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    Home » Thai

    Instant Pot Thai Red Curry Chicken

    Published: Jul 13, 2017 · Modified: Jun 5, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 68 Comments

    1469 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    Thai Red Curry Chicken in a white bowl with rice on the side

    From curries to rice dishes to noodles, we have been garnishing them all in abundance with our homegrown aromatic Thai basil - a star ingredient!

    potted basil plant

    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.
    Mixed peppers and onions sliced on a wooden board with basil leaves

    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.

    Variations

    1. Add 1 teaspoon ginger for some zest
    2. Squeeze fresh lime while serving for fresh tangy flavors
    3. Add Kafir leaves for a unique Thai taste
    4. 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.
    Thai Red Chicken Curry served with rice

    Process

    Step by step EASY Instant Pot Thai Red Chicken Curry recipe:

    • 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 a 10-minute Natural Pressure Release.
    Steps showing how to make Instant Pot Thai Red Curry
    • 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.
    Steps showing adding vegetables to Thai Red Curry

    Serving

    Serve with steamed Jasmine rice.

    Related Recipes

    Here are more Thai recipes to try:

    • Thai Panang Curry
    • Vegetable Thai Green Curry Recipe
    • Thai Massaman Curry
    • Vegan Thai Massaman Curry
    • Thai Green Curry with Vegetables

    Check out this video for an easy Thai Red Chicken Curry recipe in Instant Pot:

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    thai red curry chicken with spoon and fork next to it and a bowl of rice
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    4.46 from 46 votes

    Thai Red Curry Chicken - Instant Pot

    Thai red curry chicken - A quick and delicious Thai red curry soup with chicken, onions, peppers and fresh Thai basil leaves, cooked in creamy coconut milk.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Thai
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 237kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon cooking 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.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 749mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2940IU | Vitamin C: 138.6mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking

    ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    Reader Interactions

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    1. lathiya says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:14 pm

      Looks awesome ..I'm sure it would be great in taste too

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 13, 2017 at 10:32 pm

        Thank you Lathiya!

        Reply
    2. chefkreso says

      July 14, 2017 at 5:33 am

      Love curry chicken, first time I tried it was when my friend made it at a dinner party, and it was love at first sight 😀

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 14, 2017 at 9:20 am

        Thank you! I agree just the word curry makes me hungry 🙂

        Reply
    3. Namrata says

      July 14, 2017 at 1:12 pm

      Thanks for sharing awesome thai curry recipe. That calls for a weekend cooking goal 🙂

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 14, 2017 at 3:31 pm

        Hi Namrata! Thank you! Let me know how you like it.

        Reply
    4. Medha Rajamanur says

      July 21, 2017 at 11:21 am

      5-****, no fuss, a very very easy and quick recipe Archana. Made it last night for dinner. Came out awesome. Must Try!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 24, 2017 at 10:23 pm

        Hi Medha! SO glad you enjoyed this simple and yummy thai curry. It is always a winner.

        Reply
        • Medha Rajamanur says

          January 09, 2018 at 7:01 pm

          Earned 5 starts again tonight. Can't wait to dig in.

          Reply
          • Archana says

            January 09, 2018 at 11:28 pm

            Thank you!

            Reply
    5. felisrecipes says

      July 30, 2017 at 7:36 pm

      Very nice post. Yummy recipe 😉

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 30, 2017 at 10:35 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Bridgetinmd says

      August 03, 2017 at 7:45 am

      dumb question - when do you use the oil!? when you first saute the chicken?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 03, 2017 at 8:11 am

        Hey! Nothing like dumb question. Here you go - Set Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode. Once the ‘hot’ sign displays add oil and 2 tablespoons of red curry paste. Saute for 30 seconds.ITs in the recipe at the end of the post.

        Reply
        • Bridgetinmd says

          August 03, 2017 at 9:25 am

          holy cow, i completely missed that! I apologize! I swear I read the recipe several times before asking! LOL

          Reply
          • Archana says

            August 03, 2017 at 5:54 pm

            No worries! Hope you like this easy curry!!

            Reply
    7. Paige says

      August 06, 2017 at 1:16 pm

      Does it matter when you add the ginger?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 06, 2017 at 1:43 pm

        Hi Paige! I do not add ginger in this curry but yes can always add it to enhance the flavors and it can be added while cooking or as a garnish.

        Reply
    8. S says

      August 10, 2017 at 11:49 am

      If i wanted to substitute the eggplant for chicken, can I follow the recipe and just do eggplant instead of chicken 🙂

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 10, 2017 at 1:01 pm

        If you want to use eggplant, cut them into big cubes and cook only for 1 minute followed by QR. Then stir in the peppers so they stay crunchy! Let me know how it comes out.

