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 is excellent! I think I have a new favorite. The next time I make it will leave more of the jalapeno in for a little more heat! Thank you again for another five star recipe!
This was so easy and so delicious! Listen to Jenn and add the jalapeno. It adds flavor, not heat, as long as you don’t use the seeds. This was confirmed by my picky 10 year old who gobbled it down and said it wasn’t spicy at all. All the flavors came together so well and the chicken came out perfectly.
I must confess I love every recipe I’ve made on this site. I am inspired to cook again and love that I can keep trying new things knowing that each recipe will work. Thanks, Jenn!
I love this dish, I am so greatful for this recipie ! Thank you Jennifer for all the wounderful dishes I have made for me and my family thanks to you! Linda
😊
I think this was the best thing my husband and & I ever ate. We can’t stop saying how delicious it was. Can’t wait to make it again which will be real soon. Thank You for such an Amazing Recipe!!!
I made this tonight and it was amazing!!!!!!! I left out the jalapeño and it was not spicy at all. I used the same ingredients/brands pictured. I used shiritaki noodles that are gluten free, zero sugar and zero fat. You don’t even miss the rice. Thank you for sharing!!! You must use the cilantro and lime for a flavor explosion in your mouth. I also cut up four skinless boneless chicken thighs that came out super tender. I highly recommend this recipe. I will definitely make this over and over again!
This is an outstanding recipe and I wasn’t even able to get fresh cilantro the first time I made it! The red curry paste I use was spicy enough for us without the jalapeño. The chicken came out very tender and once I added braised skinny fresh red pepper strips which were great. Next I’m going to try in on top of fresh mahi mahi with rice. Jen’s recipes are always the best and they never fail!
I made this today and before I added the chicken the sauce curdled, I followed instructions and I am puzzled what I did wrong to cause the sauce to curd. Please help. Otherwise the flavor was great. Thank you for your great recipes.
Hi Beatriz, You may have simmered it for too long. Just make sure that after you bring the sauce to a boil that you reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and just let it simmer until slightly thickened. Hope that helps!
I made the Thai Red Curry Chicken about a month ago and it was a big hit with my family. I made the recipe as directed except I left out the jalapeño pepper. I learned a big lesson about chopping Jalapeños years ago – I didn’t use gloves and my hands were “on fire” for several hours. I could have used gloves but I felt the dish would be spicy enough without the jalapeños. It turned out fabulously. This is a quick and easy dish and I will definitely make it again soon.
As with all of Jen’s recipes this is amazing. i often use rotisserie chicken to speed this up and have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
This is a terrific recipe for a quick Friday meal. I usually have all ingredients on hand and tastes just as good as take out-except I don’t have to leave the house! Thanks for a keeper!
OMG! This was so easy, delicious and definitely a keeper. Only change for us was on he heat. I used half of the pepper, everything else the same. I now keep coconut milk in my pantry. Thanks Jen for another winner.
This is one of my favorite recipes! You can make this so quickly and it tastes like restaurant quality! Don’t be afraid to make something a little off the beaten path!
To be honest, I’ve become a bit obsessed with Jenn’s recipes. One of my passions is cooking and discovering new recipes and flavors. Since I found Jenn’s blog, I feel bad for all the other great cooks out there with their own blogs, because unless Jenn doesn’t have a particular recipe on her blog or in her cookbook, I don’t even give them a second glance. I haven’t left reviews on the many recipes I’ve tried and loved, but thought it was time I corrected that. Thai food in general is my favorite type of food to eat. This particular Red Curry Thai Chicken is amazing. The chicken comes out very tender every time and the flavors are outstanding. The first time I made it my husband commented it needed to go on our regular rotation…and it has! Thanks Jenn!
I agree Nicole. I too find Jenn’s Recipes are my “go to” ones. I can’t count how many times I’ve talked to friends about her recipes and don’t bother with any others unless it’s absolutely necessary. I can count on Jenn’s to be good
🙂
I agree! I don’t think I’ve found another site that has as many great recipes! I also really like that many of Jenn’s recipes are 4 servings. I live alone and 4 servings are just about right for dinner and leftovers.
Just made this for dinner. My husband said it’s the best curry I’ve ever made! Thank you!!
