Remember that Thai Curry Vegetable Soup that I made a while back that was like, “GAH! THIS IS SO GOOD!”? Well, yesterday I had a craving for those flavors again, but decided to do them up a little differently. I used the same concept to make these tender and juicy Braised Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs. I made the coconut curry broth a little more concentrated and and braised the chicken thighs, then served the whole lot over a scoop of jasmine rice. The flavors are bold, rich, and complex, yet the dish is ridiculously simple to make. Just my style.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What Thai Curry Paste Did You Use?
The red Thai curry paste that I used is a store bought mix purchased in a small jar (see photos below). The brand is Thai Kitchen, which can be found in most major grocery stores in the U.S. I’ve even seen it in Walmart. They also make a green curry paste, which I think would be just as awesome.
Are Curry Paste and Curry Powder the Same?
Take note: Thai curry paste is not at all the same as the curry powder used in Indian cuisine. Totally different set of ingredients, despite the fact that they are both called curry. That being said, Indian curry goes great with coconut milk and chicken, too, so I bet it wouldn’t be so bad in this dish! Totally different, but still good. :)
Is this Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Spicy?
This dish is only somewhat spicy. Thai curry paste can vary quite a bit in heat level from brand to brand, so you may get a different result if using a different brand.
Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs
Servings 5Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs ($5.30)
- 2 Tbsp red Thai curry paste ($0.62)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger ($0.05)
- 1 13oz. can coconut milk ($2.17)
- 1 cup chicken broth* ($0.13)
- 1/4 tsp fish sauce ($0.02)
- 5 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice ($1.10)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.20)
- 2-3 green onions** ($0.17)
- 1 lime ($0.33)
Instructions
- Heat a large deep skillet or soup pot over medium heat. Add the cooking oil, then swirl to cover the surface of the skillet. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and cook until browned on each side (about 3-5 minutes each side). Remove the chicken from the skillet.
- Add the Thai curry paste, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the skillet. Stir and sauté the aromatics for about one minute.
- Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, and fish sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine and dissolve any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Add the chicken back to the skillet, place a lid on top, and allow the skillet come to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low or medium-low and let the thighs simmer in the coconut sauce for 15 minutes.
- To serve, scoop about 1 cup of cooked rice into the bottom of each bowl. Add one of the braised chicken thighs, then top with a ladle or two of the coconut broth. Add fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onion, and a wedge or two of fresh lime to each bowl.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
**I usually use red onion for these curries, but I already had green onion on hand.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs – Step by Step Photos
Start by heating a large deep skillet, or soup pot, over a medium flame. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer). Tilt the skillet to distribute the oil over the surface, then add five boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1.5 lbs.). Cook the thighs on each side until browned (about 3-5 minutes each side), then remove them from the skillet. They won’t be cook through at this point. They will finish cooking when they simmer in the coconut curry broth.
Add 2 Tbsp red Thai curry paste, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and about 1 Tbsp grated ginger to the skillet.
Sauté these aromatics for about a minute.
BTW, this is the curry paste I’m using. It can be found in most major grocery stores in the U.S. They also make a green curry paste, which would probably also be awesome in this.
Add a 13oz. can of coconut milk, 1 cup chicken broth, and 1/4 tsp fish sauce. Stir to combine and dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Now add the partially cooked chicken thighs back to the skillet and place a lid on top. Let it come up to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low or medium-low and let the chicken simmer in the coconut broth for 15 minutes.
And then you’ll have this deliciousness! Squeeze a little lime juice over top and add a few fresh cilantro leaves and sliced green onion.
Serve the Thai Coconut Curry Braised Chicken Thighs over a scoop of cooked jasmine or basmati rice, with a little more fresh cilantro, sliced green onion, and a wedge or two of lime. Does it get any better than this??
This is definitely a keeper! I had actually purchased some of that red Thai sauce months ago, but didn’t know what to do with it. It wasn’t as spicy as I like it, so I added some cayenne pepper to the leftovers. But I love the recipe. Thanks for posting it! It was quick and easy so I’ll definitely add it as a regular dish.
This has become a family favorite for us. We make it once a week and it’s always a hit. Super easy and comes together quick. We’ve made it with regular coconut milk and light, delicious both ways but the light coconut milk makes for a thinner sauce. We serve it with roasted zucchini but it would also be great with bell peppers or potatoes.
Tried this and loved it! Thanks for the recipe! I think for next time I would even dial up the curry paste <3 One question – Can this be frozen?
I would freeze separately from the rice, but yes! It should freeze well.
so good
I frequently slice my chicken into bite size pieces before cooking. I also add a variety of vegetables, most frequently baby corn, baby bok choi, red bell pepper, fresh mung bean sprouts, kale/chard if I have it. Very versatile, and I make it a lot.
Add a few keyfir lime leaves and thai basil leaves and a pinch of palm sugar. Thanks for the post – I think Ill make it tonight.
Y’all this recipe is incredible. Budget Bytes does a lot of good stuff, but we really REALLY loved this one.
