Filipino Chicken Curry: Coconut Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
Dan
Filipino curry | Coconut chicken | Family dinner
Filipino chicken curry is mild, creamy, and comforting, with chicken, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers in a coconut curry sauce.
Why make it: This version uses supermarket curry powder and canned coconut milk for a cozy rice dinner that still feels distinctly Filipino.
Fresh From the Kitchen
What Is Filipino Chicken Curry?
Filipino chicken curry is a coconut milk chicken stew seasoned with curry powder and cooked with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.
Why You Will Love It
- Practical for U.S. kitchens: the recipe uses ingredients and substitutions a home cook can realistically shop for.
- Built for the table: the serving notes match how the dish usually lands in Filipino-American homes, from weeknights to merienda to parties.
- Flexible without erasing the dish: swaps are named clearly so the original idea stays visible.
- Easy to cook through: the shopping list, timings, and storage notes make the recipe straightforward to test and adjust.
Ingredient Notes
For curry powder
Use a mild curry powder and adjust heat with chiles if you want more spice.
For coconut milk
Full-fat coconut milk gives the sauce body and keeps it from tasting thin.
Filipino Chicken Curry Recipe
This version uses supermarket curry powder and canned coconut milk for a cozy rice dinner that still feels distinctly Filipino.
Shopping List
- bone-in chicken
- curry powder
- coconut milk
- potatoes
- carrots
- bell pepper
- garlic
- onion
- fish sauce
- rice
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Black pepper
Curry Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup water or broth
Vegetables
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- Steamed rice for serving
Instructions
- Season chicken with fish sauce and pepper.
- Brown chicken in oil, then remove to a plate.
- Cook onion and garlic until fragrant, then bloom the curry powder in the oil.
- Return chicken with coconut milk and water or broth.
- Simmer until chicken is mostly tender.
- Add potatoes and carrots and cook until soft.
- Add bell pepper near the end and adjust seasoning before serving.
Tips For The Best Filipino Chicken Curry
- Bloom the curry powder: Cooking it in oil deepens the flavor.
- Add vegetables in stages: Potatoes and carrots need longer than bell pepper.
- Simmer gently: Coconut milk can separate under a hard boil.
- Season with fish sauce: It adds savory depth without making the curry taste fishy.
How To Serve And Store
Serve with steamed rice and a simple cucumber salad. Refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat gently to keep the coconut sauce smooth.
Common Questions
Is Filipino curry spicy?
Usually it is mild, but you can add chiles.
Can I use boneless chicken?
Yes, reduce the simmering time.
Can I add evaporated milk?
Some families do, but coconut milk gives the classic body.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, though potatoes may soften after thawing.
Does your chicken curry lean mild and creamy or spicy? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: Filipino home-cooking source research from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, and Filipino-American cooking sources in the site roadmap.
