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This coconut turmeric chicken is such a rich and creamy dinner recipe. Loaded with anti-inflammatory turmeric, this Whole30 chicken dish is full of flavor and super easy to make. Dairy free and paleo, too.

Coconut curry turmeric chicken on a plate with cilantro garnish and a lime to the side

Years ago, I had this boyfriend who told me he loved yellow curry. I bought a giant tub of the stuff at the Asian market, we broke up, and that was kind of that.

Except it wasn’t, because I carried the unopened container from apartment to apartment, all the way to the condo where I met my husband, then to our starter home, then to our home-after-starter-home home. Luckily, the yellow curry inside was vacuum sealed and antiseptic bag within the tub, just begging me to take it space once Elon Musk invites us aboard Falcon Heavy. Or maybe I should have saved it for the zombie apocalypse. You know, equally likely scenarios.

Instead, I got inspired by my obsession with anti-inflammatory turmeric to pair the blazing yellow spice with the equally saturated curry paste. Add a squeeze of lime juice, some naturally sweet coconut aminos, salty fish sauce, and rich, creamy coconut milk, and you’re perfect.

Coconut curry turmeric chicken in a pan with cilantro garnish and a lime to the side

Of course, all of this starts with my perfect pan seared chicken thighs: tender and juicy, perfectly cooked, with crispy skin.

Why This Recipe Works

  • This coconut curry turmeric chicken recipe follows a couple simple directions, making it an easy weeknight dinner. 
  • Searing the chicken thighs before making the sauce creates such tender, flavorful chicken.
  • The combination of a bit of yellow curry with fresh lime juice, coconut aminos, anti-inflammatory turmeric powder, and rich coconut cream makes the most flavorful sauce.
  • The addition of fresh black pepper makes the turmeric’s curcumin more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

Benefits of Including Turmeric in Recipes

Why add turmeric in recipes in the first place? Turmeric contains curcumin, which is extremely anti-inflammatory and is a powerful antioxidant. That means lower risks of cancer and other diseases and improvements in those with arthritis.

Curcumin also improves heart health and could reduce your risk of heart disease by improving the endothelium, or lining of your blood vessels. One study found its consumption as effective as exercise! Uh, yes, honey.

Coconut curry turmeric chicken on a plate with cilantro garnish and a lime to the side

In addition, curcumin is linked to a lower risk of brain diseases, as well as to improved brain function. That might mean improved memory and a lower risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s.

And, of course, it’s delicious and so easy to incorporate into everyday recipes, like this coconut curry turmeric chicken or my iced golden milk turmeric latte. Looking for more info on the benefits of including turmeric in recipes? Check this article out.

Variations

  • Swap the chicken for shrimp: season the shrimp with salt then sauté them quickly, stirring frequently, in the hot pan with the coconut oil. Cook until just pink and cooked through then transfer to a plate. Continue with the rest of the recipe as written.
  • Use a can of coconut cream for an even richer sauce.
  • Try red curry paste in place of the yellow curry paste. You might end up with a somewhat orange version of this coconut curry turmeric chicken recipe, but no matter!
  • Try boneless skinless chicken breasts. You won’t need to finish roasting them in the oven, just sear them in a large skillet with 1 teaspoon coconut oil over medium-high heat for a total of 8 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Add a variety of other veggies, from Thai eggplants to mushrooms, for an even healthier dish.

Tips

  • Don’t move your chicken thighs when searing them skin-done. This is how you get beautifully golden brown and crispy skin!
  • Make sure you use Whole30 fish sauce if you’re on a Whole30. Red Boat is the go-to!

Coconut curry turmeric chicken on a plate with cilantro garnish and a lime to the side

How to Make This Recipe

Heat your coconut oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Season your chicken thighs with plenty of salt then carefully place them skin-side down in the skillet. Don’t move them! Sear for about 7-8 minutes without touching, or until skin releases easily from the pan and is beautifully golden brown.

Turn the chicken thighs over and bake in a 375º oven for 19-20 minutes. Carefully remove and transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Make sure you use a potholder from here on out; the handle of your skillet will be very hot!