Have to agree with others who said this severely lacked flavour – it’s there, a hint of it, but even after doubling everything except the chicken, oil, coconut milk, and broth – it still remained a hint. If you’re used to ethnic food and flavour this will be a big miss.
Wow this was delicious. I didn’t change a thing. It’s packed with flavor and depth. The cilantro and green onions with lime at the end are the absolutely crucial in this delicious dish. I will be making it again for certain.
This looks so good! Can I make it in the slow cooker?
I haven’t tried that, but it might be a good candidate for the slow cooker!
I wanted to love this, but like another commenter I found it so lacking in flavor. I didn’t have fresh ginger so had to use ground, and only had low sodium chicken broth. Wondering if those were my issues? It smelled so good when it was cooking I was surprised when I took a bite and found it bland.
Yes, unfortunately, not having fresh ginger and reducing the sodium will definitely impact the flavor. :(
I tried this after falling in love with your Thai Curry Vegetable Soup. I made it with homemade seitan (meat substitute) instead of chicken and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much! <3
I made this for dinner and it was so delicious. Everyone loved it. Loved that it was so easy.
Delicious dish, I would only suggest some palm sugar/brown sugar (a table spoon or two) depending on your curry paste, and some more fish sauce. Makes me miss my home country. Thank you for this recipe!
Really simple but delish. I go kinda crazy with the toppings when I got the munchies (black garlic seasoning, fried shallots, red onions, chopped peanuts, green onions, sliced hardboiled egg). Sometimes I add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to make a very lazy mussamun curry.
I tried this recipe and liked it enough to cook it again. Next time however I’m going to marinate the meat and maybe even use a seasoned panko to give sear it and make nice tasty crust. I thought the sauce was delicious but the meat was a little bland. Fresh basil picked from my garden added a just the right aroma.
Have made this before but I’ve got some tilapia filets that I dont know what to do with. How might that work in this soup? Could I cook it in the soup or should I spoon it over the cooked filets?
I’ve wanted to try a fish version of this, but I haven’t yet, so I can’t say for sure what the best method would be. I think I’d probably add the fish to the sauce and let it simmer until the fish is cooked through.
hi Beth! This is an all-time favorite recipe that I have made with chicken but also tofus of pulses – you absolutely can’t go wrong with it, and it feels so exotic, rich, and has a depth of flavor for just a small amount of effort.
I just wanted to add that I did actually try it with green curry paste, and didn’t like it as much. I love green curry, but I feel like the heat overpowers some of the other aromas going on in this recipe like ginger, fish sauce, lime, cilantro, and even the coconut! It was still a big bowl of warm delicious curry, but the red paste is so beautifully complementary to those flavors and works much better in my view. My two cents only!
The comments here are really helpful. I did a dry rub on the chicken thighs first (salt, freshly cracked pepper, paprika, thyme, and garlic powder as someone suggested) and let them marinate for about 30 min before cooking.
I used a big 12 inch stainless steel pan so I could unfold the thighs and get everything crispy. I added an extra tbsp of the same brand curry sauce as Beth and added a bay leaf to the rice when cooking. I forgot to add the sugar as many others suggested but thought it was delicious as is.
Nice Thai recipe. I added a tsp of palm sugar, half a sliced poblano pepper, a medium onion sliced, and instead of 1/4tsp of fish sauce…added 2Tbs. Very tasty and speedy dish!
I make alot of Thai food but this was seriously lacking flavor! I added extra Thai curry paste and it still wasn’t enough! I am sad it didn’t work out as it was a nice fast dinner to make.
I also found this to be painfully lacking in flavour.
I ended up tripling the aromatics, because otherwise it was going to be vaguely thai-flavoured coconut milk on chicken!
I usually love budget bytes recipes, but I’m quickly learning to avoid anything ethnic unless you want the uh… very Caucasian version.
Nice and easy recipe. We upped fish sauce to a full tsp. We also added 1/2 red bell pepper roughy diced, 1/2 cup petit peas, 2 tbsp chiffonade of basil, 2 tbsp lime juice and zest of 1 lime.
I normally don’t leave comments on anything, but this recipe is so good I had to come back and comment. I have made this so many times in the past few years that it’s one of my “classic” meals for my family. My wife, 10 and 4 year old daughters eat everything and I usually have no leftover chicken! This recipe can also be fantastic with fish. Thank you for a staple dinner in my house.
This was fantastic! I used thai green curry paste and added a 12oz bag of frozen stir fry vegetables and 1/2 cup frozen peas! So good
Hi, this recipient looks delicious! I am looking for meals to premake and freeze and this looks like it would do well. I would like to veggie it up a bit, what would you recommend that would freeze well. I like bok choy…
Oops recipe, darn autocorrect
We made this for dinner last night it was so awesome! Thank you so much for this recipe❤️☺️
Question: can I use lite coconut milk?
Yes, you can. It won’t be quite so rich, but I imagine that would be an advantage to some people. :)
Ithis looks so good! s it really only 1/4 tsp fish sauce? Does that low amount make a difference in the final product?
Fish sauce is very potent. :) You can add more if you like, but for my taste buds just a touch was enough.
