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Coconut Curry Basil Chicken. A simple, 30-minute creamy coconut chicken made with fresh basil and salted cashews. This one-skillet dinner is all about bold, vibrant flavor—think yellow curry powder, garlic, onions, spicy jalapeños, and creamy coconut milk. The chicken simmers with garden veggies and basil, and just before serving, a squeeze of lime brings it all to life. Spoon it over rice (to soak up all that saucy goodness), add your favorite flatbread, and dinner’s done. So easy, so delicious.
Summertime is all about quick, fresh, no-fuss dinners. With warm weather, long days, and plenty of things to do, I’m leaning into 30-minute meals more than ever.
After spending a few days back in Ohio, it was clear to me that temperatures are HOT in most areas of the US and Europe too! Which means I’m avoiding the oven and sticking to stovetop cooking—or even better, the crockpot.
Every summer I create a new curry chicken. I love tossing together a few seasonal ingredients, spicy curry, and whatever veggies are at their peak—all in one skillet. It’s fast, flavorful, and always a crowd-pleaser.
My dad used to make similar dishes, usually in the form of an Asian-style stir-fry. But I love the richness coconut milk adds—it gives the sauce a silky creaminess that’s perfect over rice. Let it soak in… it’s the best part.
My brothers go crazy for this one. I always add a little extra black pepper just for them—they love a good peppery kick.
These are the details
Ingredients
- chicken breast or thighs
- spicy or regular curry powder – or you can use my homemade blend
- salted butter or olive oil
- yellow onions
- garlic
- jalapeños
- canned coconut milk
- tamari/soy sauce/or fish sauce – I love to use fish sauce
- honey – brown sugar can be substituted
- kale or spinach – other options are sliced zucchini or bell peppers
- fresh Thai basil or sweet basil
- salted cashews
- limes
- steamed rice – this is for serving
Special Tools
Just a skillet for this recipe with the addition of a great knife, cutting board, and if mixing your own spice blend, a jar or bowl.
Steps
Step 1: Season and cook the chicken
In a large skillet, ideally one with high sides, combine the chicken with the butter, curry powder, and onions. Set the skillet over medium heat and begin cooking.
Once the butter has melted and the onions become fragrant, stir in the garlic and jalapeños. Adjust the amount of jalapeño to your preferred spice level.
Step 2: Add the coconut milk and vegetables
Pour in the full-fat coconut milk to create a rich, creamy sauce. Stir in the tamari (or soy sauce or fish sauce) and honey. Then add your vegetables—I used kale here, but feel free to use whatever looks best and freshest to you.
Let everything simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the greens have wilted down.
Step 3: Add the basil
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the fresh basil. If you can find Thai basil, it adds amazing flavor, but sweet basil works beautifully too.
At this point, stir in the salted cashews. If you’re nut-free, feel free to leave them out or swap in toasted pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.
Serve
Rice is always my first choice—I love letting the sauce soak into the rice, then scooping it all up in one cozy bite.
Other great options: steamed quinoa, brown rice, or a warm piece of naan (or any flatbread you love). All perfect for soaking up that creamy curry sauce!
Vegetables – adapt the recipe to work for you!
As I mentioned above, I love using whatever vegetables that are in season or already in my fridge. Some favorites I’ve used include: sliced zucchini, yellow summer squash, and bell peppers.
Broccoli would be delicious too—feel free to make it your own!
Looking for other quick summer curries? Here are some favorites:
Coconut Curry Salmon with Garlic Butter
Saucy Coconut Curry with Rice Noodles and Garden Vegetables
Weeknight 30 Minute Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs
20 Minute Red Curry Basil Garlic Oil Noodles
Lastly, if you make this Coconut Curry Basil Chicken, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Coconut Curry Basil Chicken
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 432 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons regular or spicy curry powder
- 2 tablespoons salted butter or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeded, if desired, and chopped
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons tamari, soy sauce, or fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 cups finely shredded kale or spinach *
- salt and black pepper
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil or sweet basil
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, combine the chicken, butter/oil, curry powder, and the onions. Set over medium-high heat, then cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños. Cook another 2 minutes.2. Pour over the coconut milk, tamari/soy sauce, and the honey. Now, mix in the kale/spinach, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the greens are wilted down.3. Stir in the basil, lime juice, and cashews. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice, with fresh basil and additional lime juice.
Notes
*If preferred, you can use kale, spinach, sliced zucchini and or chopped bell peppers in this dish. All are wonderful!
Spicy Curry Powder:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder or chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
salt and black pepper Mix everything to combine. Makes 2-3 tablespoons.
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder or chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
salt and black pepper Mix everything to combine. Makes 2-3 tablespoons.
This post was originally published on July 14, 2025
WOW!! What a delicious dish!! My family also LOVED this!! Flavors are incredible.
Hey Diane! Aw thank you so much! So glad you and your family loved the flavors of this curry! 🙂 xT
This was mediocre and the sauce was really thin/watery. Lackluster flavor, disappointing!
Hey Wren! I am so sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Thank you so much for the feedback so that I can hopefully improve this recipe for everyone! 🙂 xT
We really enjoyed this. Since I sliced the onion instead of chopping it, I sautéed it for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly-used fish sauce, spinach and Thai basil. The sauce is thin but very flavorful! Thanks for another great recipe!