Pour off all but about 2 teaspoons of fat from your skillet. Add the yellow curry paste and sauté until fragrant, then add your onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and turmeric and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened and reduced by about half. Stir in your fish sauce, coconut aminos, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Serve your chicken thighs over cauliflower rice, top with plenty of coconut curry turmeric sauce, and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

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Did you make and love this recipe? Give it your review below! ? And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!

5 from 9 votes

Coconut Curry Turmeric Chicken (Whole30, Anti-Inflammatory)

Prep 5 minutes
Cook 37 minutes
Total 42 minutes
This coconut curry turmeric chicken is a rich and creamy dinner recipe. Loaded with anti-inflammatory turmeric, it's full of flavor and easy to make. Dairy free, Whole30, paleo.
4 people

Ingredients

To Serve

  • steamed cauliflower rice
  • fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat your coconut oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Season your chicken thighs with plenty of salt then carefully place them skin-side down in the skillet. Don't move them! Sear for about 7-8 minutes without touching, or until skin releases easily from the pan and is beautifully golden brown.
  • Turn the chicken thighs over and bake in a 375º oven for 19-20 minutes. Carefully remove and transfer the chicken thighs to a plate. Make sure you use a potholder from here on out; the handle of your skillet will be very hot!
  • Pour off all but about 2 teaspoons of fat from your skillet. Add the yellow curry paste and sauté until fragrant, then add your onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and turmeric and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened and reduced by about half. Stir in your fish sauce, coconut aminos, black pepper, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Serve your chicken thighs over cauliflower rice, top with plenty of coconut curry turmeric sauce, and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Calories: 591calProtein: 26gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 651mgPotassium: 681mgTotal Carbs: 12gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gNet Carbs: 9gVitamin A: 765IUVitamin C: 59.9mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 3.2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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15 Comments

  1. Delicious! Such a simple ingredients list for the flavor it packed. I made some tweaks: I cooked 5 thighs instead of 4 and will do even more next time since there was a lot of sauce. I didn’t bake the thighs post-searing. Instead, I turned the heat down to just above medium (like 7 of 10), added water to the pan, and boiled/steamed the thighs for about 25 minutes (turned them over about halfway thru and added more water when needed). I added a double-helping of curry – I use a red paste from the grocery store and it’s not very strong, so the more the better. I added asparagus with the onion and bell pepper (and added a full onion instead of 1/2). TIP: the asparagus got too soft, so next time I’ll cook the onion and pepper for a while, then add the asparagus, then the coconut milk and turmeric. Which reminds me, I added jumbo shrimp when I added the coconut milk, too! I also added the chicken back into the sauce at this point so that they could soak up some more flavor. Forgot the lime juice, so will add that next time for even more punch! Served it with jasmine rice and diced avocado. It’s definitely going on our regular meal list!5 stars

  2. I know fish sauce provides depth of flavor, but I just can’t get used to the smell or taste. Is it okay to leave it out of recipes? If not, any substitution suggestions?

    1. It is okay to leave it out of the recipe, but you could you add perhaps another tablespoon of coconut aminos. 🙂5 stars

  3. Made this last night. Accidentally Ordered boneless chicken thighs but just cut the cooking time down a bit and added a couple more because they were small. I’m looking for an anti-inflammatory recipes and this one really peaked my interest. My daughter and fiancé and I absolutely loved it. Thank you for such a great recipe5 stars

  4. This looks delicious! Can you recommend a substitute for the coconut aminos? I’ve tried it in place of soy sauce in other recipes and it actually makes me feel very sick, almost like a hangover. Thanks!

  5. This chicken is awesome – I never knew how to make such a perfect crisp on that chicken skin! This chicken is bursting with flavor. I added some toasted cashews just for a little crunch – but honestly, it needed no addition. Absolutely perfect.
    I have loved every recipe I have ever made of yours – and I have made quite a few. My husband and I are on the whole 30 right now, and your recipes make us feel spoiled instead of feeling like we are substituting with something just not quite right. You know how to create such flavorful and unique meals that are presented so appealingly. Your recipes will be sticking around long after we finish.
    I think your recipes have made up at least half of my months plan. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world.5 stars

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