Massaman Curry is a comforting Thai chicken curry dish filled with deep, rich flavors but is mild enough for the whole family to enjoy!
If you like Thai dinner recipes, such as Thai Green Curry and Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken, then this aromatic curry dish is sure to become a favorite in your recipe arsenal!
Sabrina’s Massaman Curry Recipe
Thai Massaman Curry is packed with flavor, but it’s not too spicy. That’s why this mild recipe is a favorite of mine to serve to the whole family. Even if you have kids or relatives who don’t enjoy spicy dishes, this is a recipe that everyone can love. The blend of coconut milk, peanut butter, and spices creates a thick and creamy curry with many layers of flavor. It tastes amazing and is easy to make on the stovetop. You’ll love how the spices fill your house with an irresistible aroma as it cooks.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast , boneless skinless
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup massaman curry paste , use red if you can't find massaman (see note)
- 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar , packed
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 yukon potatoes , cut into 1" chunks
- 2 cans coconut milk , 14 ounces
- 1 lime , juiced and zested
- 1/2 cup peanuts , chopped finely
- 1/2 cup cilantro , chopped finely
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1″ chunks
- To a large heavy skillet add the vegetable oil on medium heat.
- Add in the chicken chunks and cook for 3 minutes, then flip the chicken and cook an additional three minutes.
- Remove the chicken and reserve on a plate.
- Add in the curry paste, ginger and garlic.
- Stir well and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Add in the tamarind paste, brown sugar, peanut butter and fish sauce.
- Stir well until creamy.
- Add in the yukon potatoes and coconut milk.
- Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then reduce to medium-low.
- Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add the chicken back in and simmer for 3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and warmed.
- Add in lime juice and zest and stir.
- Serve over rice, garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
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Table of contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, Massaman Curry can definitely be made ahead of time! In fact, curries like this one often taste even better the next day as the flavors have more time to meld together. Just cook as usual, cool completely and store. I would recommend pulling the chicken pieces out of the pot and let them rest at room temperature while you reheat the sauce. Then add the chicken back in and warm up as usual. This will help keep the chicken from drying out.
How to Store
- Serve: After cooking, you don’t want to leave the curry at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: To keep leftover curry, let it cool then transfer the sauce and the chicken to an airtight container to store in the fridge. It can stay good for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: You could also freeze this curry recipe for up to 3 months. I recommend placing in a large freezer bag (or portion into a couple smaller bags) then laying the bag flat on a baking tray. Freeze for an hour or so until it’s pretty solid. This way you can stack the bags in your freezer for easier storage.
Variations
- Vegan curry: To make this vegan, you’ll need to skip the chicken part and reduce to 1 tablespoon oil. Cook the curry paste, ginger and garlic in the oil then follow the remaining steps. You’ll also want to swap the fish sauce with soy sauce or coconut aminos. Add cooked chickpeas in with the potatoes and coconut milk, or add baked tofu or paneer where you would have added the chicken back to the pot.
- Vegetables: If you want to add extra vegetables to this dish, feel free to do so. You can diced onion, bell peppers, or chili peppers to cook along with the ginger and garlic. You could also cut bite-sized pieces of sweet potato or carrot to simmer in the curry when you’d normally add the potatoes.
- Seasonings: There are lots of different flavors that would pair well with the ingredients in this recipe. Some easy additions to consider are cumin seeds, white pepper, coriander seeds, and cayenne pepper.
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