Is there a way to get the full Thai flavor but less heat? I love the flavor of Thai dishes but am unfortunately a wimp when it comes to spicy/hot dishes. I assume just less Thai curry paste? Thanks!
Yes, less curry paste will reduce the heat, but you’ll also be reducing the other flavors, so you’ll have to play around with it a bit to find the right balance for you. :)
We’ve loved this every time I’ve made it! I always use extra curry paste, and add veg to round it out. Bok choy, carrots, onion and the last of the fresh jalapenos from the garden. I think the carrots rounded out that sweet profile others have mentioned. A squeeze of fresh citrus is also miraculous. We havehigh spice tolerance after living in NM for many years so always bump up the heat profile. Thank you for giving me recipes that get me excited about cooking despite my seasonal depression!!
My mouth is watering just looking at divine dish. The only cut of chicken I have are chook legs. Will chook legs work?
I haven’t tried this recipe with that cut, so I’m not sure. If it’s bone-in, you’ll need to simmer longer.
Perfect!! Easy, delicious….doesnt get any better!
The original thai soup was so good, we cant wait to try this tonight. Wondering if this might also be good with vermicelli or thin wheat noodles like we put in the original soup. Any thoughts?
Yes, that would be great! :)
This is one of my favorites! I made it for meal prep and loved how the sauce got absorbed by brown jasmine rice I made when I heated it up in the microwave.
Question: I was thinking of making this with bone-in chicken thighs in the slow cooker. I’d brown the chicken in a skillet first. Do you think it would work?
I’m not sure how the coconut milk will hold up in the slow cooker. I’ve only ever added coconut milk to slow cooker recipes *after* slow cooking. Coconut milk can curdle if given too much heat, so I’m just not sure if a slow cooker would take it to that level.
Do you have to use the fish sauce? Would it not come out as good otherwise
I really feel like the fish sauce adds a lot, but it would still be fairly tasty without.
Is there a way to thicken the sauce slightly? Followed the recipe to a T but found it too runny/very soup like
It is supposed to be soup-like. :) You can try using less chicken broth next time, but keep in mind you may need to add a touch of salt to make up for it.
Delicious, made it with an extra tablespoon of chili paste, 2 tbs of brown sugar added in and next time I will add broccoli, baby corn and some mushrooms.
I added 1 tsp brown sugar and a few shakes of red pepper flakes, and that helped. You definitely want to season the chicken before putting it in the pan, but my chicken turned out SUPER tender, so we loved it even though it needed a bit more seasoning. I also added a bag of frozen Chinese-style stir-fry veggies after everything was cooked and just let them heat up in the sauce for about 5-7 minutes. It definitely needed more salt with the added veggies. We enjoyed it, and I will make it again.
This recipe bsse is a huge hit with my family….,I typically add more garlic and ginger than most recipes call for, and I like to add a few red & yellow bell peppers and mushrooms to this one.
I also put True Lime ( granulated lime) and salt and a but of hot chili oil on the raw chicken before I cook it.
LOVE this dish ! The chicken thighs are hard to overcook unlike chicken breasts which can easily become dry or tough if inadvertently cooked too long.
I love the base of this recipe! I’m making it again for dinner tonight. I have found that adding a little sugar to it helps bring out the flavors. I also add more curry paste than the recipe calls for. And, to give a spicy flavor, I add a bunch of red pepper flakes to my plate (my kids wouldn’t like it). Overall, I really enjoy this recipe and the leftovers are even better!
I added brown sugar (1 tsp) and a few shakes of red pepper flake, and that made it perfect! I will add more curry paste next time for sure. Thanks for the ideas!!
So I was using this recipe as a base to make what I’m familiar with as Panang Curry from my boyfriend and I’s favorite restaurant. I find that the Red Thai Chili Paste can be a great base, but it’s helpful if you use a flavored curry paste for that extra flavor ( I actually added an additional tablespoon as well). I was able to find a “Pananang” Curry paste from the local Asian Market and it worked perfect. It came absolutely amazing, in fact better than the actual dish we typically order from our restaurant. We actually doubled the recipe to make leftovers that would last for the week and it still came about pretty great. For the chicken, I actually seasoned it with Thyme, Cumin, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Paprika, and then let it marinate overnight. I feel like the chicken generates the most flavor, (especially after you scrape up the bits afterwards to make the curry). Then I browned the chicken in a cast iron skillet and let it finish cooking in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes before transferring into the same pan for the curry. We also added a lot of vegetables that brought out lots of great flavors. I slightly sauteed the vegetables before adding them so they’d cook thoroughly, but overall we had Bell Peppers, Snow Peas, Tomatoes, and we even had Zucchini to mix it up since that’s our favorite vegetable right now.
For everyone that has issues with not enough flavor be sure to add extra chili paste to your liking (flavored if you can find some), try seasoning the chicken, marinating it if you can, and be sure to throw in your favorite vegetables, bell, peppers, onions etc.
(Also I threw in some bay leaves and they really added an amazing flavor).
