Chicken Curry Stir-Fry with Coconut Rice and Beans

Spicy chicken with a hint of sweetness from hot honey with crispy vegetables over fragrant basmati brown rice cooked with kidney beans in coconut milk for an amazing chicken curry stir-fry.

Let’s Go East

The inspiration for this curry chicken stir-fry dish came from the love of a newly discovered dish I tried five years ago, Singapore Noodles. This noodle dish also originated in Cantonese Cuisine in Hong Kong.

These stir-fried noodles are usually made with thin rice noodles called vermicelli and tossed in a curry sauce with a common mixture of bell peppers, onions, cabbage, beansprouts, carrots, shrimp, and chicken.

East Side Curry

Call me ignorant, but I didn't realize how much curry-spiced dishes were used in East Asian foods, like Chinese. For example, in North East Asia, like in Japan, the curry sauce with Katsu, Japanese breaded cutlets are usually served with root vegetables in a thick curry sauce and steamed rice.

If you like stir-fried recipes, don’t forget to check out the Chinese-inspired Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry and Chicken, Mushrooms, Peppers, and Green Beans Stir-Fry in Hoisin Sauce recipe.

You also must try the Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry with Scallions Radish Salad for a more Korean vibe.

For a Japanese and Thai inspiration, check out Shishito Eggplant Shrimp Stir-Fry.

The Asian Connection

I understand Singapore more because it's located in South East Asia. For instance, other countries used curries, such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, with India on the west.

However, the connection makes sense since Singapore has high transient traffic like Hong Kong, with a distance of about 1600 miles, shorter than New York to Seattle with 2400 miles.

A Timeline Story

In the future, I would love to research the cuisine timeline in-depth to look at the history of how "curry powder," with its many versions (e.g., Jamaican, Japanese, Indian, etc.), has influenced each country’s cuisine along the way.

Please let me know if you have any great books or websites on the matter that you'd like to include! But we also have to mention the Jamaican influence on this dish.

Rice and Peas! Okay, of course, this recipe is a quick rice cooker version, not the authentic slow-cooking, yummy, famous coconut rice and beans dish. Sorry, I just imagine smothering my rice with some curry stew gravy!

Ingredients and Instructions

I kept it simple for the rice in the rice cooker; you'll combine basmati brown rice. I also just love how fluffy this rice comes out with kidney beans, chicken broth, coconut milk, and salt. You'll set this and forget it while you focus on prepping and cooking the rest of the meal.

For the Sauce

This is made ahead of time but used at the end, thickened up, and then garnished with fresh herbs. You'll then whisk together chicken broth, hot honey, and cornstarch to thicken, scotch bonnet pepper for that Caribbean kick, with chopped fresh garlic, salt, and pepper.

For the Chicken

The chicken is sliced thin and quickly marinated in Jamaican curry powder, smoked paprika powder, dried thyme, olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper and set aside.

For the Vegetables

Stir-fry the onions to brown in the oil and the chicken bits left by searing the chicken earlier, then add cabbage, bell peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, and carrots. And then garnish with cilantro and scallions.

See the curry chicken stir-fry recipe card for quantities.

Busy Folks - Become a better home cook with cooking tips to help you cook more efficiently on Cook's Notebook tab.  In addition, some detailed steps can be found there, like Important things you should know about cooking in a wok.

The idea was to make a quick version of curried chicken with rice and beans with vegetables for a quick, healthy meal. I also wanted the flavor to be sweet and spicy, complementing the crispy fresh vegetables.

Try Walkerswood Hot Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce, Mild Jerk Seasoning, and Mike's Hot Honey.

Substitutions

• No Coconut Milk? If you dislike coconut milk, you can substitute the milk for ½ cup more chicken broth.
• Hot Honey - Replace this with regular honey or brown sugar.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce - Use habanero pepper sauce, ½ teaspoon fresh/pickled Thai chilies, or ½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes.
• Cornstarch - You can try sorghum flour, which is also gluten-free.

Change Heat Level - Modify the curry chicken stir-fry recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.

Variations

• Cooking Rice on the Stove Top - You can cook the rice in a small sauce pot with a lid by bringing the water, coconut milk, and salt to a boil on medium heat.
  • Once it starts to boil, add and combine the rice and beans, and reduce the heat to low-medium.
  • When the liquid has evaporated from the surface, and you only see the rice with holes, cover it with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
  • Do not lift the lid; cooking should take about 35 minutes. The rice will be done when all the liquid is gone and is tender to the bite.
• Curry Seafood Stir-Fry - Swap the chicken for shrimp or white flesh fish.

