Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables

This Thai red curry chicken and vegetables is a quick, healthy weeknight meal with authentic Thai flavors. Made with tender chicken breast and fresh vegetables, it’s ready in under 30 minutes using store-bought red curry paste.

Thai red curry made with chicken and vegetables in a pot — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 67

“I cooked your recipe yesterday and we found the tastes and the perfumes we met in Thailand, thank you very much!”

Anne Sophie from France

It seems like everyone I know loves Thai food, and this Thai red curry chicken is always the top choice among Thai curries.

Healthy chicken breast and fresh vegetables are simmered in coconut milk flavored with red curry paste. This curry delivers a mildly sweet flavor with unique richness and creaminess.

Thai red curry chicken served over rice. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 68

This recipe for Thai red curry with chicken and vegetables uses a store-bought canned red curry paste. I’ve doctored it up to make your curry-making much easier while still tasting authentic. It is perfect as a one pot meal when served with rice.

My husband paid me the ultimate compliment when he tasted this curry and said it “tastes like Phuket,” the island in Thailand where we’ve enjoyed many delicious meals. He even declared that it beats any of our local Thai restaurant takeout options. This red curry chicken recipe is definitely a keeper!

If you’re feeling adventurous, try out my Vietnamese chicken curry recipe for a slightly different take on Southeast Asian curry. Perfect for beginners and curry lovers alike.

Using Store-Bought Red Curry Paste

A can of Thai red curry paste. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 69

While homemade curry paste is undeniably delicious, it requires many exotic ingredients like galangal and shrimp paste that are not easily found in local grocery stores.

When you want a quick Thai curry and don’t have time to hunt for these ingredients, store-bought Thai curry paste is a convenient option. I found that the Maesri brand canned paste brings the best results, close to the most authentic flavor. It’s inexpensive and easily found in Asian grocery stores or on Amazon.

But even the best store-bought curry paste often lacks the vibrancy of freshly made paste, as any canned good does. Simply adding it to coconut milk can be a letdown.

How to Doctor Up the Canned Paste

To make canned curry paste taste significantly better, try doctoring it up a little:
Sauté the paste in oil along with garlic, shallot, fresh chili, and fresh lemongrass (or lemongrass paste). These fresh aromatics really do wonders!

Ingredients

Chicken: Use boneless chicken breast or thigh for this recipe.
Garlic and Shallot/Onion: These add savory flavor to the dish.
Red chili: I use a red long chili in this recipe for a mild spiciness.
Fresh lemongrass is recommended, but lemongrass paste can be used as a substitute (1 tsp).
Red curry paste: Used a store-bought paste, such as Maesri brand.
Bamboo shoots: Can be canned or fresh, but rinse thoroughly before using.
Green beans: Adds some crunch and color to the dish.
Tomatoes: Use Roma tomatoes for their firm texture.
Coconut milk: Richness and creaminess to the curry.
Brown sugar: A touch of sweetness to balance out the flavors.
Kaffir lime leaves (optional): Citrusy fragrance and flavor.
Fish sauce: Provides salty umami flavor.
Thai basil (optional): Fresh and herbal fragrance to the curry.
Cilantro: Can be used as a garnish for some added freshness.

Other Vegetables to Enhance Your Curry

Feel free to get creative with this Thai curry recipe by using a variety of vegetables, such as pumpkin, butternut squash, red bell pepper, broccoli, spinach, kale, carrot, eggplant, tofu, chayote, snap peas, or any other veggies you like. Experiment with different combinations to discover your favorite mix!

How to Make Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables

Chicken pieces are cooked in a pot. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 71

Step 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot, add chicken slices and cook until no longer pink. Move the chicken to a plate.

Step 2. Heat the remaining oil, add shallot, garlic, and a crushed lemongrass stalk (white and pale green part only). Cook for 1-2 minutes until soft.

Thai red curry paste added to savory ingredients in a pot. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 73

Step 3. Dilute the red curry paste with 2 tablespoons of chicken stock (or chicken broth) in a small mixing bowl and add it to the pot. Stir-fry for 30-60 seconds until the paste has lost some of its moisture.

Step 4. Return the chicken back to the pot along with bamboo shoots, green beans, and tomatoes. Add kaffir lime leaves if using.

Coconut milk added chicken and vegetables. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 75

Step 5. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Add the brown sugar and stir well. Bring the curry to simmer over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the green beans are tender and soft.

Step 6. Season with fish sauce according to your taste. Sprinkle Thai basil leaves, if using, and cilantro at the end.

A pot of Thai red curry chicken. — Easy Thai Red Curry Chicken and Vegetables 77

What to eat with Thai Red Curry

Typically, people serve Thai curry with steamed white jasmine rice, but you can also serve it over Thai rice noodles. For those who prefer keto-friendly options, cauliflower rice would be a great substitute.

To add a refreshing taste, some people enjoy squeezing lime wedges into the curry, but this is optional and depends on personal preference.

Recipe Tips and Advice

Before you get started, here are a few recipe tips that you will like.

Mix coconut milk with chicken stock: Using coconut milk alone makes the curry way too rich and thick. Diluting with chicken stock brings the overall taste and thickness of the curry into balance.
Protein: Use either chicken breast or chicken thigh. Beef or pork will be good, too. You can even try with shrimp (prawn) or fish if you are a seafood lover.
Vegetables: I used bamboo shoots, green beans and tomatoes. Pumpkin, butternut squash, broccoli, carrot, chayote, and bell pepper are other great options.
Want to make this Thai red curry vegetarian? Omit the chicken and use tofu or another plant based protein of your choice. You can use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock in the recipe.

Differences Between Thai Red, Green, and Yellow Curry

Thai cuisine offers a variety of curries, but the most common ones are red, green, and yellow.

The green curry uses green chili, basil, and coriander to make the paste, creating its green hue, and is the most popular curry in Thailand.
On the other hand, red curry paste uses a significant amount of red chili, giving it a yellowish-red color, and tends to be milder than green curry.
Yellow curry stands out for its unique flavor and color, achieved by using turmeric and other spices in the curry paste. Despite containing less chili, it has a robust taste from the spices used.

More Thai Recipes

If you are a fan of Southeast Asian cuisinecheck these recipes below for more delicious Thai dishes.

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