One-Skillet Ground Turkey Thai Curry with Rice

One-skillet ground turkey Thai yellow curry with rice. This quick and easy one-pot recipe makes a complete meal of lean protein and aromatic coconut milk sauce with vegetables.

When I go out for Thai food, I immediately combine the bowl of rice with my bowl of curry, and eat it like so. With a spoon.

For me, the best way to enjoy curry is to have the rice soaking in the sauce for as long as possible for optimal flavor and creamy texture. 

This recipe serves up curry in the exact way I enjoy it: with the rice already mixed in, sufficiently soaked in sauce.

For this particular recipe, I used ground turkey, which I have found to be one of the sources of animal protein my digestive system readily accepts with joy.

You can replace the ground turkey with one pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, pork, steak, shrimp, salmon, or white fish. Almost any form of animal protein works! 

During those times you’re looking for a meatless meal, you can skip the animal protein and add one can of chickpeas.

This one-skillet Thai yellow curry recipe couldn’t be any easier to make. Here’s how it goes down:

How to Make One-Skillet Thai Yellow Curry:

This recipe does require a bit of forethought, as I recommend soaking the rice prior to preparing this recipe. Soak the rice for at least 1 hour, up to 24 before using it in this recipe. I soak mine in a tupperware container and keep it in the refrigerator.

Once your rice is sufficiently soaked, drain the water from it and set aside until ready to use.

Pour ⅓ cup of coconut milk into a skillet add the ground turkey. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes, flip to other side and continue browning another 2 to 3 minutes. Essentially, you’re browning the turkey meat in its cube form prior to breaking it into smaller pieces. 

Add ginger and spices and stir, chopping up the turkey. 

Add the carrots, remaining coconut milk, broth, coconut aminos, and fish sauce, and stir well. Stir in the rice. Cover, and bring to a full boil.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. 

Stir in the zucchini, cover, and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until much of the liquid has been absorbed and the vegetables are cooked to desired done-ness. Stir in the chopped basil and taste the curry. Add sea salt to taste and serve in bowls.

What Type of Rice Should I Use?

To keep the prep time on this recipe low, use white rice. If you don’t mind adding another 30 to 40 minutes onto the cook time, feel free to use brown rice. 

I use Lundberg Organic Sushi Rice (not sponsored) because it is so, so stinking starchy and delicious. It soaks up the sauce so well, which results in the most flavorful, amazing, chewy delightfully carby meal. 

My preference when it comes to brown rice is Lundberg Organic Sprouted Brown Rice  (again, not sponsored). The sprouting helps unlock the protein contained in the rice. Without sprouting, the protein in rice isn’t actually bioavailable. 

Regardless of which rice you choose, be sure you do soak it for at least one hour prior to using it. Every single time I prepare rice, I soak it overnight (up to 24 hours) prior to cooking it.

The soaking process helps remove the oxalates and phytates, which ensures the rice doesn’t act as an anti-nutrient and ensures your body is able to absorb the vitamins and minerals in your meal.

Recipe Adaptations:

• Replace the ground turkey with chicken breasts, shrimp, pork, beef, or animal protein of choice.
• For a saucier curry, reduce the amount of rice from 2 cups to 1 cup.
• Skip the animal protein and add one can of drained chickpeas for a protein source.
• Add ½ yellow onion and 4 cloves of garlic if you can tolerate them.
• Add 1 to 3 Tbsp sriracha to spice it up (the curry is very mild the way the recipe is written).

I use this ground turkey curry as meal prep for the week. I’ve been meal prepping every Monday for the last couple of months, and this exact recipe (or some rendition of it) has been on the menu each week. It covers all my macro bases and is just so tasty!

More Curry Recipes:

• Thai Paleo Panang Curry
• 30-Minute Green Chicken Curry
• Nightshade-Free AIP Curry
• Chicken Massaman Curry
• Red Curry Chicken with Vegetables

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this One-Skillet Ground Turkey Curry Skillet, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!

Ground turkey curry each and every week!

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4.42 from 82 votes

One-Skillet Ground Turkey Thai Curry with Rice

One-skillet ground turkey Thai yellow curry with rice = a complete meal in one skillet or pot.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: Thai

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
• 1 1/2 cups white rice soaked at least 1 hour
• 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 to 3 Tbsp fish sauce to taste
• 1 medium zucchini squash chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions

• Place rice in a bowl and cover with 2 inches of water. Soak rice at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
• Pour ⅓ cup of coconut milk into a skillet add the ground turkey. Brown for 3 to 4 minutes, flip to other side and continue browning another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add ginger and spices and stir, chopping up the turkey. 
• Add the carrots, remaining coconut milk, broth, coconut aminos, and fish sauce, and stir well. Stir in the rice. Cover, and bring to a full boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. 
• Stir in the zucchini, cover, and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until much of the liquid has been absorbed and the vegetables are cooked to desired done-ness. Stir in the chopped basil and taste the curry. Add sea salt to taste and serve in bowls.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 5 | Calories: 542kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 41g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g