British colonists created curry powder in 1784 because they couldn't recreate India's fresh spice blends back home.
Quick Chicken and Shrimp Curry (Make-Ahead Option)
Dive into this delightful shrimp and chicken curry, enveloped in a luscious coconut milk sauce that’s bursting with flavor! Whether you grab some pre-cooked chicken from the deli or whip up your own roast, this dish comes together in a flash for a satisfying meal. Perfect for meal prep, serve it over rice for a cozy, tropical escape any night of the week!
Prep
13
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 lime
- 2 onions , thickly sliced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 deli chicken
- 12 ounces frozen peeled shrimp (optional) (340 g)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk (794 g)
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander , chopped (I sub parsley) (120 ml)optionalI sub parsley
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 4 teaspoons hot indian curry paste (20 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 cup frozen peas (240 ml)
- 3 whole roasted red peppers, sliced into thick pieces
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and curry paste. Stir frequently until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, place shrimp in a sieve. Rinse under cold running water until any ice crystals melt. Once onions are softened, stir in coconut milk and honey. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes.
- 3
Remove and discard skin from chicken, then pull off meat and tear or cut into bite-size chunks. Slice peppers into thick pieces. Coarsely chop cilantro.
- 4
Stir shrimp, chicken, peppers, and peas into coconut-milk mixture. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. If using uncooked shrimp, cook until pink, about 2 more minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat and stir in coriander. Slice lime into wedges and serve alongside curry. Great with jasmine rice.
- 6
Make Ahead: Prepare recipe to end of step 1. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. Defrost then bring to a simmer. Continue with recipe as written.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Bloom the curry paste in butter for 30-45 seconds before adding onions to activate fat-soluble compounds and intensify flavor by up to 30%.technique30-45 seconds
- ✓Rinse frozen shrimp under 40-50°F water for exactly 2-3 minutes to prevent overcooking from residual heat while maintaining texture.timing40-50°F, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Add coconut milk gradually while stirring to prevent breaking the emulsion - coconut milk curdles at 180°F if added too quickly to hot curry paste.technique180°F breaking point
- ✓Cut bell peppers into 1-inch thick strips so they retain slight crunch after the 3-5 minute simmer time, providing textural contrast.technique1-inch thickness
- ✓For make-ahead batches, cool to room temperature within 2 hours then refrigerate to prevent bacterial growth in the coconut milk's high-fat environment.timing2 hours cooling time
Share this recipe
Prep
13
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
8
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
British colonists created curry powder in 1784 because they couldn't recreate India's fresh spice blends back home.
Quick Chicken and Shrimp Curry (Make-Ahead Option)
Dive into this delightful shrimp and chicken curry, enveloped in a luscious coconut milk sauce that’s bursting with flavor! Whether you grab some pre-cooked chicken from the deli or whip up your own roast, this dish comes together in a flash for a satisfying meal. Perfect for meal prep, serve it over rice for a cozy, tropical escape any night of the week!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 lime
- 2 onions , thickly sliced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 1 deli chicken
- 12 ounces frozen peeled shrimp (optional) (340 g)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk (794 g)
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander , chopped (I sub parsley) (120 ml)optionalI sub parsley
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 4 teaspoons hot indian curry paste (20 ml)
📦Other(2)
- 1 cup frozen peas (240 ml)
- 3 whole roasted red peppers, sliced into thick pieces
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and curry paste. Stir frequently until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, place shrimp in a sieve. Rinse under cold running water until any ice crystals melt. Once onions are softened, stir in coconut milk and honey. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes.
- 3
Remove and discard skin from chicken, then pull off meat and tear or cut into bite-size chunks. Slice peppers into thick pieces. Coarsely chop cilantro.
- 4
Stir shrimp, chicken, peppers, and peas into coconut-milk mixture. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are hot, about 3 to 5 minutes. If using uncooked shrimp, cook until pink, about 2 more minutes.
- 5
Remove from heat and stir in coriander. Slice lime into wedges and serve alongside curry. Great with jasmine rice.
- 6
Make Ahead: Prepare recipe to end of step 1. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. Defrost then bring to a simmer. Continue with recipe as written.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Bloom the curry paste in butter for 30-45 seconds before adding onions to activate fat-soluble compounds and intensify flavor by up to 30%.technique30-45 seconds
- ✓Rinse frozen shrimp under 40-50°F water for exactly 2-3 minutes to prevent overcooking from residual heat while maintaining texture.timing40-50°F, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Add coconut milk gradually while stirring to prevent breaking the emulsion - coconut milk curdles at 180°F if added too quickly to hot curry paste.technique180°F breaking point
- ✓Cut bell peppers into 1-inch thick strips so they retain slight crunch after the 3-5 minute simmer time, providing textural contrast.technique1-inch thickness
- ✓For make-ahead batches, cool to room temperature within 2 hours then refrigerate to prevent bacterial growth in the coconut milk's high-fat environment.timing2 hours cooling time