Coconut Curry Chicken and Vegetables

There’s few things as glorious to a home cook stretched for time as a one pan dinner. Extreme bonus points are earned when you also take a typical one pan dinner and add a twist that the kids won’t freak out on and the grown ups feel is a little more unique and special. Enter this coconut curry chicken and vegetables one pan meal that incorporates the creaminess of coconut milk and the subtle spice of Thai curry paste.The thing I love about this coconut curry chicken and vegetables one pan tray bakes is the ease with which you can adjust ingredients to just about any vegetable and seasonings you have on hand, and the formula is just about the same. Chicken (either breasts or thighs & drumsticks) + vegetables of choice + seasonings of choice + fat in form of oil so things don’t dry out = totally versatile one pan dish.

What’s In This Curry Dish?

This dish uses bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, cauliflower florets, halved Brussels sprouts, onion and carrots, with some snap peas tossed in half way through baking. And of course it uses the perfectly paired coconut + curry as it’s fat & seasonings to flavor the dish and make it moist. And don’t worry, if you stick to using a Thai curry paste that is very mild in flavor like the one I use, it’s not at all too hot for the kids, providing just a very subtle amount of flavor and heat.

How To Make Coconut Curry Chicken & Vegetables

• Start by placing the chicken in the baking pan, and then add in the vegetables.
• Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper all over, then brush with the red curry paste.
• Bake for 30 minutes if you’re using thighs, or 20 minutes if you’re using breasts. After the allotted time, remove from the oven and gently stir in the coconut milk.
• Bake for an additonal 10-15 minutes until veggies are done and chicken reaches 160 degrees.
• Dish out and serve over jasmine rice or cauliflower rice.

Helpful Tips For Making Coconut Curry Chicken & Vegetables

Oh, and if you think about it ahead of time, definitely brine the chicken for a few hours. A simple process that enhances the flavor and moistness remarkably well. My simple go-to brine recipe is 2.5 cups water + 2 tablespoon kosher salt. Combine in a sauce pan and heat till salt is dissolved. Let cool, then pour brine over chicken, either in a deep bowl which allows for full submersion of the chicken, or in a gallon size Ziploc bag, and allow to sit in the fridge for a few hours. Before using, simply rinse chicken and go about your business. Certainly feel free to switch out the thighs for chicken breasts, just making sure to check for doneness a bit before the 30 minute mark so they don’t dry out. You always want your chicken to register 165 degrees, and breasts definitely dry out before thighs, so I’d recommend a 20/10 minute cooking time as opposed to 30/10. And as you always want to keep in mind, pair vegetables of similar density so that some don’t get overcooked while others are under-cooked. If you want to incorporate more delicate veggies like zucchini or sugar snap peas, stir those in half way between cooking so they don’t get mushy.

More One Pan Chicken Dishes

• Hummus Crusted Chicken & Vegetables Sheet Pan Dinner
• Sheet Pan Cranberry Chicken and Potatoes
• One Pan Roasted Chicken, Rice and Veggies
• Goat Cheese Chicken
• Sheet Pan Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken

How To Serve Coconut Curry Chicken & Vegetables

Both mint and cilantro pair well with coconut curry flavors, so use whichever you have on hand as a garnish. And serve this dish alongside a bowl of steaming white rice, for an all around balanced meal that will satisfy the whole family. I hope you and your fam enjoys this dish, and if you have questions please leave it in the comments 🙂