Thai-Style Red Chicken Curry
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This fragrant Thai chicken curry is a one-pan dish that comes together in just 30 minutes.
I love cooking Thai-style food at home because there are so many recipes that you can create with just a few staples from the Asian food aisle of your neighborhood supermarket. This red chicken curry is case in point: a one-pan dish of tender chicken simmered in a rich, red curry-infused coconut milk sauce, it comes together in just 30 minutes with minimal prep work.
In developing the recipe, the biggest challenge was determining the best way to cook the chicken. Most recipes call for sautéing the chicken first and then warming it in the finished sauce. But the problem with that method, if you’re using white meat, is that the chicken tends to dry out quickly. I found that gently poaching the chicken in the coconut sauce is not only easier but also foolproof. You’ll be so pleased with how tender the chicken turns out when cooked this way!
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Thai-Style Red Chicken Curry
Before we get to the step-by-step instructions, a few words about the ingredients:
- Red curry paste is a blend of lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), fresh red chilis, and fragrant spices. The spice level will vary depending on the brand of curry paste you use. The brand I use above (Thai Kitchen) makes for a mild, family-friendly dish. For more heat, you can always add a drizzle of Sriracha, some of the seeds of the jalapeño, or some crushed red pepper flakes.
- Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk. The sauce won’t have the same smooth, thick consistency with the reduced-fat variety.
- Fish sauce is a salty, savory condiment often used in East Asian cuisine. It adds a rich umami flavor to sauces, marinades, and salad dressings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the light scallions, garlic, and jalapeño. (The dark green scallions are used as a garnish at the end, as they are mild in flavor and pretty, too.)
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown.
Add the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until thickened, a few minutes.
Add the chicken pieces.
Simmer, stirring occasionally to promote even cooking, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the lime juice, dark scallion greens, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime, if necessary.
Serve with jasmine rice.
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Thai Red Curry Chicken
This fragrant Thai chicken curry is a one-pan dish that comes together in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced, light and dark green parts divided
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (see note)
- 1 (14-oz) can coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2½ tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the light scallions, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar and whisk together. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, a few minutes. Add the chicken and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to promote even cooking, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. (Do not let the sauce boil; the idea is to cook the chicken gently so that it's tender.) Stir in the lime juice, dark scallion greens, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime, if necessary. Serve with jasmine rice.
- Note: As always, take care when working with jalapeño peppers. If you touch the seeds or ribs, be sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your eyes.
- Note: It's important to wait until you're ready to eat to cook the chicken. If you want to get a head start, prepare the sauce up until the point when the chicken is added. Take it off the heat and then poach the chicken right before serving. If the chicken sits in the hot curry sauce for too long before serving, it will overcook.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 649
- Fat: 51 g
- Saturated fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 886 mg
- Cholesterol: 128 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I Made this last night and it was INSANELY GOOD – comparable to what you’d find in Thailand!! (I’ve spent a month there so have eaten a fair amount of authentic Thai curry). An added bonus is how quick and easy it is to make. I found the Thai Kitchen brand red curry paste a bit mild for my taste, so I added some cayenne pepper for extra heat and it was perfect. I will definitely be making this again soon! Thank you Jenn!!
I made this tonight and it turned out great! I appreciated you focusing on technique informing us non-savvy cooks to avoid boiling the sauce. It made all the difference in the world. My husband is a very picky eater and cleaned his plate! I did listen to other reviews and added salt and pepper to the chicken prior to cooking and added some veggies to the dish as well. I may add a touch more spice next time but will definitely be making it again! Thank you!
I’ve been making Thai red curry chicken for some years now and the recipe I have always used (no idea where I found it) is almost identical to this one, except I use a shallot instead of scallions. It is a great recipe and very simple. I make my own Thai green curry paste but find buying ready-made red curry paste makes sense. A couple of things I would say; I use about half the sugar, maybe less but keep adding a bit until I just get that hint of sweetness the dish needs. Not sweet, just a hint to balance the saltiness, sourness and creaminess of the other ingredients. To the reader who said they find the chicken needs more seasoning, try mixing a bit of the curry paste really well into the raw chicken and refrigerate for an hour or so to marinate before adding to the sauce. I use chicken breast but slice it quite thin (rather than chunks). It seems to stay moist during the cooking process better. I know you use tenders Jenn. One other ingredient I sometimes add is peanut butter. Sounds a little weird I know but it adds some richness which I like.
Thanks for your great recipes Jenn. All I have made have been a resounding success, especially the beef stew with carrots and potatoes.
Can I try to make this with country pork boneless ribs? How do you suggest cooking it…the same way as I would for the chicken? Love this recipe and have made it many times! Hubby accidentally bought lite coconut milk this week though…hope it’s not too watery.
Glad you like it! Unfortunatley, I don’t think it would translate well to ribs — sorry!
Excellent recipe
What do you do if you want to add vegetables to this dish? Like slices of onion, pepper, squash, potato?
Hi Michele, this is a dish that lends itself well to adding veggies; I’d suggest steaming them separately and adding them at the very end, so they don’t soak up all the curry sauce. Enjoy! 🙂
This is a really good recipe for Thai Curry. Great flavor, but it could be a bit hot for some folks, especially with the jalapeno. I used Panang curry in place of red curry, big mistake- it is MUCH hotter than red. Husband was sweating, both of us had tears, my nose was running – and we like hot & spicy foods (used to have a salsa business!) Next time I’ll either halve the amount of curry or use a combo of Panang & red. I did not use jalapeno and won’t next time. I added diced red bell pepper to the onions & garlic, and at the end added halved snow peas which I had blanched. It was great, even though I made it too hot!
This is a big hit with my family. It tastes similar to our favorite Thai restaurant’s curry. I will often substitute green curry for the red. It’s a bit spicier but that’s how we like it. Thank you so much for all your recipes including the cookbook. It’s been a blessing in our lives especially during this stressful time.
This is delish! Spicier than I expected but it was well received!
I added some veggies to it but just because I had them to use up! Great either way!
Spectacular, recipe is spot on! Can’t wait to make it again! Thank you!
Delicious, easy to follow, and ready in under 30 minutes. This is the first recipe I have made from your blog, but I have already purchased your cookbook! I’m can’t wait to explore more of your creations. Thank you, Jenn!