This red curry chicken is as easy as cooking gets. After making the miraculously simple 15-minute Coconut Curry Noodle Soup recipe a few months ago, I realized what a magical ingredient canned curry paste is. It adds a ton of flavor with minimal effort––emphasis on minimal. This recipe has fewer than 10 ingredients, takes less than a half hour to make, and it’s a one pot meal worthy of any weeknight.
If you’re wondering where to find red curry paste, head to any Asian grocery store, and look for a little red can labeled…you guessed it––red curry paste. No confusing Chinese characters or misspelled Chinglish words here! We used a brand called “Maesri,” which is the one we usually buy.
Red Curry Chicken: Recipe Instructions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the Thai red curry paste and fry for another minute.
Turn up the heat to high and add the chicken.
Cook until the chicken is browned, and pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and season with salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes and stir in the choy sum.
Cook until the choy sum is wilted and stir in the cilantro.
Serve this dish over plenty rice and enjoy the fruits of your labor, Thai Red Curry Chicken!!
Red Curry Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (450g, cut into bite-sized pieces)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 slices ginger (minced)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 cup coconut milk (235 ml)
- 1 small bunch choy sum (or baby bok choy)
- A handful of cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the curry paste and fry for another minute.
- Turn up the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken is browned, and pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and season with salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes and stir in the choy sum. Cook until the choy sum is wilted and stir in the cilantro. Serve over rice.
nutrition facts
Hi Sarah! I’m so excited to be making this recipe tonight. A couple questions if you have a moment:
1. I bought Kaeng Kua curry paste instead of the “red curry paste” that you recommended. Should that be fine? what’s the difference?
2. Is there a reason why your Thai Green Curry recipe is so different than the red one? for example, your green curry recipe calls for cornstarch, fish sauce, basil leaves, chili oil, etc. Is it because you believe those flavors go better together with the green curry paste? I’m thinking about blending some of your Green Curry recipe ingredients into my red curry dish tonight!
Hi Sam, I haven’t tried that particular curry paste. It will be different, though, as all these curry pastes have different ingredients and flavor profiles. The red curry paste does much of the work, and doesn’t really need much added to it, while I think green curry paste is more subtle in flavor and needs a little extra oomph. You can feel free to experiment, but definitely taste the curry paste you have first!
I’ve often tried to treat Thai curries as an Indian curry, and the end result is always good, but nothing like the Thai curries I get at the restaurants. This was the first time I made restaurant quality Thai food. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Also, I’ve always used Mae Ploy curry paste, but I tried Maesri at y’all’s request, and I will NEVER go back. So much better.
So happy to hear that, Cody! :) You’re very welcome!
Can I use Panang Curry for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Carol, that should work!
Thank you !
OK, my world has changed now that you’ve turned me on to curry paste! Made this recipe first, loved it, and then the coconut chicken soup and loved that too! Have now stocked up on both the red and green paste and will work through your recipes and beyond. THANK YOU for these wonderful recipes: I’ve not made any that haven’t been fabulous!
You’re welcome Jeff!!
I make this curry regularly but I also add a couple of lime leaves, cut in half. I buy them frozen at a Thai market and they last a long time in my freezer. They impart a really nice citrus note to the curry. I like your site, by the way. Lots of inspiration here.
Sounds delicious, Tim!
I finally found my go-to recipe for red curry chicken after trying several recipes in the past. I cut down the red curry paste to 1 Tablespoon to be on the safe side, so my dish was on the mild side. Next time, I think I can already bring it up to 1.5 Tablespoon. Loved the addition of cilantro in the dish. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Anna!
This was AMAZING! And so quick & easy to make. My BF LOVED it!! I made it w/green beans because that’s all I could find (sadly, no bok choy), but it was excellent!
So glad to hear that Angela!
Love this recipe. Super easy and I always make sure I have a can of red curry paste and coconut milk on hand now. I add some sort of sweet pepper, like red bell pepper and some other veggie, like green beans or whatever I have on hand, to it. Turns out better than restaurant quality every time!
You guys rock! Thanks.
You’re welcome, Rachel! Glad this one has been added to the rotation! It’s especially easy when you have those ingredients on hand in the pantry. :)
I’m a foodie “sans frontiers” and my taste buds can on short notice adapt to any gastronomic adventures. Living as I am in the majestic isolation of the Himalayan mountain regions does not however afford me many such opportunities. When they do I am quick to pounce on the opportunity. I have had two previous and very satisfactory encounters with Thai cuisine and have nursed hopes of some day cooking up a Thai dish. This recipe seems to fit the bill for a first timer.
I have spent the last couple of days getting the ingredients and the will to put on the chef’s hat once more.
I have announced my intention to the rest of the family and tonight’s dinner will boast “Red Thai Chicken Curry”.
Will write in later and let you know whether I was the hero of the evening or the disaster.
hahaha thanks for sharing! please do let us know how you fare on your culinary quest. :)
I went to buy ingredients and when I got home realized I bought Kaeng Par curry instead of red curry. I am sure that it will have a different taste, but was wondering if it would taste super horrible if I substituted the curious.