I also followed the advice from a previous comment and added 1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar to balance out the taste of the chilis (2 1/12 tablespoons for the doubled recipe) and it helped bring out the flavor of the coconut. Again this was a really awesome recipe. My boyfriend was literally blown away and has declared this is his all time favorite recipe lol
That has to be the ‘eye’ to the storm’ a smoker!,,,,,,bravo, thanks for sharing
Sorry, but this was almost unfixable & one of the plainest coconut currys that I’ve ever had.
I was craving a coconutty, spicy curry dish & happened upon this recipe. I followed the recipe except for one exception and that was to replace the regular coconut milk with a light coconut milk to try to save on calories. I don’t know if this is why it was so Bland but I tried fixing it up in a variety of ways and it never quite got there…. I’m very disappointed.
I LOVE all of your recipes – I use them on the daily to cook for me and my family. They are truly amazing! This recipe, however, lacked seasoning and flavor. The smells were wonderful – filled the house! But the flavor was bland. We added soy sauce, and it totally took over. Not sure how to remedy it…
I think the best bet would be to stir in more of the curry paste.
To achieve the YUM it needs to have three elements: heat, sweet, savory. This recipe just needed the sweet. I used Date Sugar because it is Diabetes. Friendly!!!!
Every recipe I’ve done on this web site has been insane and this is no exception. OMG it is so good and affordable! I made it exactly and there were no leftovers! THANK YOU for doing this web site
Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes so much. :)
Just finished making this! I followed the recipe exactly with the only replacement being that I used thighs with the bones in instead.
I found this to be recipe to be lackluster. It *looks* great, the smell was pretty good too! But the actual end result was… bland.
While there was a subtle coconut/curry aroma I just wasn’t tasting it in the end result. I added a lot of salt and pepper to try to save it but I still wasn’t a fan. I’ll still eat it albeit with a lot of spices on top to save it, but I’d skip this recipe unless you have a way to add more flavor (like sauteing chilies and adding some sugar).
Yes, I totally agree! I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper before putting it in the pan, and also added some salt, sugar and a splash of seasoned rice wine vinegar to the broth before putting the chicken back in.
We loved this! I used Mae Ploy Red Curry paste and it worked great. I think next time I might add a tablespoon of sugar for some sweetness, as well as some vegetables to round it out. My husband is a picky eater and he loved this. Thanks Beth!
SERIOUSLY awesome. Eating it right now, and it is soooo yummy. Should specify that I am eating my first bowl, since I am already planning on seconds! Thanks for this.
This was my first thai curry recipe. I’ve always been one to follow more traditional recipes- Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, etc. I’ve never even been one to try more ethnic foods, but I thought I would try something new while my husband is out of town. YOU GUYS. This was AMAZING. I followed the recipe exactly as it said, except I chopped the chicken thighs into medium size pieces.
I will make this again. And again. And again. It was DELICIOUS. Highly recommend!!!! Like others have said, the broth is very mild.
Followed the recipe to a T except I used a different Thai red curry brand since I couldn’t find this one at my local Safeway here in Canada. However, it turned out well and it was a big hit with the hubby. Next time, I will add a couple more chilis and we like it spicier.
I was wondering if you recommend a good substitute for the coconut milk? My daughter is allergic to coconuts but I’d really love to make this for dinner one night.
Unfortunately coconut is one of the main flavors of this dish and I don’t think it would be good to substitute it.
This recipe is absolutely divine. It was my first time ever making a thai curry, and I am so glad I went to the trouble of finding the fish sauce (the major grocery chain in my town stopped carrying it). I made it for a dinner party and it was just fantastically delicious. Today I am trying your thai curry veggie soup, because I liked this recipe so much!
We all liked it, spice is very mild so we’ll probably kick up the curry paste a bit next time. The biggest pain was grating the ginger, next time I will freeze it first because it gets juicy & messy. Otherwise very simple to make!
I made this last week, followed the directions as stated. VERY delicious! Chicken was tender and the sauce was not too hot/spicy. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made this a few days ago and wow! I loved it and plan to make it next week. My 7 year old even liked the broth. :) Thanks for another great recipe. I have made a lot of your recipes and never had a disappointing meal.
Quick question, what is the difference between regular and lite coconut milk? Would using lite affect the outcome?
I made this last night. I’m not sure where I went wrong. It came out flavorless and bland. The sauce was watery and didn’t cling to the rice at all. It had no heat or spice. I ate the chicken and threw out the rest. I plan on making this again, but I plan to leave out the chicken broth and maybe add some cardamom, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, and cumin.
What type of Thai curry paste did you use? Perhaps the brand you used was not as potent as mine, so maybe try adding a bit more. I also find that coconut milk varies from brand to brand and some are more watery. And you used canned coconut milk, not the type that is sold as a dairy milk substitute, correct? The dairy milk substitute “coconut milk” is very watery.
Followed the recipe to a “T” and I had the same experience last night making it. Used the brand chili sauce you recommended too. The flavors were “almost” there but felt like it needed a little more kick. Maybe next time I’ll had (6) tablespoons of the paste instead of (4). And yes, I made 10 servings! Big family at home. :)
We had a taco bar for Easter, so I used leftover chicken, cilantro, onions and jalapeños. The rest I had in my cupboard! Amazing!!!
