This Thai Red Curry Chicken is full of flavor, so easy to make at home, and healthier than the take-out kind! It's chicken and veggies, stewed in a delicious creamy coconut red curry sauce.
Most authentic Red Curry recipes use special ingredients that may be hard to come by, such as Kaffir Leaves or Lemongrass. But, this recipe was created using only pantry staples, or ingredients that are easy to find!
Of course, if you have access to the special ingredients, use them if you would like. (The substitution info is listed in the notes.) But if you don't have them, don't worry! Just follow the recipe as written, and you still have layers of delicious flavor in the creamy Red Curry Sauce!
How to Make Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook 3 minutes, or until onions are softened, stirring often.
- Add the red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and coriander. Cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring often.
- Add coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, and chicken. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 7 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Add carrots and bell peppers, and simmer 5-7 more minutes, until sauce slightly thickens and chicken is cooked through (took mine 7 minutes).
- Remove from heat, and stir in the lime zest, half of the lime juice, and half of the cilantro.
- At this point, do a taste test and add in the rest of the lime juice if needed and more: salt, sugar, or curry paste to taste.
- Top with the remaining cilantro, and serve!
Recipe Notes
Thai Red Curry Paste Brands:
The taste of different brands of Thai Red Curry Paste vary, some are more spicy some are more sweet! I prefer Maesri Brand... I find it's more flavorful and spicier than other brands. But, Thai Kitchen brand can be found at most markets, and will still work well for this dish. Maesri brand is sold at some grocery stores, but I just purchase mine off of Amazon.
- If using Maesri Curry Paste: Starting with 4 tablespoon of the paste will result in Medium-Hot spice level. Use less if you want milder! (We like ours with 5 tablespoon for HOT). If you find it came out too spicy, add a bit more brown sugar or coconut milk to dial down the heat.
- If using Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste: Starting with 4 tablespoon will result in mild heat. We end up using the whole jar! It's much sweeter and less spicy. So, use less brown sugar (start with 1 tsp) and add in cayenne pepper if you want to bump up the heat.
Fish Sauce Substitute:
Authentic Thai Red Curry usually has Fish Sauce, which can be found in most grocery stores. But if you don't have any on hand, or can't find it, you can sub with equal amounts of Soy Sauce.
Lime Zest & Juice Substitute:
Again, this recipe was created using ingredients that are easy to come by, or that you likely already have. Authentic Red Curry recipes usually use lemongrass and kaffir leaves, but these can be hard to find for most people. So, even though there is no perfect substitute for these, I feel the lime zest and juice gives a bit of extra flavor in their place. (Careful not to over grate when zesting the lime...only get the green part!)
- If using Kaffir Leaves: In place of the lime juice, use 6 Kaffir leaves and add it at the same time you add the coconut milk. Remove the leaves before serving.
- If using Lemongrass: In place of the lime zest, use 2 teaspoon finely minced fresh lemongrass or 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste. Add it at the same time you add the coconut milk.
Sauce Thickness
This dish slightly thickens when it cools off. Thai Red Curry at some restaurants has a more watery consistency. If that's how you prefer yours, simply add about ½ cup (or more) of chicken broth at the same time you add the coconut milk.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Follow steps 1-2 to sauté onions and spices in a pan.
- Add a bit of the canned coconut milk to deglaze the pan and then pour mixture out into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and other ingredients to the slow cooker (except the lime zest, juice, and cilantro, which should be mixed in at the end of cooking).
- Cook on High for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours.
- Stir in the lime zest, half of the lime juice, and half of the cilantro.
- At this point, do a taste test and add in more lime juice if needed and more: salt, sugar, or curry paste to taste. (I added ¼ teaspoon more salt, and 1 tablespoon more curry paste for added heat!)
- Top with the remaining cilantro, and serve!
- Notes:
- If you prefer crisper bell pepper, you can add them last 30 minutes of cooking (this is what I like to do).
- If you prefer thicker sauce, mix in a cornstarch slurry (2-3 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoon water) and cook on high for 15 minutes.
How to Serve Thai Red Curry Chicken
Serve the Thai Red Curry Chicken on its own, or over jasmine rice. Sometimes we also serve it with Naan bread...Yum!
