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Make the best Chicken Massaman Curry with this easy, flavorful recipe! Tender chicken and potatoes, creamy coconut milk, and aromatic spices create a comforting, mildly spiced curry that’s perfect for dinner.
Table of Contents
If you’re looking for a curry that’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor, you’ve got to try my Chicken Massaman Curryrecipe! It’s one of my all-time favorite dishes to make because it’s super easy, comforting, and absolutely delicious. The combination of tender chicken, creamy coconut milk, and warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cumin is truly a flavor explosion!
I’ve made this curry countless times, and every time it’s a hit. It’s a mild curry, so it’s perfect if you like a little spice, but nothing overwhelming. Plus, it’s super customizable, so you can make it as spicy or mild as you like!
Here’s What You’ll Need
Let’s go over the ingredients. I’ve kept this simple, and most of the stuff you can easily find at your local grocery store or Asian market.
- Massaman curry paste (trust me, don’t skip this—it’s the key to the flavor!)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (I use breasts, but thighs work great too)
- Full-fat coconut milk (it makes the sauce super creamy)
- Vegetable oil (for sautéing)
- Onion (yellow or white works)
- Garlic (fresh is always best)
- Ginger (adds a nice kick)
- Lime juice (brightens up the flavors)
- Brown sugar (for a touch of sweetness)
- Fish sauce (adds that signature umami flavor)
- Worcestershire sauce (totally optional, but adds a little extra depth)
- Potatoes (I love Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes)
- Carrots (adds some nice texture)
- Peanut butter (for creaminess and nuttiness)
Optional Toppings:
- Peanuts (chopped, for garnish)
- Sriracha (if you like extra heat)
- Red pepper flakes (for a bit more spice)
- Cilantro (for garnish)
Massaman Curry Paste
Massaman Curry Paste is the key to making this recipe successful, it’s the one thing you really don’t want to leave out. Don’t substitute for another curry paste like yellow curry or red curry paste . Using store-bought curry paste is so much easier than trying to make your own paste from scratch. Curry paste is very thick and similar to the consistency of tomato paste. It is quite fragrant and will fill up the room with a strong, yet delicious smelling aroma. Don’t worry, once you stir in the coconut milk, it will mellow out into a very mild curry.
Where To Find Curry Paste
You can find Massaman curry paste at most Asian Markets and even at many specialty grocery stores. We use the Maesri brand because it is what’s available at the Asian Market closest to us, but I know there are other brands available. You can’t really go wrong. The kind we use is usually in a small, yellow 4 oz. can (pictured). We can usually find it for around $2/can. It can also sometimes be found in lidded plastic or paper containers, glass jars, or vacuum-sealed packages. I have also been able to find it on Amazon.
Curry Paste Ingredients
We use the Maesri Massaman curry paste. For this brand, the ingredients include: garlic, sugar, soybean oil, dried red chili, tamarind juice, shallot, salt, lemongrass, coriander seed, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, kaffir lime, and galangal. Other massaman curry pastes may include ingredients such as tamarind paste, shrimp paste, nutmeg, thai basil, or other unique ingredients. If you can’t find a store-bought paste you can always make your own curry paste from scratch. But finding all the ground spices and making it yourself would be much more expensive and time consuming.
Variations and Additions
Meat
More often than not, we use chicken as the protein in our Massaman curry (just because it’s what we have on hand most of the time) but we have also used beef and shrimp and loved it. Some people also use veal or lamb. To make vegetarian or vegan Massaman curry, you easily can use tofu instead of meat.
Vegetables
The only two vegetables that seem to be in every Massaman curry across the board are potatoes and onions. Here are some of our other favorite vegetable stir-ins:
- Carrots
- Red bell peppers (yellow or orange can also be used)
- Green beans
- Peas
- Baby corn
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Bamboo shoots
- Asian Chillies
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
Tips
- It’s not a bad idea to boil your potatoes for three-four minutes before adding them to your curry. This is a great trick for when you are in a hurry and just trying to get dinner on the table and don’t want to wait for the potatoes to soften in the curry sauce.
- If you are adding extra vegetables, allow the vegetables to soften in the sauce for optimal flavor. If you are in a hurry, stir-fry the veggies until tender before adding to the sauce.
- Shake the coconut milk really well before opening so it doesn’t come out in one big clump. You can also avoid this by opening the coconut milk can from the bottom.
- Make it as spicy or as mild as you would like! Add sriracha while cooking, or serve it on the side if people prefer different spice levels.
- Instead of adding salt (if needed), try adding soy sauce. It gives you the salty flavor while also deepening the overall flavor of the dish.
