Creamy Coconut Curry with Chicken and Eggplant

This creamy coconut curry brings together tender dark meat chicken, silky eggplant and colorful bell pepper in a luscious sauce with a sweet chili kick. The curry is rich, slightly spicy and perfectly balanced by a side of zesty cilantro lime rice.

Ready in just 30 minutes, this one-pan meal is ideal for busy weeknights when you crave something comforting and flavorful. The combination of coconut milk, curry powder and sweet Thai chili sauce creates a sauce that’s both creamy and vibrant, while the cilantro lime rice adds a fresh, bright finish.

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Ingredients

1 unit Green Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Sweet Thai Chili SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat ChickenView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 tablespoon Curry PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Coconut MilkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit EggplantView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. Trim ends off eggplant; dice into ½-inch pieces. Core, deseed and dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Zest and quarter lime. Mince cilantro.
3. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, bell pepper and a big pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are beginning to soften, 4-6 minutes. If pan looks dry, add another drizzle of oil. Turn off heat; transfer veggies to a plate. Wipe out pan.
4. Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add chicken and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Stir in half the curry powder (all for 4 servings); cook until fragrant, 1 minute. (The chicken will finish cooking in the next step.)
5. Thoroughly shake coconut milk in container before opening. Stir eggplant mixture, coconut milk, chili sauce, stock concentrate, 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings) and juice from half the lime into pan with chicken. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until sauce has thickened, veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through, 4-6 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, add a splash of water. Taste and season with salt and more lime juice if desired. Remove from heat.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest, half the cilantro and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice and coconut curry between shallow bowls in separate sections. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breast instead of dark meat?

Yes, you can substitute boneless skinless chicken breast, but dark meat stays juicier and more flavorful in the curry.

Is this curry spicy?

The sweet Thai chili sauce adds a mild kick. For less heat, reduce the chili sauce; for more, add extra or include red pepper flakes.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, simply omit the butter or use a dairy-free alternative. The coconut milk already provides creaminess.