Salmon Coconut Curry with Spinach and Chickpeas is an easy one-pot meal that cooks in under 30 minutes!
Salmon Coconut Curry with Chickpeas
Seared salmon skin adds an extra dimension to this one-pan dinner: rich flavor and crispy texture. The salmon then braises in a velvety coconut-curry sauce, which is the perfect pairing for the fish, spinach, and chickpeas. For more seafood curry recipes, try my Thai Green Curry Coconut Shrimp with Basil and Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce.
Salmon is my favorite fish! I have TONS of other wonderful Salmon Recipes in the archives. This salmon coconut curry recipe is very nutritious and so delicious! It uses light coconut milk, which instantly cuts calories. Plus, salmon is full of protein and heart-healthy omega 3s. Chickpeas are a good source of fiber, and spinach is full of vitamins and minerals.
How do you make coconut curry from scratch?
This curry is Indian inspired, made with madras curry powder. It cooks quickly and all in one pan, making it an excellent choice for an easy dinner on a busy night.
- Season the salmon with salt and pepper and put in the skillet skin-side down. Cook for five minutes until the skin is crispy and then remove from the pan.
- Sautee onions, garlic, chili, and ginger for two minutes. Add in the chickpeas and curry powder and cook for two minutes.
- Stir in the coconut milk, spinach, and salt. Cover the pan and cook another two minutes.
- Return the salmon to the skillet skin-side up and cook for about five minutes until the fish is done.
Salmon Coconut Curry Variations & Tips:
- Swap spinach for kale, swiss chard, or mustard greens.
- Make it Whole30 by swapping chickpeas for potatoes.
- To ensure the salmon’s easy release from the pan, make sure to let the skin fully caramelize before attempting to move the filet.
- Sub shrimp for salmon and cook for less time
- Use a white fish like cod if you’re not a fan of salmon.
- If you don’t like spicy foods, omit the Fresno chili.
More Curry Recipes You’ll Love:
- Warm Curry Roasted Sheet Pan Vegetable Salad
- Indian Shrimp Curry
- Roasted Red Kuri Coconut Curry Soup
- Burma Superstar Chicken Dal Curry
- Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp
Salmon Coconut Curry with Spinach and Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 6-ounce skin-on salmon filets
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 small)
- 3 peeled garlic cloves, grated
- 1 2-inch piece peeled ginger, grated
- 1 large Fresno chili, finely diced
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
- 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
- 5 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- Season both sides of salmon with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with oil to fully coat the bottom of the pan.
- Add salmon to the pan, skin-side down, and cook without disturbing until skin is crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Return to the plate (skin-side up) and set aside.
- Add remaining teaspoon of oil, then add onions, garlic, ginger, and Fresno chili pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add chickpeas and curry powder and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add coconut milk, stirring, to release any browned bits stuck to the pan.
- Stir in spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt . Cover the pan and cook 2 minutes until spinach wilts.
- Add the salmon, skin-side-up, and cook until fish is done, about 5 to 6 minutes.
I’m not typically a fan of any fish unless it’s fried fish, and I don’t really like chickpeas…..but I opened my mind to try this recipe and oh.my.yumminess!!! This is on our regular rotation!!!!
Great / easy
Yummy. Whole family loved this quick easy and delicious meal. No chickpeas so I subbed sweet potatoes.
SO GOOOOOOOD!!! I make meals for the week for me so I doubled the recipe and subbed salmon for shrimp. literally amazing. I put it with 1/2 cup white rice + 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt and the yogurt made it double in size and added protein
Perfectly fine meal, but I don’t think I’d make again. Lacked flavor.Â
Delicious!! Â Will definitely make again.Â
This recipe was excellent. I served over basmati rice, which increased our carbs of course, but it was so delicious. I didn’t have a Fresno chili, so a used some chipotle paste that I had in the refrigerator. Great flavors!
Not my best shrimp recipe. Â I love your recipes but not this one. Â
This was so good and filling. Great flavor! And it was so easy and fast to make.
Absolutely fantastic and so easy!!! Another winner😊
I dislike curry, what would you use in place of curry?
Took me forever to try this recipe but it was sooo good! I had to sub 1/2 seeded jalapeño for the fresno pepper since I couldn’t find one (though I’d increase it next time). I also would increase the curry since I served it over basmati rice. Highly recommend!!
Pretty tasty. Felt like it was missing something.. maybe some lime juice or other acid? I also would probably add some red pepper next time. Also, if I made it again I would add/wilt the spinach last, after the salmon is cooked. It got a little slimy. All in all, this was a quick dinner that I would probably make again.