Hey Sarah! Thank you so so much! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Hope you have a wonderful summer! 🙂 xT
Hi Tieghan, thanks for the post. Not sure if we’re going to make this one, but will make a review if we do. Just occurred to me— who eats all the food when your parents and siblings are away??
Have a great day!! Hope you’re starting to feel better! Maybe by the weekend you’ll turn a corner. I hope so because I miss your regular content 🙂
Hey Holly! Friends, neighbors! Everyone who is around gets a little of something. But mostly I have friends come try! Thank you for asking! Hope you enjoy the dish! Have a great weekend! xT
I just came to say that I appreciate when you give us substitution options. We all dislike certain cheeses, herbs, vegetables, condiments, etc… It is greatly appreciated that you offer substitutions. If you look over the vast majority of questions that you get, they are requests for substitution suggestions. So, thank you for thinking ahead! You are truly appreciated.
Hey Lisa! Thank you SO much for this comment! This is so so sweet of you! I always try to offer substitution options because I know we all have different preferences! Thanks again! Have a lovely day 🙂 xT
Delicious! So easy to make. Used basil from my garden and added green peppers and zucchini as you suggested for add on vegetables. Served over basmati rice. Such a flavorful quick summer meal. Will definitely make again.
Coincidentally we are having your strawberry ice cream bars for dessert. They are THE BEST.
Hey Donna! Thank you so so much for trying out this curry recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and I hope it becomes a week night favorite! 🙂 xT
This was a perfect weeknight dinner! It came together super fast and I found that the coconut milk thickened into a very nice sauce. I was lucky enough to have some Thai basil on hand and it added the best flavor. I threw in some zucchini and bell pepper as well! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Valerienne! Thank you SO much for trying out the recipe! I hope this becomes a weeknight staple for you! 🙂 xT
ust tried Tieghan Gerard’s Coconut Curry Basil Chicken from Half Baked Harvest what a sunshine-y summer dish! I love how the silky coconut milk and zingy yellow curry powder simmer together for only about 30 minutes, making it a perfect one-skillet, easy weeknight dinner
Hi there! So happy you enjoyed this curry! Thanks for giving it a try, and I hope this becomes a yummy staple in your home! xT
Big hit!
Thank you so much Libby! So glad you enjoyed this curry! 🙂 xT
My husband and I enjoy so many of your recipes but unfortunately this one just missed the mark for us. We found that it lacked flavor and depth which I was surprised by with the ingredients. We will stick to our trusty favorites!
Hey Christie! Thank you for this input! I really appreciate this feedback, thanks for letting me know! So glad you’re enjoying other HBH recipes! 🙂 xT
This came out very watery, not saucy. And the flavor was very flat. Love some HBH recipes. But this one really didn’t do it for me. Part of my problem may have been that I used low fact coconut milk. But that doesn’t explain it all.
Hey Brian! I am so sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you! Thank you for the feedback, I’ll look into this! xT
Fantastic, but so quick and easy. This was everything you said it would be. I did use fish sauce but I used dried Thai basil with my curry and cut back my fresh sweet basil. I used 1 jalapeño and will go with 2 next time. I forgot to drizzle extra lime juice and some fresh sweet basil as I served it. Won’t forget next time.
Hey Tom! Thank you sooo much for trying out this curry! I am so happy to hear it was a hit! The lime juice and basil will be a great addition for next time you make it! 🙂 xT
Hi HBH! Are you using AI to write these blog posts now? Just curious. Also, wondering if you’ll go back to consistent recipes on stories now that Tieghan is going to be home for a while. That’s the content I prefer.
Hey Dara, no we don’t use AI. I write all the website post! Thank you! xT
Could you tell me what was updated? I have it printed out already but can’t quite figure it out!
Hey Sharon! Hope you are having a great summer!
This is a new recipe, I am not sure I follow. Can you clarify? Thank you!! xT
Just following up on this again! It shows at the top the recipe was updated the same day, so I was asking what the update was.
Hey Sharon! Hope you are having a great summer!
This is a new recipe, I am not sure I follow. Can you clarify? Thank you!!
I don’t know if it’s a lighting issue in your barn that is behind your recent placement of pans, bowls, etc., teetering off the counter, but it stresses me out. I would think as a fellow type-A personality it would have the same effect on you! They look precarious rather than aesthetic, especially when the pan is hot and steaming. It seems like a recipe for disaster rather than dinner.
Hey Kate! Taking this into note and will adjust. Thank you for the feedback. Have a wonderful week! xT
I would love to make your recipes however I find you often put mulitple ingredients that are interchangeable ( in a recent recipe it was goat cheese, cream cheese or ricotta which are all very different) Now in this one you have optiona to use tamari, soy sauce or fish sauce , but how can these all be interchangeable? They all have different profile flavors. I wish you wouuld just pick one and not give options, I don’t trust all the options have be thoroughly tested.
Also your ‘curry’ powder doesnt have tumeric or coriander which are two stables of curry!
Hey Kenzie! I apologize! For this recipe, I prefer fish sauce for very best flavor! As for the the curry powder, you can use your own personal blend or something from the store. Whatever you enjoy most! Hoping this helps you! Thanks for the feedback and enjoy the dish! xT