So good
So good and so easy! Made exactly as written:)
Easy and quick recipe, perfect for weeknight cooking. Delicious and flavourful!
Incredibly good! Better than Thai takeout, that’s for sure 🙂 Thanks for another winning dinner. The whole family ate this and quickly!!
This is an absolutely delicious dish that I’ve made several times and it always tastes magnificent. Gently poaching ensures the most tender chicken imaginable. The only change I’ve recently made is leaving the jalapeño out. The red curry still gives you enough heat but either way you can’t go wrong. Enjoy!
Fabulous easy recipe and the sauce is delicious!! Used shrimp instead of chicken and added tofu and some steamed green beans. A keeper!!
This recipe was amazing! I added red pepper and zucchini raw after I cooked the chicken for a couple minutes and that didn’t seem to have any negative effects. I also used a different brand of red curry paste, mae anong, and found it a lot more flavorful than the thai kitchen. Overall, great, easy recipe.
Hi Jen,
What veggies would you use to make it a vegetarian plate? Broccoli, carrots, red pepper, zucchini, etc…? They should all work right?
Hi Janelle, Yes, I think all those veggies should work (and if you like mushrooms, they would be a good addition too). I’d love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
Second time I have made this. The sauce (even without jalapeños and fish sauce to make it kid friendly) is delicious. The chicken itself is pretty bland. Any suggestion for how to marinade for more flavor?
Hi JoAnn, while the sauce has plenty of salty flavor due to the fish sauce, you could amp up the flavor of the chicken by sprinkling it with some salt and freshly ground pepper before adding it to the pan to cook. 🙂
Yummy…yet another fabulous recipe from Jenn! Simple, tasty, and highly recommended.
Made it a few days ago and it was delicious. My curry paste was really spicy so next time I’m going to reduce the amount. Loved the taste of the coconut milk! First time I tried cooking Thai but definitely not the last one!
This was a friday night dish. The prep was quicker than I thought it would be and will easily be a regular on our menu. Every recipe I’ve tried from Jenn is always a hit!
So good! It comes together in a flash with ingredients I usually have in hand. It is a nice mild almost sweet curry that even my toddler eats! I like to serve with some fresh stir fried garlic green beans!
Tasty. Easy. Not too much prep. I am squeamish about fish sauce but all was well. Mate had seconds! Thanks.
This recipe was delicious. I decided to use the full amount of fish sauce, despite a couple reviews that they reduced it. When I first put in the two tbsp, I was worried because it smelled very strong. Thankfully, after cooking down a bit and adding the last set of ingredients, the smell was totally gone. It ended up blending really well with the other ingredients and gave a great, complex flavor!
The chicken was very tender and it was a perfect meal for a snowy day. I added ~1 cup of bell pepper strips as well.
Made this last night and my husband couldn’t get enough. Very flavorful. Easy to make. Perfect for weekday dinner. We like it a little spicy so I added siracha. Delicious.
Hi Jen! I made this the other night and followed recipe. It was very easy to make and we liked it but thought the 2 tablespoons of fish sauce was over powering. It made the chicken taste too fishy. I’ll make it again with less or maybe soy sauce. Thanks for all your good recipes!
I’ve tried so many variations of a Thai Chicken curry available on Pinterest and Yummly…yours was so easy and delicious. Cut back a bit on the brown sugar and added some diced red pepper with the scallions and jalapeño. Gently poaching the chicken in the sauce was wonderful.
The chicken turns out perfectly using this poaching method – might be the most tender chicken I’ve ever had! This recipe came together quickly and tasted great, as good or even better than a restaurant and I can control what goes in the pan! You could even speed this up by prepping stuff the day before as the cooking doesn’t take long. My husband and 3 year old ate this up!
Is there an alternate ingredient list to reduce the sodium content?
Hi Mike, almost all the sodium comes from the fish sauce. While you could replace the fish sauce with reduced-sodium soy sauce, the fish sauce is really what gives the dish that authentic Thai taste so I’d recommend sticking with it if possible.
Just made this tonight and it was fantastic. I was very skeptical, as the poaching method is not traditional for this dish (as you mentioned). It was absolutely perfect! Added steamed green beans at the end. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is our favorite dish ever. We make it so often and it NEVER gets old!! The perfect amount of everything.. Love it
Is there anything you can substitute well for the fish sauce?
