This Thai Red Curry Chicken is really REALLY good. So good that even my Dutch husband said he could eat it every day. ‘Hmmmm’, I thought. ‘I think I have a keeper here’.
With the popularity of Thai food across the world it’s no surprise you see more Thai food ingredients on store shelves. Thai red curry paste is one of them and it’s the key ingredient to any Thai red curry. You can certainly make your own homemade Thai red curry paste, if you dare, but the store-bought paste is really a fine alternative especially when you can’t typically find authentic Thai ingredients (like kaffir lime, coriander root and lemongrass) at your local grocery store to give you all the characteristic Thai flavors to your Thai red curry.
The red curry paste is cooked in the beginning directly on the heat. This helps release the aromas in the paste and allows the concentrated flavors permeate the entire dish. The meat and vegetables that you use can be flexible because after all it is the red curry sauce that gives this dish its amazing flavor. With that said, eliminate the meat and substitute with more vegetables or tofu if you are vegetarian, add shrimp or scallops if that is more your thing, or change up the vegetables (like mushrooms, pea pods, sprouts) altogether to suit your preference. No problem…just don’t change anything else!
If you love Thai food then you’ll love this Thai Red Curry Chicken. Don’t hesitate. Make it today (and maybe even every day thereafter).
Thai Red Curry Chicken
The red curry paste used in this recipe is packed with a variety of authentic Thai flavors, making it simple for anybody to make this delicious Thai red curry chicken.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 (or 2) tablespoons red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 13.5oz/400ml/1.75cups coconut milk
- 1/4 cup chicken stock (optional)
- 1 pound (450g) chicken breasts, bite-size pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 zucchini (or eggplant), sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Fresh lime wedges
Directions
- Step 1 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Thai curry paste (1 tablespoon if you like it less spicy, or add 2 tablespoons if you can handle spicy heat) and cook, mashing the paste with a spoon into the oil to incorporate, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add in garlic and ginger, combine, cook about 30 seconds.
- Step 2 Stir in the coconut milk, chicken stock (optional), bay leaf, fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. (At this point taste test. If you need more spice add a bit more Thai red curry paste. If it’s too spicy, you can always add in more coconut milk.)
- Step 3 Add chicken and cook, about 4-5 minutes. Add all your vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables reach desired tenderness, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4 Remove skillet from heat. Discard bay leaf. Add basil and cilantro leaves
- Step 5 Serve with rice and fresh lime wedges on the side. A fresh squeeze of lime juice at the end gives the dish a refreshing citrus taste.