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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This dish was very good and it came together easily once everything was prepped. We like a little more heat, so I’ll experiment with the jalapeño seeds next time. My husband added sriracha to his plate and was happy. Very satisfying over rice. Keeper.
BTW, for those who don’t do fish sauce for whatever reason, you can make a substitute with water, salt, soy sauce, and dried shiitake mushrooms. America’s Test Kitchen was my source although I prefer actual fish sauce.
Sounds delicious. Is there an alternative to cilantro?
I sometimes use basil as a substitute
Vietnamese Basil ( it’s purple and spicey, different than regular basil) is a good sub
Jenn:
I always know I can count on your recipes. I have never made one that wasn’t amazingly good and the Thai Red Curry Chicken recipe is amazing. I loved that I could prep everything ahead of time and cook in just a few minutes. I followed your recipe exactly, but served over cauliflower rice. LOVED IT!
This is lovely, very easy and great flavour. Used coconut oil, coconut palm sugar (instead of brown) and added 1/2 cup fresh pineapple. Served with cauliflower rice. I love your recipes!
Hi Jenn, I made this recipe tonight just as written and my husband and I thought it was great, warm but not too hot (I didn’t use the jalapeno seeds) and very tasty. We will definitely make it again! I might add chopped baby bok choy next time to give it more veggies. Your website is my first go to when looking for a new recipe. Thanks and keep up the good cooking
I cannot do fish sauce! I’ve tried, I really have. Anything you can use to substitute or just do without? How much will it impact the flavor?
Hi Diane, I really recommend the fish sauce; it adds a lot of flavor and all of the salt. You could try adding half as much and then salt to taste. Hope that helps!
Jenn – forgot to ask, if adding vegetables, what would you recommend?
Mark
Hi Mark, I’ve added steamed broccoli to this. You can also add a finely diced red bell pepper along with the jalapeño.
Jenn
Just made the recipe, tastes amazing and was so simple to cook. Looking forward to packaging this up for some nice lunches this week. Love your site, bought your cookbook – Thanks for making us all happier and healthier!
😊
Lol. I thought I bought coconut milk but bought coconut cream. I did know there was such a product. It was a little too watery so I thickened at the end. The flavor is sweet, tart, spices. Can’t wait to have my kids try it (grown kids). .
Hi Jen, would it be ok to substitute thai yellow curry paste? Thanks!
Hi Jane, Yes, I think you could use yellow or green curry paste here in place of the red. Please LMK how it turns out!