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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Hi Jen!
Love this recipe and I have made it many times. I wanted to try it with shrimp. Could I cook them the same way as the chicken or in a separate pan and add in?
Glad you like it! Yes, you can use shrimp and use the same cooking directions. Just keep in mind that the shrimp may cook a little faster than chicken so keep a close eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out!
So good with the shrimp👌
So glad to hear it — thanks for reporting back!
I thought it was too sweet. Next time I’ll omit the sugar. Easy recipe though.
We have made this so many times, this time I added diced red bell peppers when I sautéed the garlic, jalapeños and green onion, My husband likes chopped peanuts on top. It’s a family staple.
A new fave. This one is going on the list!
Jenn, this was FABULOUS!!! I was searching for a red Thai chix recipe & when I saw yours knew it would not disappoint! I follow a Paleo diet, so I modified by using coconut oil, red/orange bell peppers + no onions. The flavor was outstanding! I served it over spaghetti squash & it was just like my favorite restaurant dish I used to order. I love your recipes for ease of prep & no super-fancy ingredients, yet one gets a flavor explosion in the mouth..for me with such limited choices, that’s everything! I make your chocolate pie for company & guests drool over it! Thank you again for your time & effort in bringing us great recipes! A very Happy New Year to you & your family☺️
Jenn – this is divine! We loved the flavor and couldn’t get over how tender the chicken was! Well, we had a minor problem though – we’re a family of five and typically 4 servings is enough for us, but this one was not. (Kids wanted to go for adult portions, not surprisingly.) What would you recommend if I make this with 2lb of meat and not sacrifice the tenderness/flavor? You’re always so kind and generous with your time, so thank you very much in advance!
Hi Oleda, So glad you enjoyed this enough that your kids wanted large servings! I’d just increase all the other ingredients in the recipe by 1/4. (It won’t impact the tenderness of the chicken.)
First of all, this is my “go to” website for recipes (own both Once Upon a Chef cookbooks as well). Almost every single recipe is a winner with my family and friends, and this is one of my faves. Jenn, please also say hello to your husband for me (we were high school friends and basketball teammates)!
I actually had a quick question on the chicken preparation for this recipe. Since the chicken is only poached, I’m curious if you rinse the chicken beforehand, or if the poaching process is enough to kill the bacteria. Thanks!
Hi Gregg! So glad you enjoy the recipes and Michael says hello! He said he remembers your culinary beginnings cutting up pieces of salami and serving it with cheese in your kitchen when you guys were little. 🙂 I actually don’t rinse chicken before cooking unless it seems like it needs it — there’s debate over this — so I wouldn’t rinse it here, but if you are a chicken-washer, it’s fine to give it a quick rinse before poaching.
Thanks Jenn, and lol!
It’s a shame I didn’t become a professional chef after that bit of culinary magic. Fortunately my cooking skills have advanced since then:)
Thanks again, and tell Michael he can reach out to me anytime (you have my email), as it would be great to hear from him.
Happy holidays!
Can I use rotisserie chicken in place of cooking the chicken?
It’s never occurred to me to use rotisserie chicken here, but I think it’s possible. I’d add it to the pan just long enough to get it heated through. Please LMK how it turns out!
Jenn,
Love this recipe! Always turns out great and is so versatile. I’ve made this many times and usually add blanched snow peas (at the very end) and saute diced red pepper with the scallions & garlic – both add nice color and texture. I have also made it adding mushrooms and diced carrots & peas (frozen) which our local Thai restaurant always did. Have made it with shrimp as well. Just a great recipe as is or as a jumping off point. Thanks!!
Delicious dinner that my husband and I both loved! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!❤️