Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato

Name: Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken thighs (chopped into 2cm cubes (if you are doing this on the stove you can swap for breasts)); 2 sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into 2 cm cubes ); 3 tsps curry paste (I use a korma paste, either storebought or homemade ); 1/3 cup red split lentils; 1/2 bunch coriander (chopped); 400 ml coconut milk; 1 onion (sliced); 3/4 cup frozen peas; oil

Why you're going to love this recipe

Weeknight meals don't need to be fraught, they need to be quick, easy and yummy! Those are just some of the reasons you're going to love this recipe:

Curry is the ultimate dish for packing veggies into. Use the veggies that are in the recipe, or swap them for your family favourites! Broccoli and cauliflower work well in this, and so does carrot.

Choose how you want to cook. Want to be hands on: cook it entirely on the stove. Want it ready when you get home from sport: dump it in the slow cooker. Want it ready in a hurry: the pressure cooker or instant pot is your friend.

Mild spice, perfect for kids to try. Super low heat, perfect for family meals.

Creamy texture, with a thick sauce (thanks to the lentils that absorb some of the extra moisture).

Freezes well! Normally I'm not a fan of freezing coconut milk, but this freezes and defrosts really well.

Perfect for a curry night! Pair it with Homemade Onion Bhajis as a starter, and one of our other delicious curries like Mango Chicken Curry or Beef Mince Curry Meatballs and a side of Super easy 3 ingredient flatbreads and you've got a dinner to rival a takeaway!

What goes into the recipe

don't forget to scroll to the recipe card for full quantities and method

Ingredients for Chicken and Coconut Curry with Sweet Potato: chicken, red lentils, sweet potato, korma paste, frozen peas, coriander, coconut milk

curry paste- you can either buy your curry paste (in which case I recommend a korma paste as it is mild) or make your own. Either way, your curry will be delicious! Making your own curry paste doesn't have to be a thing, the ones in the store are perfectly good and are a great substitute. Just make sure you get a curry paste, not a "curry sauce" as that is an entirely different beast.

chicken thighs- I make this recipe in the instant pot or slow cooker and for both of those chicken thighs work best. If you are looking to do it entirely on the stove, then there is no risk of breast drying out and you can substitute for the same amount of chicken breast.

veggies- they are versatile! Swap the sweet potato for potato, the peas for broccoli or beans, add in carrots, there is enough sauce to cope with extra veggies as the veggies release moisture during cooking.

How to make this recipe

Slice the onion (Image 1).

Dice the sweet potato (Image 2)

Cube the chicken thighs (Image 3)

Heat the oil in your frypan (or instant pot or pressure cooker, or base of your slow cooker) and fry the onion with the curry paste. (Image 3

Chopping onion, chopping sweet potato and chicken, frying curry paste and onions

Add the chicken to the pan and fry it, stirring to coat in the curry paste and onions. Cook until golden.(Image 5)

Add the coconut milk and stir. (Image 6)

Add the lentils and stir well. (Image 7)

Add the sweet potato and cover in the sauce. Cook using your preferred method:
slow cooker: 8 hours on low
instant pot: 25 minutes on high
pressure cooker: 40 minutes on stew/high heat
stove: 1hr hour at a simmer

frying chicken, adding coconut milk, adding lentils, adding sweet potato

Open the cooker and add the peas and coriander. Stir through and cook for 5 minutes more (saute in instant pot/ pressure cooker, just leave the lid off and cook in a slow cooker, leave lid off on the stove). (Image 9)

Stir well and serve with rice, flatbreads.

adding peas and coriander, stirring through

Expert Tips and FAQs

This recipe is the ultimate versatile curry for weeknights, no matter how you cook it the flavours are delicious!

Is this curry kid friendly?

Yes it is! With creamy coconut, soft sweet potato and and a thick sauce, this curry is 100% kid friendly. The peas and the coriander help to freshen it up at the end of cooking, and serving with rice and flatbreads means the kids can take control of how they eat it.

How long will this keep in the fridge?

Leftovers will last 2-3 days in the fridge. Reheat completely before serving.

Can I freeze this curry?

Yes! And it defrosts really well, which is good news for super busy weeknights!