A Quick and Comforting Weeknight Chicken Curry Skillet

You can get a warm dinner on the table fast with A Quick and Comforting Weeknight Chicken Curry Skillet. A rapid 10-minute simmer turns standard pantry ingredients into a thick pan sauce. The dark meat stays juicy in the coconut broth. You build a strong flavor base by frying the spices first.

The chicken

We recommend chicken thighs because they remain moist even after twelve minutes of simmering. Leaner options such as chicken breasts turn dry when cooked in the liquid for that long. You can swap the thighs for shrimp, fish, turkey, or beef. Simply sear your chosen replacement in the skillet beforehand, remove the pieces, and drop them back into the pan at the end of the simmering stage.

The aromatics and spices

You start the meal by softening the aromatics. Warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger.

Cook these ingredients together for three minutes until the onion turns translucent. Drop the sliced chicken into the pan. Stir the meat until the outside loses its raw pink color and turns white.

Feel free to use any standard brand of curry powder for this recipe. Sprinkle two and a half tablespoons of the seasoning over the meat and cook it for two minutes. Frying the powder right in the hot pan brightens the spices and creates flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Moving straight to the liquids without toasting the curry powder will result in a less flavorful sauce.

The pan sauce

Pour the low-sodium chicken stock and coconut milk into the skillet.

This recipe uses a moderate amount of coconut milk. A moderate amount prevents the sauce from becoming too heavy. You can substitute coconut cream or use extra coconut milk to make a richer sauce, but you will need to simmer the liquid longer to reduce it.

Give everything a good stir and drop the heat to medium. The liquid thickens and develops flavor during a rapid 10-minute simmer. You can add 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste at this stage. The tomato paste thickens the liquid slightly and darkens the color.

Vegetables and heat

Frozen peas go into the skillet near the end of the process. They only need two minutes to warm through.

You can swap the peas for different diced vegetables, dropping them into the pan based on how much time they need to cook. If you want to increase the heat level, stir in some hot curry powder, ground chili powder, or a bit of cayenne pepper.

Side dishes and bases

Give the sauce a quick taste and stir in an extra pinch of salt if desired. Sliced scallions or fresh chives make an excellent substitute for the coriander or cilantro leaves. Scatter your preferred green garnish across the chicken just before serving. Ladle the finished dish over a starchy foundation to absorb all the extra liquid.

• Serve the chicken over a bed of steamed rice, warm noodles, or mashed potatoes.
• Provide flatbreads on the side to soak up the sauce.
• Add a side dish of tossed lettuce, a salad of green beans, or some dressed cabbage.