Easy chicken curry with coconut

I absolutely love a curry recipe and my gluten free chicken curry with coconut is one of my go-to ‘fake-away’ meals for a Friday night.

Cooked with fragrant spices, coconut milk, tomatoes and spinach, this gluten free chicken curry is mild but super tasty.

I tend to make this coconut curry recipe with chicken but it also pairs really well with prawns, Quorn pieces, tofu or sweet potato.

A mild and fragrant curry

I sometimes like curries with a bit of a kick but I definitely savour flavour over heat – which is exactly what I’ve gone for in this speedy recipe. 

This coconut curry is spiced with curry powder, cumin, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander and fenugreek.

These are all spices I have readily available in my cupboard, and once you have bought them they can be the base of a whole medley of future curry cook-ups too!

The coconut milk and natural yoghurt in this curry recipe give it a really creamy taste, while the tomatoes and spinach ensure you’re getting a veggie punch too.

All-in-all this is a perfect gluten free chicken curry for the whole family and you can easily adjust the spice level to suit everyone.

What do I need to make this gluten free curry?

The full recipe is below in a printable version, but if you’re writing a shopping list you’ll need to pick up the following ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 1 large onion
• Fresh ginger
• Garlic paste
• 2 large chicken breasts (or prawns, tofu, Quorn or sweet potato, depending what you fancy!)
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1 x 400ml tin of full fat coconut milk)
• 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp natural yoghurt (You can use coconut yoghurt to keep dairy free/vegan)
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

There’s a few idea for substitutions above and in the recipe card if you want to make this dairy free or vegan. It’s super easy!

Feel free to add in any extra veg you like too – I find peas go really well in this, or you could bulk it out with some diced potato to make it go further for less.

And what spices does this curry need?

You’ll also need to get hold of the following spices to flavour this gluten free chicken curry:

• Curry powder
• Cumin
• Ground coriander
• Turmeric
• Fenugreek
• Salt

Hopefully you’ll have plenty of these in your cupboard already, but if not once you have them, you can make this over and over again!

If you want, you’ll also need some flaked almonds and red onion to garnish this dish, and basmati rice to serve.

What do I serve this coconut curry with?

In my eyes, the best way to serve this gluten free chicken curry is with rice and naan breads.

I tend to serve plain basmati rice, though I do also love pilau rice and have a really easy recipe for cheat’s pilau rice here.

You can buy gluten free naan breads from most supermarkets in the free from aisle now, but I’ve really taken to making my own.

The recipe I always use is in my Gluten Free Storecupboard eBook, and it’s a great, no-yeast recipe which tastes just like the real deal!

My gluten free chicken curry recipe

This gluten free chicken curry recipe with coconut serves two people with rice and naan – though you could easily double the ingredients to make it for four people.

It’s fabulous made the day before as the flavours really come out, which makes it perfect for meal prep. You can also freeze it too.

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!

And if you loved it, please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me. 

Continue to Content

Yield: 2

Chicken coconut curry

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A super easy gluten free chicken curry made with coconut milk and a mix of fragrant spices. This is a mild and creamy curry, and you can easily make it dairy free too. Serve with steamed basmati rice and gluten free naan bread.

Print

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
• 1 large onion (finely sliced)
• 2 inch piece of ginger
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 large chicken breasts (chopped into bitesize chunks)
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk (full fat)
• 2 handfuls of fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp natural yoghurt (use coconut yoghurt to keep dairy free)
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

For the spice mix

• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek
• 1/2 tsp salt

To serve:

• Handful flaked almonds
• 1/4 small red onion (sliced finely)

Instructions

1. First mix the ingredients for the spice mix together in a small bowl and set to one side. Take a large, high-sided pan and add 2 tbsp oil. Heat on a low heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and fry for around 5 minutes, until they soften and start to go a lovely golden colour.
3. Once the onions have softened, add the spice mix to the pan. Add the garlic paste and then use a fine grater to grate the (peeled) ginger into the pan. Stir well for around 30 seconds, so the onions are completely coated.
4. Turn the heat up to med/high and add the chicken. Fry for around 4-5 minutes, stirring so that the chicken cooks evenly on all sides. If the mixture starts to stick or become dry, you can add a little extra oil.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Pour the coconut milk into the pan, stir to mix together and then bring to the boil. Once boiling, turn down to a low heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. The sauce should start to thicken a little.
7. After the 15 minutes is up, add the yoghurt, spinach and chilli flakes and sugar (if using). Stir well and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the spinach has wilted. Taste and season with extra salt or sugar to taste if needed.
8. Garnish with the flaked almonds and sliced onion and serve hot. Goes perfectly with plain basmati rice, my easy pilau rice and my gluten free naan breads (from my Gluten Free Storecupboard eBook)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 779Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 44gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 940mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 8gSugar: 8gProtein: 47g

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Need some more gluten free meal inspiration?

If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog, why not give some of these a try? They’re perfect for baking away all of your troubles.

• Creamy houmous and chorizo pasta
• Vegan and gluten free chickpea curry
• The ULTIMATE potato salad recipe
• Easy spinach pasta with ‘no cook’ sauce

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram. 

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

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Like this recipe? Pin these recipe cards below for later!