during the busy week is to make a few dishes ahead on Sunday afternoon, cool, wrap well, date and refrigerate. This chicken curry reheats well.
To reheat, place chicken and sauce in a sauté pan in a flat layer and cover with a lid. Turn heat to low. Allow the chicken to heat up slowly and get back to 165°. It will take awhile cold out of the fridge but you can be off doing other things while dinner warms up or making side dishes.
Alternatively re-heat the chicken in a 350°F oven covered for about 30 minutes. Timing depends on how cold it is to start.
Chef's Note: Curry powder is a blend of spices, usually turmeric (where it gets it's color), ginger, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, anise, fenugreek, dry mustard and others. You can buy it at any grocery store. Different brands vary in their taste and blend, so if you like curry, experiment to find your favorite. They also vary from mild to hot.
Recipe FAQs
While you can roast, bake, saute or grill chicken thighs, braising is a delicious, easy and fast way to cook chicken thighs, which is basically what this recipe is. Started with searing, turn, then finish with a broth or gravy, simmering until done.
It depends on where the recipe hails from. Indian curries use cream and yogurt for creaminess, and Thai curries usually use coconut milk for the creamy texture.
More Recipe Ideas
For another terrific chicken recipe try my braised chicken with cashew gravy.
⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make curry chicken thighs, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you and they really help other readers. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating!
📖 Recipe
Easy Creamy Curry Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs about 4 pounds
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or a neutral oil
- 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup chicken broth low sodium
- 3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons milld curry powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons ginger puree, jar or tube or fresh ginger finely zested or grated
- 2 limes
- 1 pinch saffron threads optional
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro for garnish optional
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Instructions
Trim chicken
- Turn thighs skin side down and trim chicken of extra skin and fat. See post photo for help. Season with salt and black pepper both sides.
Make curry sauce
- In a medium bowl stir measuring cup, whisk together coconut milk, broth, garlic, curry powder, curry paste, ginger, lime juice, and saffron. Set it near the stove as you brown the chicken.
Cook chicken
- Place a medium saute or fry pan large enough to hold chicken in a single layer over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, then add the chicken thighs skin side down. Turn heat down to medium.Cook chicken until the skin side is golden, 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate or rimmed baking sheet and pour off fat leaving a little. Add chicken back to the pan top side up.
Add curry sauce
- Pour the milk-broth mixture around the pieces. Bring the pan to a simmer, cover and turn to heat to low. Cook the chicken for approximately another 10-12 minutes, or until they reach 170°F internally. Timing will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken thighs.
- Remove chicken thighs to a plate and keep warm. Whisk the starch with 1 ½ tablespoons of water until smooth, add and simmer, stirring until smooth and thickened, 1-2 minutes. To serve, put the chicken back into the pan and serve family style or place thighs into shallow bowls with rice and veggies then add the creamy sauce. Sprinkle with cilantro and more lime juice if desired
Notes
Nutrition
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Denise says
Ymmy! Delicious recipe. Thank you!
Sally Cameron says
Let me know if you make it Denise!