Can you use red curry paste?

Yes! The color will be different but the flavor will be great. If you're using a more mainstream brand like Thai Kitchen, you may want to use 2 tablespoons instead of 1 tablespoon to make sure you get enough flavor. I use Maesri which is pretty potent so I find that 1 tablespoon is enough.

Can I use curry powder instead of curry paste?

You can, but it won't be nearly as potent (read: yummy). If that's all you have, I would help it out with some sriracha or chili crisp, or turmeric, or roasted red chile paste, or anything else you have to add some flavor depth and dimension.

Can I use light coconut milk?

Yes, but the sauce won't thicken quite as well. You could always thicken it with a cornstarch slurry if having a low fat content is important to you!

Do you have to wipe out the pan?

No, you don't have to. If the pan just has some light nice browning left in it, leave it alone! But if it looks like this after cooking the chicken, then yes, I would wipe it out to avoid the sauce turning a dark brown color.

What other proteins can you use besides chicken?

Shrimp would be great. I've been dying to try it. I also feel like this sauce would be A+ with meatballs or chickpeas (very similar to Steph's Chickpea Curry )!

Do you have to use kale?

No! I happen to have a lot of it in my otherwise very struggling garden right now, which is why I have been using it (plus, it's a nice hefty green that wilts really pleasantly into the sauce). Other great options: spinach, bell peppers, mushrooms, basically anything you'd put in a curry.

Can I use onions instead of a shallot?

Yes. I like shallots a lot. But a thinly sliced onion will do the trick!

Chicken with Coconut Kale Recipe

Description

Golden, juicy, thinly sliced pan-fried chicken swims in a creamy coconut-kale gravy-like situation with slips of shallot and a bit of heat. Super easy, minimal ingredients!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Chicken

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut or pounded into thin pieces
2–3 tablespoons all-purpose chicken seasoning (I use the McCormick Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning)
1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)

Coconut Kale

1 shallot, thinly sliced
2–3 cups finely shredded curly kale, stems removed (about 3-4 stalks)
1 tablespoon yellow curry paste (see notes for subs)
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Optional, for serving:

rice
chili crisp or cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Cook the Chicken: Coat the chicken with the spices. In a large nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Set chicken aside.
Start the Coconut Kale: If needed, wipe your pan out (see notes). In the same pan, add 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil if needed. Saute the shallots, kale, and yellow curry paste for 5 minutes until everything is aromatic and tender.
Simmer the Coconut Kale: Add all other sauce ingredients; simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken. When the sauce has thickened, tuck the chicken back in the sauce. Let it get gently bubbly and spoon the sauce over top.
You’re Done! Yum! Sprinkle the whole thing with cilantro. Serve chicken with scoops of the sauce over rice! Finish with whatever toppings you like – for me it’s chili crisp!

Notes

For the chicken seasoning, you’ll want to use something that uses spices like paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and/or salt. If you’re working without a spice mix, I would recommend the spices in our Air Fryer Chicken! The chicken spices play a big part of both the flavor of the dish and the caramelization / browning of the chicken. For example, if you choose a chicken seasoning that contains sugar, then the overall dish will be sweeter and you’ll notice more browned bits getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.

For the chicken, you want to cook it to 165 degrees internal temperature – I use this meat thermometer all the time and I love it. This one that’s more affordable is also great. (affiliate links)

I’ve been using a ceramic nonstick for this recipe (Nordic Ware Basalt Skillet – affiliate link) and it has amazing release properties so I rarely need to wipe the pan out! That said, if you’re using an older nonstick or a different type of pan that’s holding onto a lot of brown or burnt bits from the chicken, wipe the pan out before you start the sauce. This helps the sauce stay light and golden colored. It is really pan-dependent – for my Nordic Ware nonstick I don’t need to do this at all, but others require a quick wipe down to avoid too much brown in the sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Thai-Inspired

Keywords: coconut chicken, coconut sauce, easy dinner, easy chicken dinner