This is one of those recipes that’s been in our regular rotation for years. Like… 12 years. It’s truly a staple in our house. My husband just calls it “grilled curry” – not the best name, but accurate enough that we both knew what we were having for dinner. It’s grilled chicken thighs and vegetables over white rice with a red curry coconut sauce, chili onion crunch, and cilantro. It sounds like a lot of components but most of them are hands-off, and I always make a huge batch because the leftovers are amazing.
If you’re looking for something new to add to your dinner rotation, this is it.
The marinade does double duty
The chicken marinade has a soy sauce and fish sauce base. It’s really simple but super savory. Not only do I use it on the chicken, but I also always use it on the veggies (in a separate container), too. I’m a big fan of marinating veggies! For both, I recommend a minimum of 2 hours and up to 24 hours for marinade time.
The red curry sauce
From scratch, this sauce comes together in about 10 minutes. It’s simply garlic, curry paste, a can of coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice. Red curry paste is hot, so start with a little and build up.
If you want a shortcut, Trader Joe’s red Thai curry sauce is amazing and I use it all the time. I doctor it with a squeeze of lime and a splash of fish sauce and call it done.
The vegetables
Cauliflower is my go-to for this. It takes on the flavor of the marinade beautifully and holds up well on the grill. But this is truly a whatever-is-in-your-fridge situation. Any veggies that grill well will work here: bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, red onion. Use the same marinade you used for the chicken and you’re set.
How to build the bowl
White rice on the bottom, grilled chicken and vegetables on top, curry sauce drizzled generously over everything. Drizzle on plenty of chili onion crunch and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Trader Joe’s chili onion crunch is what I use, but any chili crisp works here.
Serve immediately.
Get the Recipe:
Red Curry Grilled Chicken Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
Red Curry Sauce
- 1 tsp neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp red curry paste, add more to taste
- 1 can full fat coconut milk, 13.5 oz
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
To Serve
- 2 cups white rice
- chili onion crunch/crisp, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Make the marinade. Whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, minced garlic, and neutral oil in a small bowl. Add the chicken thighs to one container and the cauliflower florets to another. Divide the marinade between the two containers, toss each to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. It should make 4 cups cooked.
- Make the red curry sauce. Heat the neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the red curry paste and stir to combine, cooking for another 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Taste and add more curry paste if you want more heat. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
- Grill. Preheat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, grill the chicken thighs for 7-8 minutes per side, until cooked through and nicely charred. At the same time, grill the cauliflower florets for about 4 minutes per side, toss, then grill another 4 minutes until tender and caramelized at the edges. Remove both to a cutting board and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Build the bowls. Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top with the grilled chicken and cauliflower, then drizzle generously with the red curry sauce and chili onion crunch. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
Notes
- I often use cauliflower for this recipe but use whatever you have that grills well: bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, and red onion all work great with the same marinade.
- Red curry paste varies a lot by brand in terms of heat. Start with 1 teaspoon, taste the sauce after it simmers, and go from there.
- Shortcut alert: Trader Joe’s red Thai curry sauce is great. I just add 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 tablespoon lime juice and call it good.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.