Equipment

• Rice Cooker - An option to cook the rice. To develop this recipe, I used the Aroma Housewares Digital Rice Cooker. It's a simple rice cooker I've also had for years. Another popular, highly-rated rice cooker I've seen people talk about is the Zojirushi Rice Cooker. It's expensive, but I would love to try it one day.
• Wok - Used for stir-frying the curry chicken stir-fry on high heat quickly. Additionally, I developed this recipe using the Bielmeier Carbon Steel Wok. It is also thoughtfully packaged with easy instructions to season the pan. On top of that, it is lightweight and the perfect size to store. Furthermore, it can come with a wooden or glass lid and utensils.
• Medium Holding Tray - Used to hold the stir-fried chicken. I suggest using a metal tray like the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet Pan since it is the perfect size to place next to the stove to keep the ingredients warm.
• Mandoline - I used my Benriner Japanese Classic Slicer for this recipe to slice the carrots into thin, uniform matchsticks.

Kitchen Must Haves - Find other tools I use here.

Storage

• Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, place the rice and curry chicken stir-fry in a separate 2-inch shallow container to cool down quickly. Then, store in an air-tight sealing container. The rice and stir-fry will last up to three days.
• Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.
• Air Tight Food Containers - I use Glass Food Storage Containers with a plastic clipping lid to store food.  For example, I always suggest glass storage containers since you can microwave them and hold food without staining the container, and the glass keeps them at a more stable temperature, which keeps the food fresher longer.

Are you a big fan of curry? Then you must try the Curried Chickpeas and Mushrooms with Spiced Brown Basmati Rice recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stir-Fry Recipes

Looking for other stir-fry recipes like this? Try these:

Poultry Recipes

Looking for other poultry recipes like this? Try these:

Video

Recipe

📖 Recipe

Curry Chicken Stir Fry with Coconut Rice and Beans

Spicy curry chicken with a hint of sweetness from hot honey with crispy vegetables over fragrant basmati brown rice cooked with kidney beans in coconut milk.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Poultry

Cuisine Jamaican, Asian, Caribbean, East Asian

Servings 4

Calories 578.05 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup basmati brown rice
• ½ cup canned kidney beans
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hot honey
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup onion medium sliced
• ½ cup red bell pepper medium sliced
• ½ cup green bell pepper medium sliced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves with thin stems
• ¼ cup jalapeno halved and thinly sliced
• ¾ cup tomatoes thin wedges
• 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
• 1 cup napa cabbage thinly sliced
• 1 pound of chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• ¼ cup scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

 

• Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
• Stir-frying is a quick-cooking technique and you must have all your ingredients and supplies ready and on hand in a well-ventilated kitchen, read more.
• For the rice, using the rice cooker insert, rinse the basmati brown rice by covering it with water, message the rice with the water, and then drain out the water with a strainer. Repeat this process three times or until the water is clear.
• Add the broth, coconut milk, kidney beans, and salt.
• Set the rice cooker for brown rice or grains, depending on your rice cooker setting settings.
• For the stir-fry sauce, in a small 2-cup mixing bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup with a whisk, combine the chicken broth, cornstarch, scotch bonnet pepper sauce, and hot honey and set aside.
• For the chicken, on a cutting board for raw poultry, slice the chicken into ¾ thick pieces.
• In a medium 3 to 4-quart mixing bowl with tongs, combine the chicken, curry powder, smoked paprika, thyme, oil, salt, and black pepper.
• Set up your wok or large saute pan with the ingredients close by.
• Heat the wok on medium-high heat.
• Add one tablespoon of oil and heat. The oil will be heated and ready when it moves freely around the pan compared to when it's cold and it slightly begins to smoke.
• Evenly lay the chicken out and brown it on one side for about 2 minutes.
• Flip the chicken and brown the other side for another 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and set it aside in a metal container, bowl, or sheet pan on the stove. This way, it can stay warm.
• Add the last tablespoon of oil to the wok.
• Add the sliced onions and stir fry, occasionally stirring while scrapping the chicken bits for about 1 minute.
• Deglaze the pan by pouring in 2 tablespoons of water to remove the food pieces sticking to the wok; this should evaporate quickly.
• Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and combine with the onions.
• Stir fry for 1 minute by occasionally stirring and allowing it to brown slightly.
• Increase stove heat slightly higher, and wait 30 seconds while occasionally stirring the onions and cabbage.
• Add the water-based vegetables: tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, and carrots, and combine well.
• Stir fry for 2 minutes while occasionally stirring to allow them to brown slightly.
• Increase the heat to high.
• And the chicken and combine.
• Allow the pan to heat again for 30 seconds while occasionally stirring the ingredients.
• Add the stir-fry sauce.
• Combine the sauce well with the ingredients, and cook for 30 seconds to thicken the sauce.
• Remove the wok/pan from the heat.
• Fluff the rice with the rice paddle in the rice cooker by lifting the rice to release the steam. If you cook your rice on the stovetop, you can use a fork to do this.
• To plate up, divide the rice among the servings on the plate. Top with the curry chicken stir-fry, and garnish with scallions.

