Filipino Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Name: Filipino Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cooking oil; 1 medium yellow onion (sliced thin); 1 inch ginger (cut in matchsticks); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 7 pieces drumsticks (skin and bone-in); 1 13.5 ounces coconut milk; 2 tablespoons curry powder; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 cups potatoes (cut in bite sizes); 1 cup carrots (cut in bite sizes); 1 cup bell pepper (cut in bite sizes)

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Are you craving a delicious curry but want to try something a bit different? Try my Filipino Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk! This sauce is creamy, a little sweet, and packed with flavor. The ingredients are bone-in chicken with some added vegetables, aromatics, spices, and seasonings, and cooked in coconut milk for a perfect curry taste.

Finish dish of Filipino chicken curry with coconut milk

I first tried this dish at a Filipino restaurant in my city and fell in love instantly. The rich, creamy, and nutty coconut milk pairs so nicely with the spices and chicken. It's a curry that manages to have a complexity of flavors while still being mild enough that even my spice-averse friends enjoy it. I love the curry flavors so much specially with coconut milk so I re-created the dish. Sooo good!!!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Storage and Reheating Tips
Helpful Tips
Questions and Answers
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Filipino Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Notes

Ingredients

Chicken: This recipe calls for chicken drumsticks but you can use bone-in chicken thighs with skin for robust flavors. The bones and fats give that deep flavor.
Coconut Milk: This chicken curry will be cooked in coconut milk which gives a bit of sweetness and thick sauce.
Curry Seasoning Mix: Find your favorite curry powder. You can buy them at any grocery store at the Ethnic Aisle or online shop.
Aromatics: Minced garlic, chopped onion, and ginger provide a nice aroma and added flavor. Be sure to saute them to release their best aromatic flavors.
Vegetables: Filipino curry is great with vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. You can also add green beans, broccoli, or spinach if you have them. The more veggies, the better.

Instructions

Step 1. Preheat your skillet over medium heat and pour cooking oil. Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.

Sauted onion, garlic, and ginger in a skillet.

Step 2. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes or until it turns white and no longer pink. You can sear it until they are slightly brown for more flavors.

Step 3. Pour the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, and black pepper. Bring it to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Adding the coconut milk and cooking everything in skillet.

Step 4. Add the curry powder, carrots, and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes until they are tender fork. Then add the bell peppers.

Adding the vegetables and curry powder to the curry dish.

Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more curry powder for a spicier curry or coconut milk for a richer, creamier sauce.

Finish dish of chicken curry in a skillet.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Storage Tips: Store your leftover Filipino Chicken Curry after it cools completely. Transfer it to a container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Then reheat when ready to eat.

Reheating Tips: The leftovers are tastier the next day because the chicken soaks in all the flavors from the sauce. Reheat the dish in a saucepan over medium heat. Add coconut milk or water if the dish dries out. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Stir and reheat until warn thorough.

Helpful Tips

Don't skimp on the curry powder. You'll need 2-3 tablespoons for a flavorful curry. Opt for a Filipino brand like Mama Sita's if you can find it otherwise, any brand of your favorite curry powder mix will be fine.
Simmer the sauce at least 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the chicken to become fall-off-the-bone tender.
Add spinach or green beans. Curry is great with veggies! Sauté some chopped spinach or green beans in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
Finish with lime and cilantro. A squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro right before serving helps brighten all the rich flavors.
Serve with rice. Fluffy jasmine rice is the perfect partner for soaking up every drop of the curry sauce.
Add some chilies or sriracha for spicy lovers. If you like heat, add some sliced Thai chilies or sriracha sauce to amp things up.

Finish dish of Filipino chicken curry with coconut milk in a white bowl.

Questions and Answers

Can curry be made without coconut milk?

Absolutely! You can make this chicken curry or other curry recipes by omitting the coconut milk. It will taste a bit different without the coconut milk but it will still be delicious.

How do you spice up a cooked curry?

Add More Spices: An easy way is to simply add more of the spices already in the curry. More cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, etc will intensify the flavors. Just stir in and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
Chili Peppers/Powder: Dried or fresh chilies are perfect for giving your curry some heat. Add finely chopped chilies or a pinch of cayenne or chili powder at the end. Add just a little bit at a time so you don't overdo it.
Garam Masala: This classic Indian spice mix packs warm, aromatic flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and bay leaves. Sprinkle some on top of your finished curry.
Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, basil, mint brighten up a curry. Chop and stir into your cooked curry just before serving. The freshness balances the rich sauce.
Lemon/Lime Juice: Right before eating, drizzle some fresh lemon or lime juice over your curry. This adds nice acidity and lends all the flavors.
Toasted Spices: Quickly toast whole spices like cumin or mustard seeds and sprinkle over your curry for an extra touch.

Can you share some recipes with coconut milk?

I love to share with you my recipe using coconut milk. These recipes are:
Squid Adobo with Coconut Milk, Chicken Bicol Express, Ginataang Bilo-bilo, Japanese Beef Curry, and Salmon Indian Curry.

Is coconut milk or coconut cream better for curry?

Both coconut milk and coconut cream can work well in curries, but there are some differences to consider when deciding which is better:
Coconut Milk:
Lighter texture, not as rich or thick
Adds nice coconut flavor without overpowering
More affordable and easier to find
Works well for lighter curries focused on spices
Coconut Cream:
Much thicker, richer texture
Provides more luxurious, velvety mouthfeel
Stronger coconut flavor
Can overpower more delicate curry flavors
Better for creamy Thai curries like red or green
Not always easy to find
In most cases, I would recommend coconut milk as the best option for curries. It provides enough richness and coconut flavor without dampening the other curry ingredients.
However, for some Thai-style curries, the thick lusciousness of coconut cream is hard to replicate. So if you want an ultra-creamy red or green curry, use coconut cream. Just be mindful that the bolder coconut taste doesn't mask the spices you added.

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