        Reply
    9. S says

      August 13, 2017 at 4:38 pm

      I subbed veggies and it came out awesome- love this recipe!! Would love it if you
      post tofu recipes and more veggie friendly Instant Pot recipes 🙂

      Reply
      • Archana says

        August 13, 2017 at 9:09 pm

        Thank you! So glad you enjoyed this easy thai curry. I will def post more of the Veg recipes. In the mean time you might like this yummy cutlet recipe - http://ministryofcurry.com/broccoli-and-tofu-cutlets/

        Reply
      • Dhvani Desai says

        May 15, 2019 at 6:05 pm

        Im vegetarian, what can I substitute for fish sauce and chicken? Would tofu work? What is the cooking time if using tofu?

        Reply
        • Archana says

          May 16, 2019 at 1:23 pm

          You can skip fish sauce. I would add other hardy veggies. I have more info on this in the recipe post. I would not pressure cook tofu, instead stir it in the end.

          Reply
    10. Steph Guyer says

      September 17, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      This looks so tasty! I'm definitely going to make this.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 17, 2017 at 6:11 pm

        We love this thai curry. Let me know how you like it!

        Reply
    11. Shilpa Panicker says

      October 26, 2017 at 7:24 am

      Hi Archana, can I use regular basil leaves ? Where can I find Thai basil ? Thank you

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 26, 2017 at 9:44 am

        Hi Shilpa, Thai basil leaves are sold in Asian supermarkets. You can add regular basil or skip them

        Reply
    12. PRAO says

      November 01, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      Hi Archana...Looks beautiful. How do you convert this into a vegetarian recipe. I love it and want to try it. Have everything but didnt know what to do with the IP setting. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 01, 2017 at 2:40 pm

        Hi! You can add tofu to this recipe to make it vegetarian. Add all the veggies and tofu and then cook for manual(Hi) 1 min. It comes out delicious!! Many of my readers have tried this and they all enjoyed the veggie version.

        Reply
        • Graeme says

          December 29, 2018 at 11:40 am

          Do you still recommend a 10 min natural release when using Tofu?5 stars

          Reply
          • Archana says

            December 30, 2018 at 12:04 pm

            I would not pressure cook tofu. Just cook the curry in suate mode.

            Reply
    13. Sonali says

      November 11, 2017 at 3:33 am

      Hi Archana - would leaving out the fish sauce change the taste alot? Can I substitute something else?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 11, 2017 at 12:56 pm

        Hi Sonali, You can skip fish sauce. I am not a big fan of it either and have skipped it many times. You won't notice much difference.

        Reply
    14. Joyce says

      November 18, 2017 at 12:25 pm

      Tried this last night. The family loved it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 18, 2017 at 3:53 pm

        Thank you for the feedback. So happy to hear that your family enjoyed this easy and delish Thai curry

        Reply
    15. Bhawna says

      December 28, 2017 at 7:52 pm

      Hi, I'm looking for a vegetarian red thai curry ..and suggestions on what all I should change with the recipe ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 28, 2017 at 8:10 pm

        Hi Bhavana! You can add all veggies and tofu and pressure cook on low for 1 minute followed by QR!

        Reply
    16. Shannon says

      January 07, 2018 at 9:42 pm

      This was my first instant pot meal! Super quick and easy. I have made this twice now! And both times have been delicious.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 07, 2018 at 10:14 pm

        Thank you Shannon

        Reply
    17. Nina says

      February 03, 2018 at 9:40 pm

      I couldn’t find Thai red curry paste at the store so I bought trader joe’s red curry sauce instead. Could I use this to make the recipe? If so, how much do I add and when? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 04, 2018 at 10:40 am

        Hi Nina, Follow the same recipe. Start with 2 to 4 tablespoons of red curry sauce. After the pressure cooking is done, add more if needed.

        Reply
        • Nina says

          February 04, 2018 at 3:13 pm

          Thank you!! I will try it today:)

          Reply
          • Archana says

            February 05, 2018 at 3:31 pm

            Let me know!

            Reply
    18. Tristan Friend says

      April 24, 2018 at 3:22 pm

      Excellent recipe. I made it last night and it was a great hit! I added the kaffir limes and also a splash more coconut milk at the end. Love that the vegetables don’t get all mushy.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 24, 2018 at 9:38 pm

        Thank you for the feedback, Tristen!

        Reply
    19. Deepti says

      December 04, 2018 at 6:17 pm

      Hi Archana, if i substitute tilapia fillet for chicken how long will it take to cook?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 04, 2018 at 9:57 pm

        Tilapia would be 2 to 3 mins on low pressure

        Reply
    20. michelle says

      April 22, 2019 at 11:42 am

      Quick and easy!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 22, 2019 at 10:33 pm

        Thank you

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

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