Viral Brothy Chicken and Rice
on Oct 14, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This viral brothy chicken and rice brings together sheet-pan red curry chicken thighs, jasmine rice, and bok choy in a Thai-inspired coconut broth 🥥. It’s exactly the kind of meal I want when I’m craving something cozy, saucy, spicy-sweet 🌶️, and absolutely packed with flavor 😋. The chicken is tossed with spices right on the baking sheet, then roasted and briefly broiled while the garlic-ginger 🧄🫚 broth simmers on the stove. Add everything to a bowl, ladle that gorgeous broth over, and you have the coziest dinner 🥰 with minimal cleanup.
Key Takeaways
- This viral brothy chicken and rice is a Thai-inspired comfort bowl featuring red curry-glazed sheet-pan chicken thighs, jasmine rice, and bok choy swimming in a flavorful coconut broth.
- The chicken is coated directly on the baking sheet with red curry paste, honey, soy sauce, and avocado oil, then roasted and broiled for juicy meat with slightly charred edges.
- The broth is intentionally thin and spoonable — made with coconut milk loosened with water or stock — so it soaks beautifully into the rice rather than acting as a thick curry sauce.
- Spice lovers can adjust the heat easily, since red curry paste is added separately to both the chicken and the broth.
- It’s a build-your-own bowl dinner that’s cozy, packed with flavor, and requires minimal cleanup.
Why You’ll Love Viral Brothy Chicken and Rice
🤤 ALL. THAT. BROTH – If you’re 1000% here for soup season, this one is for you. The coconut milk is loosened with water or broth, so you get a beautiful, spoonable broth that soaks into the jasmine rice instead of a super-thick curry sauce.
🍗 The chicken is SO juicy – Boneless chicken thighs are coated directly on the baking sheet with red curry paste, honey, soy sauce, and avocado oil. After baking, a quick broil gives the edges a delicious little bit of char.
🌶️ You control the spice – The chicken and the broth each get their own addition of red curry paste, so you can adjust the amount depending on the brand you use and your spice tolerance.
🍲 It’s the perfect build-your-own bowl – Add rice, chicken, bok choy, and as much broth as your heart desires. Everyone can customize their bowl exactly how they like it.
Viral Brothy Chicken and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
Spicy-Sweet Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- 2-4 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, depending on spiciness
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons runny honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Coconut Broth
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stems
- 2 to 4 teaspoons red curry paste, depending on spice level
- 1 ¾ cups full-fat coconut milk, (one 15-ounce can)
- ½ cup water , or low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- zest of ½ a lime, optional
- juice of ½ a lime
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or fish sauce
- handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
For Serving
- ½ pound baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into quarters
- 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken in a pile in the center of the baking sheet, and top with the avocado oil, curry paste, soy sauce, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. With clean hands, mix well to coat each piece of chicken evenly. Spread out the chicken pieces evenly, so they are not overlapping. Bake for 12 minutes, then turn the broiler to high, and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is lightly charred.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, warm the avocado oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and no longer smelling raw, about 4 minutes. Add the cilantro stems and cook for 1 minute. Add the curry paste and cook for another minute, just until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, water, brown sugar, lime zest (if using), lime juice, and soy sauce and whisk or stir well to incorporate. Bring to a simmer, let cook for 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat. Add the cilantro leaves.
- Blanch the bok choy in a pot of boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Drain well. Alternatively, microwave in a bowl with 1 inch of water for 2 to 4 minutes.
- In a shallow bowl, add some rice, chicken, and bok choy and ladle some broth on top. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Notes
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Related Recipes
Ingredients
🍗 Spicy-sweet chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay nice and juicy and hold up beautifully to the bold curry flavor. They’re coated right on the baking sheet with avocado oil, red curry paste, soy sauce, and runny honey, so there’s no extra marinating bowl to wash.
🌶️ Red curry paste: This goes in two places — on the chicken and in the broth — so the heat can add up quickly. Some brands are MUCH spicier than others, so taste and adjust depending on your preference.
🥥 Coconut curry broth: This broth is rich, bright, and just spicy enough, with full-fat coconut milk, red curry paste, garlic, ginger, lime, and a touch of brown sugar. It’s light enough to spoon over the rice but still packed with flavor.
