This rich aromatic Thai Red Curry Chicken is on our repeat list for busy weeknights as well as relaxed weekend meals. This authentic-tasting red curry gets a flavor punch from sweet and spicy colorful peppers picked from our local farmers' market and is garnished with fresh Thai basil leaves.
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From curries to rice dishes to noodles, we have been garnishing them all in abundance with our homegrown aromatic Thai basil - a star ingredient! It is a star ingredient in my must-try vegetarian Thai basil fried rice recipe.
Tips
- I love using colorful peppers in this curry, but you can also add other vegetables like carrots, zucchini, sliced bamboo shoots, mushrooms, or Thai eggplant.
- Adding the veggies in the end and simmering them just for a few minutes keeps them crunchy and gives a flavor burst to this curry.
Simmered in coconut milk, and spiced with red curry paste; this easy Thai red curry chicken soup has a hint of sweetness and is loaded with crunchy, assorted peppers. Served with steamed Jasmine rice makes an easy meal that gets polished off in no time.
How to Make Thai Red Chicken Curry
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add 2 tablespoons of red curry paste. Saute for 30 seconds. Add Chicken and mix it well with the red curry paste. Add coconut milk (Note for a less soupy curry, add only half the can). Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 2 minutes followed by a 10-minute Natural Pressure Release.
- Open the Instant Pot, and stir in fish sauce and brown sugar. For spicier curry add the remaining red curry paste and hot peppers. Add onions, red, yellow, and orange to the pot. Stir in well. Set Instant Pot to Saute mode and bring the curry to a gentle boil (about 2-3 minutes). This will allow the veggies to stay crunchy. Garnish with the Thai basil leaves.
Variations
- Add 1 teaspoon of ginger for some zest
- Squeeze fresh lime while serving for fresh tangy flavors
- Add Kafir leaves for a unique Thai taste
- To make vegetarian Thai Red Curry, substitute chicken with hardy vegetables such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, or baked tofu. Quick release after the pressure cooking is complete so that the vegetables do not overcook.
Check out this video for an easy Thai Red Chicken Curry recipe in Instant Pot:
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Recipe
Thai Red Curry Chicken - Instant Pot
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 to 4 tablespoons red curry paste Love Maesri brand
- 1½ pound thin chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 can low-fat coconut milk unsweetened (Love Trader Joe’s)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 jalapeno or Thai chili sliced (optional for spicy curry)
- 1 cup yellow onion sliced
- 1 cup red peppers sliced
- 1 cup yellow peppers sliced
- 1 cup orange peppers sliced
- Handful Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add 2 tablespoons of red curry paste. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Add Chicken and mix it well with the red curry paste.
- Add coconut milk (Note for a less soupy curry, add only half the can).
- Close Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook (Hi) for 2 minutes followed by 10 minute Natural Pressure Release. (Increase cook time for thicker chicken breasts to 4 mins)
- Open the Instant Pot, stir in fish sauce and brown sugar. For spicier curry add remaining red curry paste and hot peppers.
- Add onions, red, yellow and orange peppers. Stir in well. Set Instant Pot to Saute mode and bring the curry to a gentle boil (about 2-3 minutes). This will allow the veggies to stay crunchy. Garnish with the Thai basil leaves.
- Enjoy hot with Jasmine rice.
Nutrition
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Sunshine says
Made this recipe today and it was delicious! I added the optional addition of curry paste and Thai chilies because my husband loves spicy food. Thanks for the recipe, I’m looking forward to trying more!
Archana says
Awesome! I actual picked up some Thai basil today to make this curry too
Ruchi Jain says
Hey Archana,
Mine came out too watery. Any suggestions. Ps I'm vegetarian so I mAde it with veggies and tofu.
Archana says
Add more coconut cream or cook on sauté mode without the lid for additional 5 mins. Also remember the curry thicken if you allow it to cool down a bit
Madhu says
Can I omit fish sauce when I make this curry? Is there any other alternative to use?
Archana says
yes! You can totally skip it.
Nina says
Delicious!! Pretty easy for a beginner with the instant pot!
Archana says
Thank you for the feedback Nina
Charu says
Really easy & very tasty & authentic!
I used kaffir lime leaves in the beginning with the oil to flavour the rest of the curry. I actually only had green curry but worked out great.
Thank you!
Judy. hardy says
I live in a very rural town, and have no store to purchase thai basil! Could I possibly use regular basil?? we have a Thai restaurant here, and they have a Thai basil plant outside. I swiped some seeds, which I'll plant right away, but I dont want to wait. Please say yes!!
Archana says
Yes! Go ahead and use the regular basil leaves. Slightly different flavors but still will be delish.
Chandana says
I love your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Jo says
I have made this exactly as directed in the recipe several times and it is delicious! A definite favorite in our house! It works both on the stovetop and in the InstantPot. The last time I made it (and because I'm a huge fan of pineapple) I added some pineapple chunks at the end until thoroughly warmed through. So good.
Jyoti says
I made Thai curry chicken and it turned out very tasty and delicious. I made it on stovetop. I added little extra vegetables besides what was listed like broccoli, carrots and edamane beans. I did not add fish sauce instead I added two cubes of Thai flavor bouillon. The rest of the recipe I followed exactly the way Archana had posted. It is an excellent and very easy to follow the steps. I would recommend this recipe to anyone who loves Thai and would like to try. My husband said this is the best Thai food he has had. I would try making in instantpot next time. Archana thank you for sharing your delicious and yummy recipes. Looking forward to try more of your recipes.
Div says
Will try today. How long can the red curry paste last once opened?
Archana says
5 days refrigerated or freeze in zip lock bag or freezer containers for longer shelf life.
Glenn says
The coconut milk in the can is more gel the. Liquid. The insta pot need liquid to build up pressure. Do you add water to the coconut milk?
Archana says
Hi Glenn, could it be the brand of coconut milk? I do not add more liquids as the veggies also release a lot of liquids during pressure cooking. If you think the coconut milk is too thick you can substitute half of it with water. Hope this helps.
M Naik says
Can you make this red curry with just vegetables? What would be the procedure?
Archana says
To make vegetarian Thai Red Curry, substitute chicken with hardy vegetables such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, or baked tofu. Simply quick release after the pressure cooking is complete so that the vegetables do not overcook.