Keyword dinner, lunch, vegetables, gluten-free, dairy-free, summer, fall, stove top, spicy, rice cooker, egg free, pollotarian, wok, stir fry, saute pan

dinner, lunch, vegetables, gluten-free, dairy-free, summer, fall, stove top, spicy, rice cooker, egg free, pollotarian, wok, stir fry, saute pan

Poultry

Jamaican, Asian, Caribbean, East Asian

Yield: 4 ¼x ½x 1x 2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x 8x 9x 10x

Author: Maika Frederic

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Curry Chicken Stir Fry with Coconut Rice and Beans

Spicy curry chicken with a hint of sweetness from hot honey with crispy vegetables over fragrant basmati brown rice cooked with kidney beans in coconut milk.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients US Metric

Coconut Rice and Beans

• 1 cup basmati brown rice
• ½ cup canned kidney beans
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Stir-Fry Sauce

• ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hot honey
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Vegetables for Stir Fry

• ¼ cup onion, medium sliced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, medium sliced
• ½ cup green bell pepper, medium sliced
• ½ cup cilantro leaves with thin stems
• ¼ cup jalapeno, halved and thinly sliced
• ¾ cup tomatoes, thin wedges
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced

Chicken

• 1 pound of chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon Jamaican curry powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

For Wok/Pan Cooking

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
2. Stir-frying is a quick-cooking technique and you must have all your ingredients and supplies ready and on hand in a well-ventilated kitchen, read more.
3. For the rice, using the rice cooker insert, rinse the basmati brown rice by covering it with water, message the rice with the water, and then drain out the water with a strainer. Repeat this process three times or until the water is clear.
4. Add the broth, coconut milk, kidney beans, and salt.
5. Set the rice cooker for brown rice or grains, depending on your rice cooker setting settings.
6. For the stir-fry sauce, in a small 2-cup mixing bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup with a whisk, combine the chicken broth, cornstarch, scotch bonnet pepper sauce, and hot honey and set aside.
7. For the chicken, on a cutting board for raw poultry, slice the chicken into ¾ thick pieces.
8. In a medium 3 to 4-quart mixing bowl with tongs, combine the chicken, curry powder, smoked paprika, thyme, oil, salt, and black pepper.
9. Set up your wok or large saute pan with the ingredients close by.
10. Heat the wok on medium-high heat.
11. Add one tablespoon of oil and heat. The oil will be heated and ready when it moves freely around the pan compared to when it's cold and it slightly begins to smoke.
12. Evenly lay the chicken out and brown it on one side for about 2 minutes.
13. Flip the chicken and brown the other side for another 2 minutes.
14. Remove the chicken and set it aside in a metal container, bowl, or sheet pan on the stove. This way, it can stay warm.
15. Add the last tablespoon of oil to the wok.
16. Add the sliced onions and stir fry, occasionally stirring while scrapping the chicken bits for about 1 minute.
17. Deglaze the pan by pouring in 2 tablespoons of water to remove the food pieces sticking to the wok; this should evaporate quickly.
18. Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and combine with the onions.
19. Stir fry for 1 minute by occasionally stirring and allowing it to brown slightly.
20. Increase stove heat slightly higher, and wait 30 seconds while occasionally stirring the onions and cabbage.
21. Add the water-based vegetables: tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, and carrots, and combine well.
22. Stir fry for 2 minutes while occasionally stirring to allow them to brown slightly.
23. Increase the heat to high.
24. And the chicken and combine.
25. Allow the pan to heat again for 30 seconds while occasionally stirring the ingredients.
26. Add the stir-fry sauce.
27. Combine the sauce well with the ingredients, and cook for 30 seconds to thicken the sauce.
28. Remove the wok/pan from the heat.
29. Fluff the rice with the rice paddle in the rice cooker by lifting the rice to release the steam. If you cook your rice on the stovetop, you can use a fork to do this.
30. To plate up, divide the rice among the servings on the plate. Top with the curry chicken stir-fry, and garnish with scallions.

