September 21, 2021

Dairy Free Chicken Curry

Name: Dairy Free Chicken Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 large cloves garlic, minced; 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated; 1 tablespoon curry powder; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 (14 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes; 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk; 1 medium carrot, chopped; 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped; 1 ½ cups bite-sized cauliflower or broccoli florets; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves; cooked rice*; chopped fresh cilantro; raw cashews

Jump to Recipe

Easy, cozy and super flavorful, this dairy free chicken curry is simple enough for a busy weeknight! With a creamy coconut sauce, warm spices plus tender chicken and veggies, it’s hearty and satisfying. And comes together in just one pot. Egg free, gluten free and soy free.

A bowl filled with Dairy Free Chicken Curry.

Looking for a simple dinner that you can cozy up with during cooler weather?

Well look no further than this one pot dairy free chicken curry!

Healthy, oh-so-flavorful and super satisfying, it’s jam-packed with tender veggies, fragrant spices and juicy chicken.

And is a total snap to pull together.

You can enjoy it just as is, spooned over rice (or cauliflower rice!) or even with some bread for dunking.

Making it the perfect comfy-cozy recipe for fall and winter.

Small bowls filled with chopped veggies and chicken thighs.

How To Make

So, let’s chat about how this easy dinner goes down:

Soften onion. First up, we’ll cook some chopped onion in a large stockpot until nice and tender.

Toast spices. Next, we’ll add in plenty of fresh garlic + ginger, curry powder and warm spices, then stir until fragrant.

Add all other ingredients. Some diced tomatoes, coconut milk, chopped veggies and chicken thighs get added to the pot and we’ll give it all a good stir.

Simmer until tender. We’ll bring the mixture to a simmer then cook for about 15 minutes, until the veggies are soft and the chicken is cooked through.

Stir in spinach. Finally, we’ll mix in some spinach until wilted, then serve the curry as desired.

A white pot of Dairy Free Curry Chicken.

A bowl of Dairy Free Curry with rice to the side.

Tips & Tricks

First things first. I would encourage you to stick with chicken thighs for this recipe – they come out MUCH more juicy and tender in the final dish versus chicken breasts. With that said, I did test this once with chicken breasts and it still works … but the chicken is a little drier and not as delicious (in my opinion).
You can absolutely switch up the chopped veggies based on what you have on hand. However, be sure to stick with veggies that have similar cook times – i.e. zucchini would be great but something like sweet potato wouldn’t be a good choice (as it will take longer than everything else to cook).
Light coconut milk can be substituted for the full-fat canned coconut milk. Just keep in mind that the resulting curry won’t be quite as rich and creamy.
You can also substitute the baby spinach leaves for another green of choice. I think baby arugula or baby kale would be delicious here.
And finally, curry powder can vary pretty widely in taste from brand to brand so it’s important to find one that YOU like. Personally, I love Simply Organic’s curry powder – but that’s me and my taste buds. You do you.

How To Store

Fridge: Let the curry cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for about 4 days.

A bowl of Lactose Free Curry with a fork in the dish.

Additional Dairy Free Dinner Recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Dairy Free Chicken Curry

Yield: about 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the curry:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 (14 ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 ½ cups bite-sized cauliflower or broccoli florets
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups lightly packed baby spinach leaves

Serving ideas:

cooked rice*
chopped fresh cilantro
raw cashews

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a large stockpot or dutch oven set over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Add in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and cardamom. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute, until toasted and fragrant.
Stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk, carrot, bell pepper, cauliflower / broccoli, chicken pieces, salt and pepper.
Increase the heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, reducing the heat as needed and stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the chicken is cooked through (165ºF on an instant read thermometer).
Turn the heat down to low and stir in the spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat.
Taste and season with additional salt / pepper if needed, then serve as desired.

Notes

*To keep this grain free - serve with cauliflower rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 292Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 416mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 23g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice. Nutritional info is ONLY for the curry and does not include any optional serving ideas.