If you’re using chicken broth, my homemade chicken broth would be absolutely delicious here.
🥬 Baby bok choy: I love the freshness and crunch it adds here. It balances the rich broth and gives you that nice green bite with the chicken and rice.
🍚 Jasmine rice: This is the perfect base for soaking up all that delicious coconut broth.
Nonna’s Tip 🌶️
Know 👏 your 👏 curry 👏! Some brands are much spicier than others, and remember that we’re adding curry paste to both the chicken and the broth. Start with the lower amount if you’re unsure. You can always add more if you like more spice.
Variations and Substitutions for Viral Brothy Chicken and Rice
- No bok choy 🥬? No problem. Baby broccoli, edamame, or green beans would all be delicious with these flavors. Just keep in mind that they may need different cooking times depending on what you use.
- You can also swap the red curry paste for green curry paste. The flavor and color of the final dish will be different — expect the broth to look more muted green or brown — but it makes a delicious variation 😋.
- If you prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, they will generally need longer in the oven than boneless thighs. Regardless of the cut, always use a meat thermometer and look for 165°F (74°C) inserted into the thickest part.
Asian-Inspired Serving Ideas
- Top your soup with fresh cilantro 🌿 and a squeeze of lime.
- Asian Cucumber Salad 🥒 and Korean Carrot Salad make crispy and flavorful sides.
- Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls with a yummy peanut sauce are the perfect appetizer.
- Try my Viral Rice Paper Mochi (Strawberry + Mango) for dessert 🥭.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
The Best Chicken Soup Ever
1 hr 50 mins
Viral No Water Chicken Soup
2 hrs 10 mins
Hidden Veggie Chicken Soup
50 mins
Easy Homemade Chicken Broth
1 hr 35 mins
Storage and Meal Prep
If you’re meal prepping this recipe, I recommend storing the chicken 🍗 , rice 🍚, broth, and vegetables 🥬 separately. Use air-tight containers and keep for 3 to 5 days.
This makes such a difference! If the rice sits in the broth, it will continue soaking up all that beautiful liquid. And if the bok choy sits in the broth for too long, it can lose its texture.
When you’re ready to eat, build your bowl with the rice, chicken, and vegetables first, then ladle the warm broth over everything 🍲.
Troubleshooting Viral Brothy Chicken and Rice
My chicken is cooked but it isn’t very charred.
That’s okay! The most important thing is that the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C) internally. You can broil it for another 1 to 2 minutes to add some color.
Why is my bowl much spicier than expected?
Remember that there is curry paste in two different components of this recipe 🌶️. Brand matters too — one red curry paste can be mild while another one can be seriously spicy. If you’re using a new brand, start at the lower end of the suggested amount.
Why does my coconut broth look split or too thick?
Make sure your canned coconut milk 🥥 is well combined before using it, especially if the cream has separated inside the can. Once everything is in the saucepan, keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than boiling it to prevent splitting.
Why did my rice absorb all the broth?
Rice LOVES liquid 😂. That is why I recommend building each bowl right before eating and ladling the broth over the rice at serving time.
For leftovers, keep the rice and broth in separate containers so you still get that gorgeous brothy texture the next day.
Common Questions
Do I need to marinate the chicken?
No. This recipe coats the thighs with avocado oil, curry paste, soy sauce, honey, salt, and pepper right on the lined baking sheet before baking. Spread them out so the pieces do not overlap.
How spicy is this brothy chicken and rice?
The chicken and broth each contain red curry paste. Paste strength varies, so the finished heat depends on the brand and the amount used in both parts. Taste the paste before adding to judge the spice level; use more if you like it spicier, less if you prefer it milder.
Can I use green curry paste?
Yes. However, the broth will look more muted green-brown than it does with red curry paste.
Can I use bone-in chicken thighs or chicken breasts?
Yes! Chicken breasts may take 5 to 10 minutes longer in the oven. Check for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part – it should measure 165°F (74°C).
Can I make this dish ahead?
Yes. Store the chicken, rice, broth, and vegetables separately in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Meal-prepped this, and it’s so flavorful and delicious! This is going to be the perfect dinner for the week! So good!
The broth is AMAZING! Making this one again for sure!