This is the 3rd item I’ve made from discovering this site in a week!!!
Family enjoyed this meal. I used chicken thighs with bone. You have to cook longer than 30 min.
This was SO good! Can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner, especially because it’s really easy. I added some bok choy, a sliced red pepper, and some snow peas to add veggies – sauteed them with the garlic, ginger, and curry paste and then let them simmer with the chicken. I also used 4 bone-in chicken thighs because they were on sale, and let them simmer for 25 minutes instead of 15. Maybe that was overkill, but it worked out fine. I used full-fat coconut milk this time, but might try “light” next time because this was really rich. Deliciously rich, but I think using light coconut milk might be best for me since I plan on making this A LOT in the future :)
Great recipe! We have made this many times.
Any suggested modifications for using bone-in thighs and drumsticks??? All I have on hand at the moment, and this looks fabulous!!!
The only modification needed is that you may need to simmer slightly longer to allow them to cook all the way through. :)
This is meant to be more of a soup than a sauce though, right? Maybe you thought it tasted bland because you expected a more concentrated flavour?
Oops, I replied under the wrong comment :)
Tastes exactly like my favorite dish at the Thai restaurant I always go to. It was very easy to make and tastes like it took hours. I will definitely be making more!
This is amazing!!! And comes together really easily and quickly. I’ve made it twice, the second time with bone in thighs. I simmered them a little longer and it worked perfectly. I love the hit of lime at the end!
Once again, a real winner! Added cooked sliced carrots to the pot to make a complete meal. Thanks Beth! 👍
Thanks for this wonderful recipe. My boyfriend does not like a spicy curry and this was perfect. I used green curry paste instead. Turned out great also!
no clue why people are complaining about this lacking flavor… I think it’s fantastic!
I made a big batch (8 servings at ~430 cal/serving) of this for lunch for my husband and myself this week and added some sauteed vegetables (green beans, carrots, and white onion – the store was out of scallions) to stretch the toppings without adding more meat. 4 thighs (what I had) and ~6 cups of veg. I portioned out the rice and toppings and then spooned the sauce over everything. SO GOOD!
Other than the added veg I pretty much stuck to the recipe. Since I was worried about it being bland I tasted the curry sauce before braising the thighs and found if very rich and flavorful. I probably added a bit extra curry paste (didn’t measure exactly, just estimated), used full fat coconut milk, and ‘strong” better than bouillon broth (approx 2 tsp/cup water). Also no fish sauce since husband says it makes him sick and it didn’t seem integral to the recipe. The rice soaked up all the curry sauce overnight so next time I might make a 1.5x batch and reserve it until its ready to be eaten.
I was disappointed in this meal. I was a little skeptical when it called for a mere 1/4 tsp of fish sauce. That’s probably not enough to add any flavor. The chicken broth made it running. Not much coconut flavor or curry flavor. The dominant flavor is the ginger. Not really a Thai dish at all.
I tried this because I had all of the ingredients on hand, and the reviews were so enthusiastic. It wasn’t a total fail but i was disappointed in the sauce. Was expecting it to be thicker and more flavorful. I will try again, with less chicken broth and more spice.
Hi there,
I gave the thai chicken thighs with coconut milk a try as I said I would. It was so delicious and easy to make. I do this recipe again and again. I added one shallot to it. I think another time I might just want to add a few sliced mushrooms as they are a favorite of mine. Thanks so much for such an awesome recipe.
This is so good. To be honest I was pretty skeptical but this dish turned out great. It taste just like Thai restaurant takeout. I did use skinless boned in chicken thighs because it was all I had and was too lazy debone the chicken. Quick, simple, and easy.
P.S.
Your vegan red beans and rice is awesome too.
Very bland, no kick to the dish at all.
Looks awesome. Great photos. Must give a try this weekend. Thanks for a great recipe for me to try.
Would the cook time be the same if you used chicken breasts instead of thighs?
It really depends on the size of the breast. If you cut them down closer to the size of a thigh, it will probably be fairly close. But just be aware that chicken breast will never be quite as juicy and tender as thighs.
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it countless times now (my boyfriend requests it every other week!) — I’ve started to sautee bell peppers, onions, and pineapple before adding the aromatics and it always turns out sooooo well!
Thank you for giving me a solid recipe for my arsenal!! YOU ROCK!
I’ve made this dish for my family a few times (including today)! I love the aromas and how quick and easy it is to throw together. If anyone has any tips/ideas as what to serve as a side dish (some kind of veggie-based side preferably) I would be grateful.
I like my Thai Cucumber Salad. The light freshness of it is a nice contrast to the creamy broth. You could also add some chopped bok choy to the broth and incorporate greens that way.
I think I’ve made this four or five times already. This is going to be SO good when it’s cold out! It’s comforting and hearty, yet clean and doesn’t make me feel like I ate a bowl of mac and cheese or something. I love the texture of the rice when the curry mixes up in it. I’ve also added quartered Asian eggplants (the little ones that look like tiny watermelons) from the farmer’s market before simmering and I would highly recommend it if you ever see them!
