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A rich, coconut-based Thai curry with a Persian-influenced spice blend. This version uses a shop-bought paste boosted with a few extras for real depth.
Chicken Massaman Curry
- 3 tbsp massaman curry paste
- 400ml can coconut milk
- 500g chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Fry the curry paste in a splash of oil for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the thick part of the coconut milk and cook for 3 minutes until it splits slightly.
- Add the chicken and cook until sealed on all sides.
- Pour in the rest of the coconut milk, potatoes, onion, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick.
- Simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken and potatoes are tender.
- Stir in fish sauce, sugar, and peanuts. Simmer 5 more minutes and serve with rice.
Why this recipe works
Frying the paste in the thick coconut cream first, rather than adding everything at once, builds a deeper base flavour and is how most Thai cooks start a curry.
Tips for the best massaman curry
- Use chicken thighs, not breast. They hold up to the long simmer without drying out.
- Roast your own peanuts if you have time, for a fresher crunch than pre-roasted ones.
- Massaman is milder than most Thai curries, so taste and adjust fish sauce and sugar at the end rather than following amounts blindly.
Shop the ingredients
Related reading
- Thai green curry for another Thai curry night.