Enjoy! 🙂
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Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken {One Pot, 30-Minute Meal}
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 1 cup onion, finely diced (white or yellow onion)
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 TBSP)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated or minced ginger)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 4-6 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, or to taste (I used Maesri Brand, this amount results in a Medium-hot to HOT spice level *see notes for modifications)
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk, full-fat, (14-ounce can) (I used Thai Kitchen Brand)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or to taste
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips about 3" long ½" wide (can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, or a combination of both!)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce *see notes
- 1 cup carrots, shredded or julienned
- 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced or diced (about half large bell pepper)
- 1 lime, zest and juice *see notes
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided (can also use Thai Basil)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook 3 minutes, or until onions are softened, stirring often.
- Add the red curry paste, garlic, ginger, and coriander. Cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring often.
- Add coconut milk, brown sugar, fish sauce, and chicken. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered for 7 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Add carrots and bell peppers, and simmer 5-7 more minutes, until sauce slightly thickens and chicken is cooked through (took mine 7 minutes).
- Remove from heat, and stir in the lime zest, half of the lime juice, and half of the cilantro.
- At this point, do a taste test and add in more lime juice if needed and more: salt, sugar, or curry paste to taste. (I added ¼ teaspoon more salt, and 1 tablespoon more curry paste for added heat!)
- Top with the remaining cilantro, and serve!
Video
Notes
- Thai Red Curry Paste Brands: The taste of different brands of Thai Red Curry Paste vary, some are more spicy some are more sweet! I prefer Maesri Brand; I find it's more flavorful and spicier than other brands. But, Thai Kitchen brand can be found at most markets, and will still work well for this dish. Maesri brand is sold at some grocery stores, but I just purchase mine off of Amazon.
- If using Maesri Curry Paste: Starting with 4 tablespoon of the paste will result in Medium-Hot spice level. Use less if you want milder! (We like ours with 5 tablespoon for HOT). If you find it came out too spicy, add a bit more brown sugar or coconut milk to dial down the heat.
- If using Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste: Starting with 4 tablespoon will result in mild heat. We end up using the whole jar! It's much sweeter and less spicy. So, use less brown sugar (start with 1 tsp) and add in cayenne pepper if you want to bump up the heat.
- Fish Sauce Substitute: Authentic Thai Red Curry usually has Fish Sauce, which can be found in most grocery stores. But if you don't have any on hand, or can't find it, you can sub with equal amounts of Soy Sauce.
- Lime Zest & Juice Substitute: Again, this recipe was created using ingredients that are easy to come by, or that you likely already have. Authentic Red Curry recipes usually use lemongrass and kaffir leaves, but these can be hard to find for most people. So, even though there is no perfect substitute for these, I feel the lime zest and juice gives a bit of extra flavor in their place. (Careful not to over grate when zesting the lime...only get the green part!)
- If using Kaffir Leaves: In place of the lime juice, use 6 Kaffir leaves and add it at the same time you add the coconut milk. Remove the leaves before serving.
- If using Lemongrass: In place of the lime zest, use 2 teaspoon finely minced fresh lemongrass or 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste. Add it at the same time you add the coconut milk.
Sauce Thickness
This dish thickens slightly when once it cools. Thai Red Curry at some restaurants has a more watery consistency. If that's how you prefer yours, simply add about ½ cup (or more) of chicken broth at the same time you add the coconut milk.Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Follow steps 1-2 to sauté onions and spices in a pan.
- Add a bit of the canned coconut milk to deglaze the pan and then pour mixture out into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining coconut milk and other ingredients to the slow cooker (except the lime zest, juice, and cilantro, which should be mixed in at the end of cooking).
- Cook on High for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours.
-
Stir in the lime zest, half of the lime juice, and half of the cilantro.
-
At this point, do a taste test and add in more lime juice if needed and more: salt, sugar, or curry paste to taste. (I added ¼ teaspoon more salt, and 1 tablespoon more curry paste for added heat!)
-
Top with the remaining cilantro, and serve!
- Notes:
- If you prefer crisper bell pepper, you can add them last 30 minutes of cooking (this is what I like to do).
- If you prefer thicker sauce, mix in a cornstarch slurry (2-3 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoon water) and cook on high for 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Watch the VIDEO on how to make Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Cooking Channel so that you never miss a recipe video! 🙂
Looking for more One-pot Meals? Give these a try:
One-pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