Hi Beth! So tomorrow will be my 2nd time making this dish because we LOVED it last time. This time, I have 7 chicken thighs and hope to make this dish last two nights including all of the chicken…should I double the remainder of the ingredients? I just want to make sure it is still very flavorful and enough food for two meals since the amount of meat will be increased. Or, will it be fine with this amount of sauce? Thanks!
You could do seven thighs in this sauce, you’ll just have less sauce per thigh. :) If you like to have a lot of sauce for the rice to soak up, I’d double the rest of the ingredients as well.
Made this for my family tonight, and it turned out so darn yummy, loved it.
I just added green onions to the base with the garlic and ginger and etc and it was super delicious!
We absolutely love this dish. Making it for the 4th time now. Using cubed chicken breast this time. This is a keeper recipe! Only thing I usually change is adding shredded carrot and baby corn into it.
This looks so good, but neither of my local supermarkets carry Thai curry paste. I was thinking of subbing in Sambal Oelek or Huy Fong’s chili garlic sauce. Would either of those work?
No, unfortunately I don’t think those will work. Thai curry paste is very unique. It’s quite a bit more thick and concentrated than the sauces you suggested, as well.
Just made this for dinner and turned out amazing. I used yellow Thai curry paste (the store was out or red) and a pre cooked deli chicken as I had some left over and had to use up. Sooooo good!
Hi Beth! Great dish, we just made it tonight and it was super yum :)
Do you think this would be okay to do in a slow cooker? I’ve never used coconut milk in the crockpot before so I’m not sure how it would turn out. Just asking for future planning…
Thanks again for sharing! It tasted as good as a restaurant.
I actually haven’t used coconut milk in a slow cooker either, so I’m not sure. I do know that you can curdle coconut milk with too much heat, but I don’t know if a slow cooker would get it to that point. I have seen slow cooker coconut curry recipes out there, but I don’t know if they add the coconut milk in the beginning, or just cook with chicken broth and then stir the coconut milk in at the end.
I love all of your recipes I make so I figured I would give this a shot…Husband asked me to make this twice this week! So delicious!
This was yummy to the tummy …Wow I just loved it and will make it again>
Made this tonight. FABULOUS! Added a few veggies as suggested. Thanks, Beth!
Cooked the chicken thighs in a pressure cooker and then added them to the curry along with the veggies . was wonderful!!! :D used your idea for cooking chicken thighs in the pressure cooker from another post. simply amazing. :D thank you for the fantastic recipes
I made this and the veggie based soup also. So delicious, even better than a restaurant, and a fraction of the cost! I added a few vegetables to bulk out the Chicken version: sliced carrot, sliced onion and a little bok choy. Love it! Thanks Beth, for keeping things flavorful and interesting!
This is FANTASTIC!!!! The whole family enjoyed the meal. It was easy to make as well. Next time I may add some red pepper for a little more kick.
I am so grateful for your blog…..everything is great!
Hi! What do you think would be the best method to store this for leftovers? Portioned out in servings with or without rice? I was a little concerned about the rice getting soggy.
I stored mine with the rice and it reheated very well. But, if you’re concerned or extra sensitive to textures, storing the rice and curry separate is an easy alternative. :)
I have been following your blog for quite awhile. Love your concept and the execution of your posts – love the step-by-step photos. Very helpful to someone who is an uncertain cook (nice to see how it is supposed to look). Thanks for your efforts!
This recipe is great, and I think it’s excellent with a couple tweaks. I’m not a fan of one big uncut piece of chicken in a bowl, so I use cubed chicken breast instead. I also add some sweet potato, which I think goes wonderfully with the sauce. The sauce is so tasty!
Just made this and it was soooo delicious! I think I want it a bit spicier next time – more of a kick. Any thoughts on what to add? I know literally nothing about cooking.
You could increase the Thai curry paste, add a sliced jalapeño or other hot chili to the broth before simmering, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, or just add some sriracha on top. :) But probably not all of those together. ;)
This was FAN-FREAKIN’-TASTIC. I think concentrating the broth really did wonders for dish, and will have to remember to up the ingredients next time I make the soup, too. I added about a cup of thinly sliced leftover cabbage and some enoki mushrooms, swapped the green onion for red, and drizzled a bit of sriracha on top. Mmmmm…. So tempted to eat bowl after bowl until I have to waddle around!
Love this recipe. I have made it several times. I like the green curry paste so I always use that one. I add in veggies as others have suggested. So delicious! The addition of lime juice and avocado when serving is the perfect finishing touch!
After tasting the sauce, I added a heaping Tbs of natural peanut butter and a bit of (solid) coconut oil. The dish was delicious and I will definitely make this again. I will probably try adding some sauteed red pepper next time.
This was FANTASTIC!!! I have tried to make thai food at home before with no luck. Not only was this delicious but it was easy!! Thank you for sharing such great recipes.
