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Thai Chicken Curry - homemade Thai chicken curry is SO easy to make with simple ingredients. And, it's so much better and healthier than restaurants!
The Best Thai Chicken Curry
Recently, a reader asked me how to prepare Thai chicken curry with bamboo shoots, like the ones commonly served at Thai restaurants here in the United States.
It was a coincidence that I had some leftover bamboo shoots in the refrigerator so I made a small pot of Thai chicken curry. For a similar recipe, you may check out my Thai Red Curry recipe.
Ingredients For Thai Chicken Curry
- Red curry paste
- Boneless and skinless chicken breast
- Coconut milk
- Bamboo shoots
- Red bell pepper
- Palm sugar
- Fish sauce
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Malaysian Chicken Curry Vs Thai Chicken Curry
Malaysian chicken curry is spicy, with no sugar added to the recipe. Also, salt is used to add saltiness to the curry sauce. However, Thai chicken curry adds sugar or palm sugar, with no salt added. Fish sauce is used to add the savory note to the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some readers commented that some bamboo shoots have a very strong and funky smell. The safest option is to buy canned bamboo shoots, which have been cooked and sliced into pieces. They are available at most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores, or online.
This recipe has 155 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Thai Chicken Curry
This dish is best served with white rice. For a wholesome Thai meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Thai Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red curry paste, I used Mae Ploy red curry paste
- 8 oz (230g) boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
- 80 ml coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 oz (90g) canned bamboo shoots
- 1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 2 teaspoons palm sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Heat a small pot with cooking oil and sauté the red curry paste until aromatic. Add the chicken and stir well to combine with the curry paste.
- Add the coconut milk, water, long beans, bamboo shoots, and red bell pepper, and bring the curry to a boil for about 5 minutes.
- Add the fish sauce and palm sugar, and let it boil for another minute. Dish out and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Rasa! Can I use curry powder instead of curry paste? If so, how much would you recommend?
Can’t wait to try this recipe… After looking at your wonderful photos for this dish, I’m drooling all over my keyboard!
You can use curry powder but it’s not Thai chicken curry. They don’t use curry powder.
I think I can live with not being able to formally call the dish “Thai” Chicken Curry, but my question was really geared more towards knowing if there would be any dramatic flavor difference using powder and the quantity I would need to make it work, than international diplomacy.
If you are using curry powder, try this recipe: https://rasamalaysia.com/malaysian-chicken-curry/
Just as good as our favorite Thai restaurant!
Hi Wanda, yes, all my recipes taste like restaurants. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Is there a substitute for palm sugar
Sugar.
I’ve seen this asked before, but haven’t seen a response. Your recipe mentions long beans, but the ingredient list doesn’t. Is there something missing?
You can add some a few long beans, optional.
Can I make this same recipe with potatoes and carrots instead? My kids are used to it that way. If so, how do you tweak the recipe since potatoes take longer to cook?
Yes you can. Sure, yes you can cook longer.
This is one of my favorite curry recipes! I live in Eastern Europe and I’ve never had “real” curry, but your recipes bring so much joy to my home, belly and heart that I can honestly say I’m falling in love with Asian cuisine. Thank you so much! By the way, the leftovers are every bit as delicious.
I have the dried bamboo shoot in my pantry. Is it still usable or should I invest on the canned bamboo? Thanks!
Canned bamboo shoots.
Thank you. I bought dried bamboo shoots by mistake. Do you have recipes that uses dried bamboo shoots?
The directions mention long beans but the ingredient list doesn’t have it….How much beans do you put in?
1/4 teaspoon of fish sauce seems like very little, can be omitted or substituted?
Yes it can. Fish sauce has a strong flavor and salty. Just use salt.