- Don’t forget the limes! Adding a squeeze of fresh lime right before serving ties all those delicious flavors together. This gives it a little extra boost over other Massaman curry recipes I have had.
Questions
The best rice to use with ANY curry is Jasmine. Jasmine rice is a long-grain, dry rice that goes well with every Thai dish. It is more fragrant than most varieties, which is why it is also known as “aromatic rice”. Brown Jasmine rice can also be used. Basmati rice is a common substitute for Jasmine rice as well. If you can’t find any of these varieties, you can just use a simple, long-grain, white rice.
Thai Curries and Indian Curries are similar in that they are a sauce with meat and veggies served with rice. Thai curry is lighter and fresher, with a balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors, often made with coconut milk, lemongrass, and fish sauce. Indian curry is richer and more complex, using ground spices like cumin, turmeric, and garam masala, with bases like tomato, yogurt, or cream. While Thai curries are bright and aromatic, Indian curries tend to be thicker, deeper, and spicier, with variations depending on the region.
Yes, just double check to make sure that the paste you are using does not contain gluten.
Yes, definitely! To make this a Vegetarian Massaman Curry simply leave out the chicken and sub for a vegan fish sauce.
What To Serve With Massaman Curry
Because curry and rice can be a complete meal on it’s own, there really is no need to have additional side dishes. If you are expecting company or simply just want the meal to go further, you can try some of these tasty Asian-inspired Thai side dishes:
Storing Leftovers
If you have leftovers (lucky you!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This curry also freezes really well—just make sure to freeze it without rice (rice doesn’t freeze as well). It will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just thaw it overnight in the fridge and warm it up on the stove.
More Delicious Curry Recipes
No need to reach for the takeout menus, just try one of these flavorful recipes and enjoy a good curry right in the comfort of your own kitchen!
- Chicken Panang Curry
- Chicken Curry Salad
- Lentil Curry
- Coconut Curry
- Red Curry
- Green Curry
Chicken Massaman Curry
Video
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Massaman curry paste (see notes above)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cans (14 oz each) unsweetened coconut milk, full fat
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 pound chicken
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- sriracha sauce to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
- jasmine rice (cooked)
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in an extra large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in curry paste; cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes. This is strong, make sure your windows are open and a fan is blowing.
- Add 1 can coconut milk and stir until well blended. Add ginger, cilantro, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil.
- Thinly slice the onion and chicken, then add them to the sauce. Reduce to a simmer. When chicken is white and cooked through (about 5 min or so) add another can of coconut milk and bring back to a boil.
- Peel and dice potatoes. Peel and slice carrots. Add the potatoes, carrots, and remaining ingredients (except for the rice) and stir until everything is well mixed. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are no longer crunchy in the middle. Serve hot over Jasmine rice and garnish with extra cilantro and/or limes if desired.
Notes
- It’s not a bad idea to boil your potatoes for three-four minutes before adding them to your curry. This is a great trick for when you are in a hurry and just trying to get dinner on the table and don’t want to wait for the potatoes to soften in the curry sauce.
- If you are adding extra vegetables, allow the vegetables to soften in the sauce for optimal flavor. If you are in a hurry, stir-fry the veggies until tender before adding to the sauce.
- Shake the coconut milk really well before opening so it doesn’t come out in one big clump. You can also avoid this by opening the coconut milk can from the bottom.
- Make it as spicy or as mild as you would like! Add sriracha while cooking, or serve it on the side if people prefer different spice levels.
- Instead of adding salt (if needed), try adding soy sauce. It gives you the salty flavor while also deepening the overall flavor of the dish.
- Don’t forget the limes! Adding a squeeze of fresh lime right before serving ties all those delicious flavors together.
Nutrition Information
Ready to Make Your Own Chicken Massaman Curry?
This recipe is seriously one of my favorites, and I know you’re going to love it too! It’s perfect for a cozy dinner, and it’s easy enough for weeknights but special enough for guests. Give it a try and enjoy a warm, flavorful meal right at home, and let us know what you think!
Hello from a Canadian visiting her son and his fiance in New York. My turn to cook last night and I made your delicious recipe. I did make a few changes, not that I needed to but just felt like it! I added the chicken at the same time as the potatoes nearer to the end of the cooking time and added the lime juice and coriander at the very end as that keeps it the most freshly flavoured and was how I learned to do it when I lived in Asia. Great recipe. The kids loved it. Doubled up on the onions red and white and added a bunch of fresh green beans. Soooo good. Served small sliced cucumber marinated in ricewine viegare, honey, salt, red chilli and coriander on the side. Works well. Thank you very much.