I made this last night and loved it! I added some sambal oelek on top – will definitely be making it again, it was super easy!
Hi! I have some bone in skin on chicken thighs. This is my first time trying them out! Do you know how that substitution should work in this? Thank you!
Those will work, although you may want to simmer them just a bit longer because of the bone to make sure they’re cooked through. You can leave the skin on or remove it. I’d probably remove it so that it doesn’t get soggy when the chicken is simmered.
Thanks very much!! :) I think you are right about the skin, too.
Wanted to drop by and say that I made this this last weekend and it was great! Even the husband who has a meat and potatoes appetite was all over it! The only request was to add something more to it like a veggie or something. I told him that I would look into it for the next time! Also might try chicken breasts since we seem to have more of those at our house!
If you check out the Thai Curry Vegetable Soup, you can kind of do a cross between the two recipes to get more vegetables in there. :)
I love Indian and Thai food and we try to seek out restaurants that serve good food from these countries when ever possible but after cooking this recipe we will be eating at home. WOW this is a great recipe and will be a family favorite from now on. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to more great recipes.
I’ve made many of your recipes over the last few years and so many have been easy to make and delicious. But this one is my absolute favorite!! Love all the extra tips left in the comments section as well.
My 8 year old took one look (and whiff) of her bowl and said, “Mmmm. It’s too hot, but I’m so eager to eat!” This was definitely a huge hit that we’ll keep in the rotation!
Again, this is such a good recipe. First the soup and now the chicken. I made this last night for my family of six. Oh, I should say that I’ve made the soup at least a half dozen times since you posted the recipe and it is my FAVORITE. The chicken from last night was made using the soup recipe but I browned the chicken first then added the rest of the soup ingredients. I have always just dumped one ramen noodle bag with the seasoning packet into the simmering soup and I use sliced cabbage and pureed butternut squash to the soup as my variations. We love it and pretty much fought over the leftover chicken in the pan. I also used skinless bone-in chicken thighs. I wish I could find a large bottle of the red curry paste. I go through that so fast. I’ve had to add a sliced jalapeno to add a bit more spice since I keep running out of the red curry paste.
Alice
I’ve never cooked with coconut milk, nor have I used chili paste before…but…now I want to use both for everything!!This, my dear, is AMAZING! I added ginger in a tube, because I don’t cook with a lot of ginger, and couldn’t justify buying a whole thing just to pitch it. BUT! This is amazing. Tasted sooooo good. Wanted more heat (I added a tablespoon of chili paste), so I might add chili peppers in a tube to it too. This is amazing, I cannot wait to make just the sauce, and add veggies and noodles to it. Added to the weekly rotation.
Would it taste different with boneless skinless chicken breasts cut up?
The boneless, skinless breasts will not change the flavor much, but the meat will probably not be as tender as the thighs. :)
I did it with chicken breast and they were so tender! I didn’t completely cook them initially and sliced them up when I added them back to the curry. Cooking them in the curry for 15-30 mins made them so tender! Yum!
Just a quick hint re. fresh ginger. I buy nice fresh roots and freeze them. When I need some in a recipe, I simply use my fine grater and rasp off whatever amount needed and put the remainder back in the freezer. No waste! Cheap!
Thanks for the tip! I’m in the same boat with ginger, I don’t use it enough to go through it fresh. Had no idea you could just freeze it and use as needed. I’ll get some on my next grocery trip, thanks again!
We had this for lunch. Excellent. As two members of the family cannot eat cilantro (to them, it tastes like soap) I provided minced basil and mint leaves. I added Huy Fong Chile Garlic Sauce (Tuong Ot Toi Viet-Nam) to my portion for some added heat.
Will make this again.
Do you use the full coconut milk or light coconut milk?
Full fat. :)
I made this last night with red peppers–soo yummy! I’m watching my calories though, do you think you could sub light coconut milk or would it throw off the taste/texture?
It might work. It will definitely be less creamy, but it might be okay! :)
Not a low fat version, but a low carb version (yep, I’m one of those people haha): since I don’t use rice to sop up the sauce, I thicken it with a bit of xantham gum. I have coconut flour at home but it is grainy as a thickener. So I just used lower carb veggies, full fat coconut milk (the joy of low carb is you can up your fat consumption) and towards the end I take out the chicken and use a little xanthate gum to thicken the sauce. So it’s served with a thick sauce, chicken and veggies, no need for rice.
Does anyone know if either green or red curry paste has cinnamon in it? I read the ingredients and “spices” are listed, not specifically cinnamon. I have allergies and would love to make this, just don’t want to get all the stuff and find the curry paste to be unusable for me.
I have Dean and Jacobs Red Coconut Curry dry seasoning here at home, and while they don’t specify the always-secret “spice blend”, I am sure there is cinnamon in here to some degree. The paste isn’t exactly the same as the dry mix, but they must be similar as they achieve the same flavor. I’d say you could try to put together a spice blend of this type on your own, choosing every ingredient yourself and thus omitting any cinnamon, then use it as you would paste.
