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Chicken simmered in coconut milk with red curry paste, lime leaves and bamboo shoots, finished with Thai basil. Richer and a little hotter than green curry.
Thai red curry with chicken
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 3 tbsp red curry paste
- 2 slices galangal (optional, for extra fragrance)
- 500 g chicken thigh, sliced
- 225 g tin bamboo shoots, drained
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 4 makrut lime leaves, torn
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- handful of Thai basil
- 1 tbsp oil
- Heat the oil in a wok, add the curry paste and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add a third of the coconut milk and simmer for 2 minutes until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the chicken and stir to coat, then cook for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the rest of the coconut milk with the galangal and lime leaves, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the bamboo shoots and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Season with fish sauce and sugar, stir in the Thai basil, and serve with jasmine rice.
What is Thai red curry?
Thai red curry (gaeng phed) is a coconut curry built on a paste of dried red chillies, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste. The dried chillies give it a deeper, rounder heat than green curry, and the colour comes from the chillies rather than any added dye.
Chicken is the most common version in the UK, but red curry is also made with duck, prawns, beef or pumpkin.
Ingredient notes and UK swaps
- Coconut milk: use full fat for a rich sauce. Leave the can unshaken and fry the paste in the thick cream on top first.
- Chicken: thigh stays juicy. Breast works if you add it later and do not let it overcook.
- Vegetables: bamboo shoots and Thai aubergine are traditional. Red pepper, courgette and green beans are easy UK swaps.
- Finishing: fish sauce for salt, palm or brown sugar for balance, and Thai sweet basil and lime leaves at the end.
Serving and storing
Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Red curry often tastes better the next day as the flavours settle. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months, and reheat gently so the coconut milk does not split.
Tips for the best thai red curry with chicken
- Frying the paste in a little thick coconut milk first gives a deeper, rounder flavour.
- Taste before serving and balance with more fish sauce for salt or sugar for sweetness.
Frying the paste before adding liquid
Frying the curry paste in a little thick coconut milk until the oil visibly separates is what develops its full flavour, adding all the coconut milk and simmering straight away leaves the finished curry tasting flatter and less rounded.
Frequently asked questions
How can I make it milder?
Use 2 tablespoons of paste and add a little extra coconut milk.
Can I use prawns instead of chicken?
Yes, add raw prawns in the last 3 minutes so they stay tender.
What is the difference between red and green curry?
Red curry paste uses dried red chillies, while green curry paste uses fresh green chillies and herbs. Green tastes fresher and is often hotter, while red is deeper and rounder.
Shop this
- Red curry paste. The base for a proper Thai red curry.