Great tip! We almost always add extra coriander (cilantro) at the end, just to get that extra flavor punch. Your cucumber salad sounds like the perfect accompaniment too! I am so glad this was a hit for you and your family.
I have made this recipe several times since downloading it. We adore it! My husband was in the Royal Air Force for 3-1/2 years in Malaysia and truly loves any type of curry but I wasn’t terribly familiar with it. Any I tried previously were too hot and spicy for me. This one is gentle and flavourful and I just love the smells in the kitchen when I’m making it.
The first time I made it I found stressful but now I get all the sauce ingredients together before I start making it and it takes the stress out of it. I have all the bottles of ingredients put away before I even start.
I’m so happy you like this recipe. It does smell so good when it’s simmering! I appreciate you sharing your experience with this recipe. Thank you!
Hello! I’d really like to make this recipe, but I’m eager to try it in my new slow cooker. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to cook it from scratch as much as I would love to. Do you have any recommendations for how I can alter the recipe to accommodate my cooking limitations?
Thank you so much in advance,
Alana
Hi Alana – I am not sure I understand what you are asking. You want to be able to make this in a slow cooker? We haven’t tested this in a slow cooker before so I can’t say for sure. The problem I see with doing it in a crock pot is that the chicken may overcook and shred. That’s not the true consistency but if all you are going for is flavor then maybe you can allow it to cook all day in the slow cooker. Again, I can’t say for sure because I have never done it this way. If you try it out, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Thank you so much Erica, that’s just what I meant! Have a wonderful evening and I’ll let you know how it goes!
Amazing… restaurant quality
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the recipe hints. Wow, the number of ads on your instruction video are egregious though.
Hi Jamie, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I apologize for the ads. I’ll pass along your comment and see if we can make some improvements. Thank you!
Really nice flavor! Even my picky daughter had 2 servings. If I happen to have tamarind paste on hand, can I swap that out for Worcester sauce?
Yes, you can use tamarind paste instead of Worcestershire sauce. It will taste great!
Awesome recipe! I made it exactly as written, and both my son and my husband declared it to be better than the same dish at our local Thai restaurant! Thank you for the recipe!
This is quite a compliment from your son and husband! Thank you for sharing!
I’m going to cook this recipe because it looks wonderful. But I’ll never look at another one on this site due to the experience I had trying to watch the video. Inundated buy ads, which ran poorly and couldn’t be stopped.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Hi Jerry – I am so sorry you have had this experience. All the ads and video players should be able to be closed. We will speak with our ad managers to see why this could have happened. Thanks for letting us know. Also, if you would like to skip ads, you can always click on “skip to recipe” and then “print recipe” once you get to the recipe card and you will only see the recipe. Hope this helps!
I made this tonight for myself and my boyfriend (he’s never had massaman curry before). It was delicious, would definitely make again – he liked it, too. I was a little skeptical about the addition of worcestershire sauce (not an authentic Thai ingredient) but the end result was great so can’t complain. I did not add any sriracha or red pepper flakes and it was very mildly spicy (I used Maesri curry paste)
What kind of ginger? Fresh and grated? Powder?
Freshly grated is best, but ground ginger powder also works just fine. Thank you for asking. I will make this more clear on the recipe.
I make this every other week. It is luxurious and delicious. My picky 1 and 3 year old love it. Thank you thank you for this recipe. Truly a blessing to my family.
It’s what I eat when I go to our local Japanese/Korean/Chinese restaurant. I do have the paste in my fridge but I’m yet to use it 🤷🏼♀️.
I love Massaman curry and this is a great recipe, so full of flavor, and not all that spicy. Thanks for sharing.
Everyone asks me for this recipe. Absolutely delicious. Don’t need to add as much sugar depending on taste buds ☺️
I have made this curry time and time again for the family they love it . Easy to make.
I love this curry! I cook it outside in my Instant Pot with the saute function. I use sweetened coconut milk from the Aldi refrigerated area instead of canned milk. It’s cheaper, and I have enough for 2 batches. I freeze 1/2 the milk to make it again later.
This is an awesome Authentic Thai Dish! Super Declicous and easy to make; the only think I added to this recipe was one shallot that I sliced thin and sautéed with the ginger…THank you!
Erica, this was a WOW flavourfull dish, thank you. I will definitely be doing this recipe again.
Recipe calls for 1 28 oz can of coconut milk in ingredients but says “add another can of coconut milk” under recipe. This was confusing. I added 2 14 oz cans and then another 14 oz can and now it appears I’ve messed up the recipe. Lame.