I was a little afraid to try coconut oil for cooking but now cant live without it. It gives such a nice flavour to any dish. I must try your chicken! xx
If I was going to substitute red onion for the green onions, how much do you think I should use?
Also, this looks amazing! I’m definitely making it for dinner this week!
I’d just slice it super thin then sprinkle a few slices over each bowl. :)
Only 1/4 teaspoon of fish sauce?
I started with 1/4 tsp, then tasted it, and it seemed just right to me. You can always add more to meet your flavor preferences. :) I used less than in my Thai Curry Vegetable soup because there is a lot less broth.
Hi Beth,
How spicy is this? Thanks!
I don’t find it to be too spicy at all (I actually add sriracha to my bowl). The coconut milk dampens the heat of the curry paste some. But, my tolerance for spice and yours might differ. :)
Turned out great
Very tasty
For Thai curries, I use a brand of curry paste called Maesri which I buy at an Asian market in B.R. You may try one of the markets on the West Bank. They have all flavors, Massaman, red, green, yellow and Panang. I make Panang curry shrimp which is crazy good. Much like your chicken thighs , I use shrimp for the meat with the same aromatics and add in coconut milk, lemongrass, and pineapple fresh or canned. YUM!
Made this tonight for dinner and it’s fantastic! Love, LOVE, LOVE this blog! Thank you Beth!
do you have a substitute for fish sauce? I am allergic and it’s in several of the recipes I would like to try! Thank you.
You can add a splash of soy sauce to make up for the salt.
I have a friend who is obsessed with Bloody Mary’s and has used fish sauce in place of the Worcestershire sauce with success. I’m guessing you could reverse that and use Worcestershire in place of fish sauce. That’s my plan for this recipe since I don’t feel like buying a bottle of fish sauce and I already have the Worcestershire sauce on hand. I’ll report back once I know how it goes! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Looks killer.
I have a coconut allergy, can I substitute another milk for the coconut milk?
You really need coconut milk for this recipe, unfortunately. It’s one of the main flavors and is classic to this dish.
HOLY MOLY!!! I loved that tai curry vegetable soup! My husband and I still talk about how delicious it was! I can’t wait to try this one!!!!!
This looks amazing. I was wondering…I always see sweetened and unsweetened coconut milk in the stores. Which did you use for this? Thanks.
You’re going to want to use unsweetened
Yes, definitely unsweetened. Sweetened is for pina coladas, desserts, stuff like that.
Unsweetened. The sweetened stuff is usually called “coconut cream” and is used for cocktails. Also, make sure you’re getting the stuff in a can, not the cartons near the dairy milk/almond milk/soy milk area. That kind of “coconut milk” is a very thin dairy milk substitute, while the stuff in the can is a really rich and thick substance. You can usually find it in the international foods aisle and sometimes the baking aisle.
What’s the difference between red and green curry paste? Is one spicier than the other?
Not necessarily spicier, just a different spice mix, but either can be quite warm. Red curry is my fave, but green has a lovely tart and, to me, fresher flavor. If you see yellow curry paste in your store, it tends to be milder and is sometimes nicknamed a”beginner” Thai flavor.
This was a lovely fast dish which we very much enjoyed. I did up the fish sauce a bit and added sauteed veggies (diced onion, red bell pepper, some snow peas)
If you have access to a Chinese or other Asian grocery store, I strongly recommend getting your curry paste there. It is so much cheaper, there are several more flavors (Panang, massaman, green, red, etc), and the brands are much tastier than Thai Kitchen.
Also 1/4 tsp of fish sauce? Really?
I’m a big fan of your Thai Coconut Curry soup and have added chicken to that sometimes. The overall flavor is amazing. How can it taste that good? I know that the lime and enough salt really make this dish one I crave. I have added kale and spinach with great sucess…..putting them in at the end and simmering for a minute. It’s anot excellent way for me to add vegetables to my menu without minding.
I LOVED the Thai curry soup. I’ve made it twice now. Last week I made huge batch and divided it up for lunches to bring to work. One day last week, I had an unexpected business lunch so had one container of soup leftover. I offered it to my co-worker and he said it was the best soup he has ever eaten.
Hey Beth! Nice recipe. My wife always adds a spoonful of brown sugar as well when she’s making Thai curry. Also, check out the maesri curry pastes! They have like several different kinds and they are all really tasty. You can usually find them in an asian supermarket in little cans. We normally only use a couple of teaspoons at a time and store the rest in a jar in the fridge (it lasts forever).
Is there anyway that this could be adapted to a slow cooker? As a stay at home dad to a 2 year old I have very little time to cook. I really rely on my slow cooker but end up with less diverse foods.
I think I’ve seen similar recipes for the slow cooker, although I’ve never tried using coconut milk in a slow cooker, so I’m not sure if it would need to be adjusted.
The prep would be the same for both and that’s what takes the time for me. It repeats well so while you’re at it, double the recipe and make it once on the stove top, only because I can’t see the slow cooker helping for this one.
You should try prepping the ingredients in the morning. The recipe is fast to come together. Maybe you could cook it during nap time and reheat for dinner.