This authentic Creamy Thai Red Curry with Chicken is a quick and easy stir-fry made with chicken, bell peppers and uses a homemade Red Curry Paste, but feel free to use store bought. Packed with flavor with a hint of heat, this curry sauce is simply irresistible.
There is something about Thai food that is so clean and robust. While this rich and delicious curry is made with Thai Red Curry Paste, coconut milk and some peanut butter, it is the simplicity with which this comes together that’s so refreshing. In other words, this may look like it’s going to take a lot of work, but it doesn’t.
This post all started because I wanted to make some sourdough bagels and when I went to look at my sourdough starter I realized I had neglected it. Mind you I was away for a few weeks on a recent vacation to India, but I should have fed it and kept it going upon my return. Bad Kevin.
MY LATEST VIDEOSWhy am I talking about bagels and sourdough with a Thai recipe you might ask? I needed cooked potatoes!
I use the water from boiling potatoes in my sour dough starter.
So I boiled some potatoes so I could use the water in my new sourdough starter. You can read all about it in my previous post on making a sourdough starter from scratch, unless you use store bought, or one found online. I’d use the potatoes in my dinner, which happened to be this Creamy Thai Red Curry with Chicken.
To make this really authentic in flavor, kaffir lime leaves are perfect for their distinct aroma. The essence of lime in them is unreal. The leaves get stir fried in the curry sauce and release their citrus essential oils. You don’t eat them. Look for them in the produce section of your local grocer and in most Asian markets, it’s worth it.
The sweetness from the coconut milk, the melodic flavors rolling over your tongue from the curry paste and the creamy, nutty flavor of the peanut butter accent and bring it all together.
I make this with and without the peanut butter, so don’t feel you have to add it, but it is quite delicious. This is a house favorite and comes together in under 30 minutes. Not bad, huh?
Sliced, fresh and colorful bell peppers of red, yellow and orange are the main vegetable and kaffir lime leaves add that brightness.
I like to add fresh, chopped mint and basil in this at the end before serving. With a squeeze of some fresh lime juice over the top this gets served with steamed brown rice on the side. A perfect and healthy dinner that easily takes you to Thailand without leaving your kitchen. Enjoy!
Creamy Thai Red Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh or breast meat, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 tbsp sugar or palm sugar
- 4 leaves kaffir lime, optional (See Note 1)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 red fresno chile or jalapeño sliced (See Note 2)
- 2 cups mixed bell pepper sliced thin strips
- 1 large potato peeled, cubed and cooked
- 1 tbsp each chopped mint and basil
Instructions
- In a wok or large skillet over medium heat add the oil and curry paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the fish sauce, peanut butter, sugar, kaffir lime leaves chile, coconut milk and stir. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add sliced bell peppers, cooked potato cubes and cook another 3 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Sauce should thicken and reduce.
- Sprinkle chopped mint and basil on top. Serve with steamed rice and sliced limes to squeeze on top.
Notes
2. The fresno chile looks like a red jalapeño pepper. For the heat a substitute can be a regular jalapeño.
I made this recipe; it was excellent. Loved the peanut butter and kaffir lime leaf and it all came together quickly. Served it with coconut rice. (Make extra, it freezes well.) This one sparks joy, going in the keeper file. 😁
Thanks for the kind words Susan, makes me smile.
Made this last night and was disappointed. It was bland and FAR, FAR too salty and lacked something in terms of flavours. Ended up adding loads more peanut butter to try and lime juice to get some flavours into it.
not sure what happened !
Sorry to read that Sue! I make my own Thai red curry paste and actually it’s an adaption from Sujet Saenkham’s Spice I Am who has one of the most popular Thai restaurants in Sidney. Not sure what happened either!
Would I be able to add an onion in or do you think it would alter the flavor too much? What type of onion would you recommend? Thanks.
Sure, I just kept it to the peppers. I would probably add a shallot first, but then a yellow onion would be my second choice. Thanks Sam. 🙂
This was fantastic and so quick to make! Thanks a bunch.
Excellent! So happy you enjoyed this one Alex. Cheers! 🙂
I’m not a huge fan of curry, but I do like the combo of curry, coconut milk, and peanut butter – it’s so balanced, rich and irresistibly creamy like this dish you’ve got here. Looks good, Kevin. Give me a spoon now please:)
This is indeed a rich and subtly flavored dish Ben. One needs a spoon instead of a fork to make sure you get all that delicious curry sauce!
This sound so flavoursome and delicious and I even have kaffir lime leaves in my kitchen drawer. What a lovely coincidence 😉
OK, if you have kaffir leaves you MUST give this a shot this weekend Miriam. It’s destiny! 🙂
We’ve been on a curry kick lately and you’re so right, kaffir lime leaves are worth the effort to find. As always this dish of yours looks utterly delicious – putting it on the menu for the week ahead.
