So Much Delish In This Grilled Coconut Curry Chicken
Chicken is the blank canvas of most of our summer grilling projects, and this grilled chicken curry marinade is about as flavorful as they come–with coconut milk, zippy lime juice, red curry paste, and an optional sprinkle of fish sauce. Our coconut curry grilled chicken easily pairs with a side of Rice, or Peanut Udon Noodles for a little more excitement. Perfect with a refreshing Agua Fresca!
Ingredients To Make Curry Chicken On The Grill
This is a composed dish, with a longer list of ingredients that can be found with the recipe. Here’s a highlight of some of the prominent ingredients to get things started.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – These are a little quicker cooking than bone-in, but if you can only get your hands on bone-in thighs they’ll work too.
Red curry paste – You might be familiar with our passion for red curry paste from our Red Curry Risotto or Red Curry Beef recipes.
Coconut milk + lime juice – For our flavor match made in heaven.
Persian cucumbers – Crunchier and less watery than a regular cuke, we like the Persian variety for this recipe, but standard cucumbers will also do.
Sesame oil and fish sauce – Sesame oil is a must for this marinade, and fish sauce is optional, but highly recommended for that little umami je ne sais quoi.
Step by Step or How to Make
Make the marinade. Whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce (if using), cilantro, lime juice, salt, brown sugar, and garlic until mostly smooth.
Marinate the chicken. The chicken needs at least 30 minutes in the marinade, or up to overnight (in the fridge of course!).
Grill the chicken. Cook until the chicken begins to char, about 4 minutes per side. Brush the chicken with the reserved marinade and cook about 10 minutes more. The char is essential here!
Make the salad. In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber, green onions, and cilantro with the lime juice, sesame oil, fish sauce (if using), brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt. Let marinate at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Assemble the dish. Arrange the chicken on a large platter and top with the cucumber salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve family-style with the rice on the side.
How to Store Grilled Curry Chicken Thighs + Tips
We often find ourselves with leftover coconut milk on hand. When that happens we like to whip up a batch of Vegan Mint Chip Ice Cream or Overnight Oats.
If you’re not familiar with smashing cucumbers, the best technique is to turn a chef’s knife so the blade is flat against the cutting surface, using the flat part of the blade to smash the cucumber slices *just* until they smash open. Just a nice little pop with your hand against the knife. You don’t want to pulverize them!
Can you substitute chicken breasts? Yes! We recommend using tenders for this, but breasts are just fine. Just keep a close eye when grilling, you don’t want to dry them out!
Can you make this on a stove top? Absolutely. Just cook over medium-low heat in a large heavy bottom skillet. Be mindful not to burn!
More Flavorful Chicken Recipes From The Modern Proper
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