Notes

Cutting Chicken Tip

• If you use frozen chicken, thaw it out halfway to cut perfect slices, learn more.

How to Stop Your Cutting Board from Slipping

• Placing a grip sheet or damp kitchen towel flat under your cutting board is always a good practice to prevent your cutting board from slipping.

Cooking Rice on the Stove Top

• You can cook the rice in a small sauce pot with a lid by bringing the water, coconut milk, and salt to a boil on medium heat. Once it starts to boil, add and combine the rice and beans, and reduce the heat to low-medium. Once the liquid has evaporated from the surface and you only see the rice with holes, cover it with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Do not lift the lid; cooking should take about 35 minutes. The rice will be done when all the liquid is gone and is tender to the bite.

No Coconut Milk?

• If you dislike coconut milk, you can substitute the milk for ½ cup more chicken broth.

Hot Honey Substitute

• You can replace this with regular honey or brown sugar.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce Substitute

• Use habanero pepper sauce, ½ teaspoon fresh/pickled Thai chilies, or ½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes.

Cornstarch Substitute

• You can try sorghum flour, which is also gluten-free.

Julienne Carrots aka Matchsticks

• You can accomplish this cut by using a Japanese or French mandoline.
• Or you can cut the medium carrot into three parts, about 1 ½ inch pieces. Then thinly slice those pieces lengthwise. Stack up several thinly sliced rectangle-cut carrot pieces and slice them into thin sticks, like matchsticks.

Storage: Refrigerator

• To store in the refrigerator, place the rice and stir-fry in a separate 2-inch shallow pan to cool down quickly.
• Then store in an air-tight sealing container.
• The rice and stir-fry will last up to three days.

Storage: Freezer

• First, follow the refrigeration process mentioned above.
• Then you can place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container.

Reheat: Stovetop

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth.
• For the rice, I suggest heating it slowly on low-medium heat in a saucepan with a cube of ice, covered with a lid to steam the rice.
• For the stir-fry, heat up slowly as well on medium heat covered and occasionally give it a stir for even cooking.

Reheat: Microwave

• Thaw it out entirely in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth.
• For the dish, combine the rice and stir-fry for three to four minutes with a microwave cover, stirring the dish content every 1 ½ minutes until it is hot.

Recommended Products:

Bielmeier 12.5

Benriner BR1 VEGETABLE SLICER, One Size, Off-White

Walkerswood Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce, Hot, 6 Ounce

Nutrition Facts

Calories

578.05

Fat

22.11 g

Sat. Fat

8 g

Carbs

63.46 g

Fiber

6.91 g

Net carbs

56.55 g

Sugar

13.88 g

Protein

34.13 g

Sodium

1508.03 mg

Cholesterol

72.58 mg

These are calculations based on search results of the ingredient's nutritional information.

Similar Recipes

Baked Zhug Chicken

Hot Honey Sesame Chicken with Nappa Cabbage Stir-Fry

Bang Bang Tofu with Fried Brown Rice

https://www.justmaikacooking.com/recipes/chicken-curry-stir-fry-coconut-rice

All rights reserved for Just Maika Cooking

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @justmaikacooking on instagram and hashtag it #justmaikacooking

Created using The Recipes Generator

Food safety

• Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat to prevent foodborne illness from contaminated uncooked meats.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.
• Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods; this can breed bacteria.
• Never leave cooking food unattended to prevent burns and fires.
• Use oils with a high smoke point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

Have a Comment or Question?

If you have a question or comment about this curry chicken stir-fry recipe, please post it below. You will definitely get a quick response. It also helps our other readers to stay informed. Thanks!