Curry Chicken Cauliflower Bake
Saucy, savory, and so delicious! Curry Chicken Cauliflower Bake is an easy complete meal that bakes in one pan. Tender chicken thighs with cauliflower, carrots, and onions are all cooked in a coconut curry sauce.
Why This Curry Chicken Bake Works
I love that this dish is dairy-free, so the DF peeps in my life can enjoy it as well. And it just so happens that this dish is also gluten-free, so double bonus there!
Using coconut milk keeps the chicken moist during the bake time and melds into a delicious sauce. This one-pan meal serves up both the main protein and the vegetable sides at the same time.
How to Keep the Curry Sauce from Getting Watery
Like most cruciferous veggies, cauliflower releases water as it bakes. The result can be a sad, watery mess if you overcrowd the pan! I like to cut the cauliflower into uniform, bite-sized florets, usually around 1 ½-inch pieces, but it can be larger depending on how big a mouth you have, lol!
Another important thing is to avoid overcrowding the pan. Like teenagers, the florets need space so the steam can escape. This ensures that the coconut curry sauce doesn't get waterlogged and stays rich and flavorful.
Easy Variations and Customizations
- Low-Carb: Sub out the carrots for bell peppers or zucchini to lower the carb count.
- More Greens: Toss in a handful of fresh baby spinach during the last 5 minutes of baking until it wilts into the curry sauce.
- Adjust the Heat: Choose a mild, medium, or Madras (hot) curry powder depending on your heat tolerance. Do what your tummy tells you.
What to Serve with Coconut Curry Chicken
Even though this one-pan meal is great as is, I realize you might want to serve it with some extras. White or brown rice is a great match in my book. But! I think my Easy 30-minute Flatbread or Keto Sesame Dinner Rolls would also be fab!
Many thanks to Better Homes and Gardens for their curry chicken stew recipe that I ripped out of their magazine back in 2011 and have made for years now. This is my version of their recipe!
Curry Chicken Cauliflower Bake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings 1x
Description
Saucy, savory, and so delicious! Curry Chicken Cauliflower Bake is an easy complete meal that bakes in one pan. Tender chicken thighs with cauliflower, carrots, and onions are all cooked in a coconut curry sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ head cauliflower
- 2 to 3 carrots
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
- 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 Tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C. Move the oven rack to the center slot.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and trim off any excess fat. I like to sear the chicken in a skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil to brown the skin, but this is an optional step. If you are searing, heat oil in the skillet and add chicken skin-side down to cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then remove.
- Break the cauliflower into florets to equal around 3 cups. Peel and trim the carrots, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Peel and quarter the onion.
- Place the veggies in an even layer in a 9x13-inch pan. Lay the chicken on top of the veggies, skin-side up.
- Cut off the stems of the cilantro. Set the leaves aside to use as a garnish later. Finely chop the cilantro stems, then add it to the coconut milk along with the curry, salt, and pepper. Stir together, then pour over the chicken.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is done and veggies are tender. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes before uncovering. Garnish with cilantro leaves before serving.
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