Have a wonderful 4th, my friend!
Thanks Marissa. The kaffir leaves have such a heady, floral note – just wonderful. Enjoy!
Oh my gawd!!!! Kevin, hold on while I wipe the drool off my keyboard. This is absolutely outstanding! Thai cuisine is one of my very favorites, the flavors are just SO incredible! And this dish… oh this dish just has it all! Oh and kudos to you for having kept starter dough alive. I have tried 3 different times and I inevitably forget to feed it – this is the same reason why I kill every plant that enters my home 😉
Ha! This one is creamy and dreamy. Can’t beat that! Starters do take effort, for sure, and plants. 🙂
Hope Otis is doing better and hiking outdoors in your guys’ Fourth of July weekend plans. Cheers Kathleen!
Soooo, what does it say that you have me craving this right now and it’s time for breakfast?! This recipe makes me want to search out the kaffir lime leaves and I did do a double take reading that this recipe was inspired by a recipe for sour dough bread :D. You never cease to amaze me, Kevin. Fabulous again. I’m for sure going to make your red curry paste, too!
Nothing wrong with a little red curry for breakfast, right? Ha! The kaffir leaves have such a heady, floral note – just wonderful Sally. That paste is off the hook tasty. Your kitchen will have an amazing aroma, fresh is best. Have a wonderful, fun and tasty Fourth of July weekend Sally. Cheers!
Kevin this is amazing! I need to check the thai curry paste post! It’s hectic here to find Asian stuff, are the kaffir leaves fresh or not? The ones you used in this recipe?
Thank you Farida! Minimal ingredients for the paste and oh so tasty. Used here, it’s a beauty! I used fresh kaffir lime leaves. I think a good substitute for the kaffir lime leaves would be washed strips of lime zest (no white parts).
Wow, such a flavorful and beautiful dish, Kevin! This looks like the perfect comforting meal, yet not too heavy- just how I like it! Not sure if I can find kaffir lime leaves around here, but I sure as heck am going to look! Must.have.this.NOW! Simply delicious, buddy! Cheers!
Thank you my dear! Creamy, spicy with a hint of peanut butter goodness.
I think a good substitute for the kaffir lime leaves would be washed strips of lime zest (no white parts). Hope you give it a try. 🙂
I have to admit that I will probably never cook with fish sauce – which is admittedly strange coming from a guy who melts down Starburst and makes a sauce from them. But I wish you’d open a restaurant!
Thanks Jeff! I worked in restaurants MANY years ago and what a grind. I had to leave before the passion got sucked out of me! After years of corporate design I left that field last November to do this FT. It is my dream.
Now i want to know what you did with those reduced Starbursts! On another flavor note – I think fish sauce has such a bad rap. Sure it’s aroma is different, but what it lends to the combination of ingredients is so good.
Hey Kevin! We would be all over this! I love peppers in so many dishes, they add bursts of color as well as flavor. I’m going to track those lime leaves down! As you always do, you have expanded my world through food! 🙂
If you can’t find them, let me know, you know I’d hook you up and mail them to you! Thanks Dorothy! This one definitely makes your taste buds sing. 🙂
Nice use of those lime leaves, Kevin. I wonder where to get those? (Hah!) This curry looks amazing. Laura has totally gotten me into curry, and I’m thinking we need to recreate this version here soon. As soon as we turn the grill off that is…in October. 🙂 #WolfpackLimeLeaves
You know you need to ask and I can ship you anything, anytime friend. Don’t get me wrong, our grill is always in use too, but one needs to shake up the dinner every now and then. Thanks Dave 🙂
You probably know that I LOVE curry. One of favourite dishes and I love it nice and spicy!! Never had potato in curry before, but sounds like a lovely addition. Love how quick this is to make, Kevin. Looking forward to trying this one soon 🙂 Thanks for another awesome recipe!!
Thanks Dawn! I love that there are so many varieties of curries, but this one is exceptional and the kaffir lime leaves I blend in the curry paste on top of the ones stir fried in this curry just add that needed pop of freshness. I enjoy the cubed, cooked potatoes in this and another curry I make, just adds a little something not only to bulk the meal up a bit, but is a great texture contrast. If you make the fresh curry paste, and I know 2/3 of a cup sounds like a lot, but it adds so… Read more »
The colour of this is absolutely stunning, Kevin. So vibrant! And I already know how good it tastes! Aren’t kaffir lime leaves the best!
Thanks John! That old saying that we first eat with our eyes is so true with this dish. Kaffir lime leaves are a new treat, such a hidden gem of a recipe addition. LOVE them, actually blended them in the curry paste recipe here, too.