Easy Thai Red Curry Recipe with Chicken - Simple & Authentic

This easy Thai Red Curry recipe with chicken offers the same authentic complex flavor as the one from your favorite Thai restaurant!  Tender chicken breast simmering in a flavorful, rich coconut sauce along with healthy veggies. The perfect easy weeknight dinner served over white rice.

I always want to be the person that tries all the unknown exotic-sounding dishes whenever I go to a Thai restaurant. However, when it's time to order, more often than not I change my mind last minute and just go for the Red Curry with Chicken! It's just always a good choice and in times like these, we all love some predictability!

This Red Thai Curry Chicken recipe definitely falls under the category "predictably delish"!  It's your classic authentic Thai chicken curry made in a cinch in one skillet, and ready in 35 minutes. Healthy,  naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free and, when served with cauliflower rice, even low carb.

Is red or green curry paste hotter?

The spiciness of any Thai curry recipe always depends on the chef's palate. But typically, red curry tends to be hotter than green as there are more chilies in it. Red curry tends to be more versatile as its flavor profile is not as extreme, or let's say "unique" as green curry. However, I am a huge fan of green curry paste and if you are too, you can totally make this Thai chicken curry with green curry paste!

How to make Red Thai Curry with Chicken:

Step 1 - In a large skillet, add coconut oil and onion. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add chicken pieces and brown them on medium-high heat (resist the urge to stir too much if you want the pieces to brown properly). We are not looking to cook the chicken fully here. We *just* want the pieces to brown a bit for flavor but it will continue cooking with the rest of the ingredients. Overcooking in this step will result in dry chicken pieces so be careful.

Step 2 - Add garlic, ginger and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add coconut milk, curry paste and sugar, if using. Stir well to dissolve the curry paste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.

Step 3 - Add bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft but still with some bite.

Step 4 - Stir in carrots and spinach, and cook until carrots soften a bit and the spinach is wilted. This may seem like a LOT of spinach at first but it reduces a ton when cooked.

Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve your Red Thai Chicken curry over rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa if desired, and top with lots of cilantro.

How to store Thai Curries

Leftover curry will last for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep the curry separate from the grains you are planning to use. Cilantro is best added fresh when serving. The sauce will harden when cooled but will soften again when heated.

TO FREEZE: transfer to airtight containers and let cool completely before freezing. It will last about 3 months in the freezer. To defrost, place overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Tips:

• As with all curry pastes, different brands vary in intensity and everyone’s tolerance for spice is different so adjust to taste.
• I added bell pepper, carrots, and spinach but you can add what you have. Sometimes I have extra veggies such as cauliflower, corn, tomatoes, or frozen edamame! Toss it all in.
• You can make this recipe using green Thai curry paste.
• Cut-up boneless chicken thighs can be added instead of breast. Thigh needs a bit longer to cook. Make sure to check the meat for doneness before serving.
• You could make this with curry powder but it will take it into an Indian direction and be a completely different dish. Will it still be delicious? I dare say, yes.

5 from 5 votes

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Easy & Authentic Thai Red Curry with Chicken

This easy Thai Red Curry recipe with chicken offers the same authentic complex flavor as the one from your favorite Thai restaurant!  Tender chicken breast simmering in a flavorful, rich coconut sauce along with healthy veggies. The perfect easy weeknight dinner served over white rice.

Course dinner

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Keyword chicken curry, healthy chicken curry

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 252 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil or your favorite oil
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 1 lb chicken breasts / 500 g - about 2 large breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced (or 2 teaspoons ground ginger)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 cans coconut milk 13-ounce /400 g each - I use one full-fat and one light
• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste - or less to taste
• ½ tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar - optional
• 1 tsp sea salt more or less to taste
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ½ cup cilantro leaves roughy chopped
• cooked rice cauliflower rice or quinoa to serve - optional

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, add coconut oil and onion. Cook over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time.

2. Add chicken pieces and brown them on medium-high heat (resist the urge to stir too much if you want the pieces to brown properly). We are not looking to cook the chicken fully here. We *just* want the pieces to brown a bit for flavor but it will continue cooking with the rest of the ingredients. Overcooking in this step will result in dry chicken pieces so be careful.

3. Add garlic, ginger and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.

4. Add coconut milk, curry paste and sugar, if using. Stir well to dissolve the curry paste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.

5. Add bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft but still with some bite.

6. Stir in carrots and spinach, and cook until carrots are soften a bit and spinach is wilted. This may seem like a LOT of spinach at first but it reduces a ton when cooked.

7. Turn off the heat and stir in lime juice.

8. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa if desired, and top with lots of cilantro.

Recipe Notes

• STORAGE: Leftovers will last for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep the curry separate from the grains you are planning to use. Cilantro is best added fresh, when serving. The sauce will harden when cooled but will soften again when heated.
• TO FREEZE: transfer to airtight containers and let cool completely before freezing. It will last about 3 months in the freezer. To defrost, place overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition Facts

Easy & Authentic Thai Red Curry with Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 252 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 761mg33%

Potassium 796mg23%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 10348IU207%

Vitamin C 55mg67%

Calcium 73mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you tried this  Thai Red Curry Recipe with Chicken, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

More healthy Asian recipes you will love:

• Asian Slaw with Peanut Ginger Dressing
• Ground Turkey Rice Bowls 
• Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Glazed Chicken Meatballs