Coconut Chicken and Zucchini Curry.

This Simple Coconut Chicken Curry is so quick and easy to make. It’s made with flavorful yellow curry powder, turmeric, garlic, and creamy coconut milk. The chicken simmers in the sauce with garden zucchini, then gets topped with a spicy homemade chili butter. Serve it over bowls of steamed rice to soak up all that delicious curry sauce. And don’t forget the warm naan on the side. It’s a must!

My family and friends haven’t always loved everything I’ve made, and curry was definitely one of those dishes that used to get a hard no. But over the years, everyone has come around. My brothers especially love curry now. Yellow curry, spicy red curry, and butter chicken are some of their favorite meals. They even order curry when they travel.

It’s a big improvement from thirteen years ago when I shared my original crockpot butter chicken recipe back in 2013. I made that recipe all the time, and honestly, I still do. But I’ll never forget when my brother Trevor told me it tasted like a Christmas candle. That comment scared me away from making curry for a little while!

A few years later, I started experimenting with more curry recipes, and slowly everyone around our dinner table came around. Now yellow curries are some of our favorites.

I even have friends who make my curries almost every week. They’re easy, usually packed with vegetables, and the leftovers are just as good for lunch or dinner the next day. They also freeze really well, which is always a bonus.

With so much summer produce right now, especially an abundance of zucchini in the fridge, I’ve been making this yellow curry on repeat. It’s one of my favorite ways to use up all those summer vegetables.

I always serve curry over bowls of steamed rice. I love making a quick chili butter to spoon over the top, then finishing everything with lots of fresh cilantro or, if I can find it, Thai basil.

Use whatever vegetables you have on hand—that’s what I love most about a curry like this. As long as your spice cabinet is well stocked, you can make a simple, flavorful curry just about any night of the week.

Here are the details

Ingredients

The Curry

• ghee or salted butter
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• yellow onion
• sweet paprika
• smoked paprika
• ground turmeric
• yellow curry powder
• zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced
• full-fat coconut milk
• cayenne pepper

The Chili Butter

• salted butter or ghee
• garlic
• chili flakes
• honey

For Serving

• cooked rice
• fresh cilantro
• Thai basil
• toasted cashews
• lime wedges

The Steps

Step 1: Cook the Chicken and Onion

Melt a couple of tablespoons of ghee in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. If you don’t have ghee, salted butter works just as well.

Add the onion and chicken, then sprinkle over the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, turmeric, and half of the curry powder. Season with salt and black pepper. The black pepper helps activate the turmeric and brings out even more of its flavor and benefits.

Cook until the chicken is lightly browned. It doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point; it will finish cooking in the coconut curry sauce.

Let the chicken develop a little color before adding the coconut milk. Those browned bits on the bottom of the pot add so much flavor to the curry.

I use either chicken breasts or thighs, depending on what I have. Thighs stay extra juicy, but my family loves this with chicken breasts too.

Step 2: Add the Zucchini and Coconut Milk

Add the zucchini, then pour in the coconut milk. Partially cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, the zucchini is tender, and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Stir in the remaining curry powder and the cayenne.

I like adding some of the curry powder at the beginning and the rest toward the end. It gives the curry a fresher flavor, and you can easily adjust the seasoning before serving.

Use green zucchini, yellow summer squash, or a mix of both. I love using whatever I have on hand.

Step 3: Make the Chili Butter

While the curry simmers, make the chili butter.

Melt the remaining ghee in a skillet with the garlic. Cook until the garlic is golden and the ghee is lightly browned. Remove the skillet from the heat, then stir in the chili flakes and honey.

Keep a close eye on the garlic. You want it golden and crisp around the edges, not burnt.

This is everyone’s favorite part. I make some version of chili butter for so many of my curries. It adds a little heat, a little sweetness, and makes a simple bowl of curry feel extra special.

If you’re serving kids, or anyone who doesn’t love spice, serve the chili butter on the side so everyone can add as much or as little as they like.

Step 4: Serve

Spoon the steamed rice into bowls, then ladle the curry over top. Finish with plenty of chili butter, fresh cilantro or Thai basil, toasted cashews, and lots of fresh lime.

And don’t forget the warm naan on the side!

The Toppings

Don’t skip the toppings! I love finishing this curry with fresh lime, toasted cashews, cilantro or Thai basil, and plenty of chili butter spooned over the top. They really bring everything together.

Make It Your Own

Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Zucchini, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, or green beans all work well. You can also swap the chicken for shrimp or use chickpeas for a vegetarian version. And of course, adjust the spice to your taste.

Back-to-School + Freezing

This is such a great make-ahead dinner. The leftovers are even better the next day and perfect for lunch. The curry also freezes well for up to three months. I like to freeze it without the rice, then make a fresh batch of rice when it’s time to serve.

For Entertaining

Make a big pot of curry and plenty of rice, then set out all the toppings along with warm naan. Let everyone build their own bowl. That’s pretty much how we serve curry at my family’s house…and somehow, we still never make enough rice!