Chicken and Broccoli Coconut Curry

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Total Time 30 minutes

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Chicken and Broccoli Coconut Curry dish brought to you by everything tasty, delicious, and nutritious I could put into one bowl. Yellow curry powder, coconut milk, a little sugar, and a hint of lime all come together to make this chicken and broccoli recipe super easy and flavorful!

For more Asian-inspired dishes, check out my recipes for Asian Citrus Chicken Salad, Sticky Asian Grilled Chicken, Mango Chicken Curry, and Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

top view of chicken and broccoli coconut curry in a pot with a serving spoon.

I feel like I haven’t made an Asian-inspired dish in a while, and it was about time, right? I make my favorite slow cooker broccoli beef every chance I get, but I really needed something new on the weekly menu so I started experimenting with my re-creating some of my favorite Asian restaurant dishes. 

Since we all eat with our eyes first (and, let’s face it, a yummy-looking dish makes for a yummy-looking photo), I actually went about this recipe thinking of colors. You know they say, eat the rainbow and all, and I was thinking about how striking the colors of curry are. Reds, yellows, and greens, all so flavorful and delicious, I had a hard time deciding which one to work with. 

Yellow won out though (obviously) and putting yellow curry powder with chicken and broccoli seemed like a no-brainer. Think of this dish as a healthy alternative to takeout. This is one meal my husband would agree is just as good, if not BETTER than takeout. Always a good sign that a curry recipe will work! 

And, with just 8 ingredients (most you’ll probably even have on hand), I think it’s well within your reach to make easily chicken curry with coconut milk. What do you say? Are you going to try it? 

close up of chicken and broccoli coconut curry in a pot.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need very few ingredients to make this Indian Chicken Curry recipe. Get out your pen and paper (or just look at your phone at the grocery,  ha): 

  • Sesame oil
  • Broccoli florets
  • 3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Yellow curry powder
  • Salt
  • 2 cans of Thai coconut milk 
  • 1 lime 
  • Sugar
  • Cilantro 

Here’s How You Make It

As easy as the grocery list looks, it’s just as easy to put this dish together! 

First, cut all of the broccoli into smaller floret pieces and slice the chicken into thin strips. Next, add the sesame oil into a large skillet, and then add the chicken and broccoli, sauteing over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. 

Next, sprinkle the curry powder and salt over the chicken and broccoli and keep cooking until the broccoli is tender and the chicken is just barely cooked through, so about 78 minutes. 

Add the coconut milk, lime juice, and sugar and stir this all in together with the chicken and broccoli in the skillet. Taste. Is it to your liking? Awesome, then it’s time to eat. Not enough salt? Add some more until you think it’s perfect. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over a bed of fluffy rice.  

top view of chicken and broccoli coconut curry with a spoon in a bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Chicken Curry taste like?

This is a tough question, because I have a hard time describing how things taste. I mean, “delicious” is a great word, right? But doesn’t really give a very specific idea of how something tastes. 
Curries are often made with spices like turmeric (that’s what makes it yellow), cumin, ginger, and bay leaves. Also you’ll find cinnamon, cloves, and pepper too. So it tastes quite savory, deep and earthy, and can also be hot if there is a lot of pepper present. 

Are curries healthy?

Just like anything you eat, whether or not a curry is healthy depends on what you put in it and how you cook it. This particular recipe is healthy because we only use a little bit of oil and lots of fresh broccoli. 
Curry powder, what as a spice combo made with lots of anti-inflammatory properties (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon), is a great spice blend full of health benefits. 
If you’d like to increase the nutritional value of this dish, consider adding in more vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, and edamame are good picks) or serving over brown or cauliflower rice. You could also serve this dish over zucchini (or another veggie) noodle. 

top view of chicken and broccoli coconut curry in two bowls.

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Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!

chicken and broccoli curry and rice in a bowl
4.91 from 115 votes

Chicken and Broccoli Coconut Curry

Chicken and Broccoli Coconut Curry dish brought to you by everything tasty, delicious, and nutritious I could put into one bowl. Yellow curry powder, coconut milk, a little sugar, and a hint of lime all come together to make this chicken and broccoli recipe super easy and flavorful!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
0 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 4 cups broccoli florets
  • 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into strips
  • 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans Thai coconut milk, see note
  • juice of ½ lime, about 2 teaspoons
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions 

  • Drizzle sesame oil into a large skillet.
  • Add chicken and broccoli and sauté over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle curry powder and salt over the chicken and broccoli and continue to sauté until broccoli and chicken are just barely cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.
  • Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, and sugar.
  • Taste, add salt as needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over rice.

Notes

I strongly prefer the Thai canned coconut milk to the coconut milk you would find in the refrigerated or baking section. You can find the Thai variety in the Asian aisle of most any grocery store. I usually use the Taste of Thai or Thai Kitchen unsweetened canned coconut milk. 
Curry by itself does not have a strong flavor – use salt to bring out the curry flavors! Taste, add salt, taste, and add more if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 810mg | Potassium: 962mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 647IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a star rating or comment below!
Tiffany of Creme de la Crumb in the kitchen

Welcome!

Hey there, I’m Tiffany – chef, photographer, mother, and avid taco eater. I am passionate about turning simple flavors and ingredients into tasty meals the whole family will love, with minimal prep and cleanup so there’s more time to spend eating and enjoying. Stay awhile, and help yourself to a taco or two!

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4.91 from 115 votes (98 ratings without comment)

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42 Comments

  1. Bonnie says:

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner , and was excellent !! No more bottle sauces for us !! Thank You !!

  2. B says:

    I second another comment on here asking how calories and total fat can be so low with two whole cans of full fat coconut milk? Is the calculation off, possibly?

    1. Tiffany says:

      These nutrition stats are an estimate based on the tools available to us, you are welcome and encouraged to verify nutrition stats with your own, trusted nutrition calculator source! 🙂

  3. Cindy says:

    5 stars
    Made this last night. Decided to simmer after adding the coconut milk just a bit, cuz I wasn’t sure about that step or if it was missing. 😉 I only needed to use one can of coconut milk for us. It was quite delicious! Will be a repeat. Thanks!

  4. Jill says:

    Step 2 has a typo and it’s confusing as to what to do. Could you please correct it?

    1. Tiffany says:

      So sorry about that and thank you for pointing out the error. It should be corrected now.

  5. Sarah Perry says:

    5 stars
    I don’t normally do reviews but I had to in this one. Super easy and super delicious. I did double the curry as we love it.

    1. Tiffany says:

      That’s great to hear! So glad you enjoy this recipe!

  6. Leanna says:

    Can you make & freeze this recipe?

    1. Tiffany says:

      Yes, for sure!

  7. Rb says:

    Can I use homemade coconut milk?

    1. Tiffany says:

      Sounds amazing! I’d try it!

  8. Ellen says:

    5 stars
    I have made this several times and it is delicious! However, I don’t know how you came up with your nutritional values.The coconut milk alone per serving is 300 cal and 30 g of fat. I used two cans of the Thai coconut milk that you recommended. Did I do something wrong?

  9. Dimitri says:

    Hi Tiff,

    Thanks for sharing this recipe. Would you mind sharing the coconut milk you’re using. I struggle to understand how the calories can be so low with two cans of coconut milk. Thank you!

  10. Julia says:

    5 stars
    Really simple to prepare and tastes delish.