Thai Red Curry Chicken

What is Red Curry Paste

Red curry paste is made by combining red chili peppers, garlic, lemon grass, thai ginger, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, coriander and peppercorns, all ground together and mixed into a paste. With all those spices it adds an amazing amount of flavor with very little effort. Red curry paste is easy to find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores and it keeps for months in the refrigerator. Having some on hand makes it easy to get a authentic and delicious Thai meal on the table, even on a busy weeknight.

Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Red Curry Paste, 4 oz (Pack of 6)Craft Wok Traditional Hand Hammered Carbon Steel Pow Wok with Wooden and Steel Helper Handle (14 Inch, Round Bottom) / 731W88Joyce Chen 33-2018, Burnished Bamboo Stir Fry Set, 3-Piece

Is Red Thai Curry Hot?

The red curry paste that I use (Thai Kitchen) is spicy, but not overly so. I used a tablespoon of the paste in this chicken curry recipe, which seems like a lot, but it gives the recipe what I would consider a medium level of spiciness. It is hot enough to notice, but the dish is not overwhelmingly spicy. Of course there can be some variation in heat levels of the red curry paste. If you are buying directly from your local Asian market you might find it is spicier than the red curry paste marketed to Americans like Thai Kitchen. If you are concerned about the spice level start with half the suggested amount and taste the Thai red curry chicken after it simmers for a few minutes. You can always add more curry paste, but you can’t take it out once it is mixed in!

How do you Make Red Thai Curry Chicken?

This quick Red Thai Curry Chicken is simple to make. Chicken is sauteed on the stove top until it is cooked, followed by onions and peppers. Then garlic, ginger and the red curry paste are fried, which helps release the flavor from all the spices that make up the curry paste so that the dish is infused with Thai spices.

Then coconut milk is poured over top and the dish simmers for a few minutes so that the flavors blend. I prefer to use full fat coconut milk, because the low fat version is not as creamy. Finally I add lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and frozen green peas to the dish and let it sit for a few minutes to allow the peas to cook.

Variations of this Easy Red Thai Curry Recipe

There are many quick and easy ways to change up this recipe. I like this particular combination of vegetables because the color of the orange peppers and green peas contrast nicely with the sauce to make the dish not just tasty but also gorgeous. But there are many easy variations possible. Here are some suggestions:

• Use different vegetables – Mushrooms make a nice addition, as do zucchini and bok choy. This can be a good recipe for using up whatever vegetables you have on hand.
• Use leftover chicken (or turkey) – This is one of my favorite dishes to make with leftover chicken or turkey. When I serve leftovers I like to make something completely different from the first time I served the meal. So after a big American style meal of roast chicken or turkey making a Thai curry is a way to make leftovers seem like a whole new meal. If you are using already cooked meat skip the saute step and add the meat when you add the coconut milk.
• Use a different protein – This red Thai curry is also delicious made with shrimp, salmon or tofu. Shrimp can be added after the curry has simmered and the shrimp should be cooked for only a few minutes, depending on whether they are frozen or not. Salmon and tofu should be added when you add the coconut milk.