The fish sauce adds a wonderfully authentic Thai flavor to the dish so I would recommend it. You can use soy sauce instead — it will still be good, but it will lack that traditional Thai flavor. Hope you enjoy!
What is a good substitute for fish sauce? My son has a fish allergy so I do not make many Asian recipes, but would like to!
Hi Staci, You can use soy sauce in place of the fish sauce — the dish will still be good, it will just lack that traditional Thai flavor. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is as good or better than any I’ve had in any restaurant. I made a few changes – I omitted the Scallions, Jalapeno, and Lime Juice. I added Red and Orange Bell Peppers with the Chicken – though I could see why you would steam them separately – its just more work and it didn’t seem to take anything away from the sauce.
I’ve been looking for this recipe for years and I am excited by it. Thanks so much.
First curry I’ve made and it was phenomenal
This was one of the easiest and tastiest recipes on your blog Jenn! My husband loved it and drank the sauce that the chicken was cooked in like soup.
I didn’t have any jalepeno, or cilantro, so I used red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.
Hubby and I love Thai food, but takeout can get pricey! Made this recipe a few months ago and going back to old faithful tonight. Going to mix it up with beef this time though, and with a bell pepper and onion for veggies! Always love your recipes, Jenn!
I made this for the first time for a dinner party (which included people who have told me over the years they “don’t like curry”). Everyone raved. I kept hearing: “Oh, I love the sauce! The sauce is so good! Oh, I love this! This is so delicious!” And when I asked how the chicken was cooked they said it was super moist, tender and flavorful. I got an email from one of the guests a week later saying they were still thinking about how delicious the food was. I’m grateful for the make-ahead tips and the details on how to cook the chicken–masterful, as always! Thank you for another winner, Jenn!
Amazing. So many Thai recipes are complicated. This was super easy and delicious. I only used one Tbsp of Fish Sauce and used more lime. Used avocado, cilantro and green onion as the garnish. My husband is eating the leftovers for breakfast.
🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
Hi Jenn, loved this dish! Just wondering if the calorie count includes the jasmine rice, or if that stands alone. Thanks!
Hi Shelby, Glad you enjoyed! The calorie count does not include the rice. 🙂
Simple and easy to make. Thank you. Love the tip on poaching the tenderloin. I tend to prefer chicken thighs for their moistness and fat content, so I might try this with boneless chicken thighs sometime. I’ve really enjoyed your recipes–thanks so much for sharing them! Just made the spicy maple candied bacon for a holiday gathering–people were totally taken with it. Me, too!
Do you think this would work with salmon?
I haven’t tried this with fish, but I think it would work. Please LMK how it turns out!
This turned out just perfect! Specially the tip that you gave about cooking chicken at low heat. Thanks Jen! I am biggest fan of your recipes.
Dish was very tasty! Made exactly as recipe called for. I definitely Will make this again. 😋
Delicious recipe! The best part is that it is fairly quick to make and requires ingredients I usually have on hand. I follow the recipe exactly, although sometimes I don’t have cilantro. It still tastes great. This recipe is on regular rotation on the dinner menu at my house.
Hi Jenn,
Can I replace the chicken with turkey breast?
Thanks!
Anne
Hi Anne, I am not a big fan of turkey breast – it tends to be so dry – but yes, it should work. Hope that helps!
Awesome!
Kids and friends loved it.
Fabulous recipe! Easy, quick and delicious, what more do you need 🙂
I’m making it again tonight
This dish has great flavors and was easy to prepare and cook. I should have paid closer attention to the note about adding red pepper flakes or sriracha to spice it up, because even though I used four (small) jalapeños it didn’t have any kick. Next time I’ll add a big dollop of sambal. Two other notes: With all the liquid you don’t need a non-stick pan. I used a stainless-steel skillet and clean-up was a breeze. I also used boneless chicken thighs because that’s what I had. They took closer to 10 minutes to cook through. Thanks for a great recipe that we will definitely make again.
I just tried this recipe, and it tastes amazing. Thank you for your contribution!
Greetings from the Netherlands.