We apologize that we weren’t more clear in the recipe, it should be 28 ounces total (so 2 14-ounce cans). Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We fixed it on the recipe. Even if you added more coconut milk, hopefully it still tasted ok!
I first tastes massaman curry at my local Thai restaurant. I wanted something different to what i usually ate and saw the word curry. I’m crazy about it. The restaurant also makes fish massaman. Doesn’t light my fire.
Delicious! My husband loved this dish and he is not a fan of curries. This will be a regular dish in our household. It’s a winner!!
This was really delicious. Very easy to make and went down a treat. Drying to print it off and put in my ‘fav recipes folder’. Thanks so much.
Delicious but confusing – ingredients say 1 can coconut milk but recipe calls for 2 cans. I added more of everything & the 2nd can. Was strange to add the peanut butter late in the process. Didn’t have worsteshire so substituted soy sauce. Used potatoes, carrots, green beans & onions. Delicious!
The recipe calls for 28 ounces of coconut milk and the cans we usually get are each 14 ounces. Sorry for the confusion!
This recipe is perfection. I have now made this dozens of times, it is a family favorite. Thank you!!
Delicious and easy to make. Great for company meal!
Absolutely delicious. Love it and will be making it again (and again).
OH MY GOODNESS! We consider ourselves connoisseurs of Massaman curry, and are always looking for the restaurant with the perfect version. I like this recipe as well as any I’ve had at our favorite Thai restaurants. And, it really was pretty easy to make. I know what I’ll be bringing to church potluck next week! Thanks so much for this recipe.
I love massaman curry and wanted to see if I could attempt it myself instead of always ordering take away. I used this recipe and it came out delicious! I did add some red and green bell peppers to it just for some extra veggies and because my favorite Thai restaurant does that as well. I also used the same curry paste as in the recipe as well. It was an instant hit!
This is the first time I have made Massaman curry and it was delicious. I made a few changes only 1tbls of brown sugar and fish sauce, I’ll instead of 2. Also left over Costco chicken. I did follow the recommendations of Worcester sauce and soy instead of salt, which really made a difference. My chef son said the dish was restaurant quality, the whole family enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
I love massaman curry and decided to try making it at home. I found this recipe and decided to try it instead of the others I found online. So glad I chose this one, it was AMAZING!!!! Just as good as the ones I have had at our local Thai restaurants. Thank you so much!!!!! It will be on regular rotation at home now.
Excellent. I tweaked a little to fit Keto. Skipped potatoes but added some bell peppers and zucchini. Massaman curry has excellent flavor & not as hot as the panang.
This was an amazing dish. Massaman chicken is a favorite meal when dining out and to make a loved cuisine at home was a real treat. A good balance of vegetables and plenty of curry. I will likely add an additional pound of chicken the next time. This recipe was also super easy to make.
I love this recipe! I had never tried to make curry before as it is a newly discovered dish. And now I can’t get enough!! Great easy to follow recipe!!
If you like potatoes and need to add a bit more deph to your dish, try this.
Try cubing your potatoes and browing them before adding to the curry.
Absolutely magnificent. Soooo rich. My guests were super happy
Nom nom nom 😋
Delicious! And Easy 😊
Very good recipe. Complex flavors and yet simple to make.
Five star 🌟
My kids loved this dish 👌thank you
So delicious…
Fantastic. Easy and fun to make. Would recommend to anyone in a heartbeat.
This is delicious, however, it’s missing something. Pineapple! It needs pineapple!
I think the ingredients and ratios are spot on, my suggestions are more about the order of the process. My recommendation is to use fresh ginger, and to heat all your aromatics (onion, ginger, and garlic) in the massaman curry paste mixture. I cooked the potatoes and carrots and coconut milk together until the veg were almost perfectly done, then added in the chicken and a sliced cubanelle pepper until chicken was done. I let it rest for a couple of hours, before reheating, and served with steamed jasmine rice, a little chopped cilantro, dry roasted peanuts, and lime wedges. Absolutely sublime.
Tried this tonight and absolutely love it. Used a 2 lb. package of chicken thighs, added a 14oz can of fire roasted tomatoes and a bell pepper to the veggies. Instead of rice, served it over cornmeal waffles which I wanted to use up. Rich and flavorful. The Maeseri brand curry paste is a tad on the hot and spicy side. Little people might not be able to handle that.
So So delicious. My family loves this and tastes just like our local restaurant. Thanks for an amazing recipe. I wish we could have leftovers, but there is never any left ha ha.
This recipe damn near brought my boyfriend and I to tears. So. Good. Literally could not stop talking about how delicious it turned out! We made a vegetarian version with lots of potatoes, carrots and delicata squash – WOW. Delicata squash in this recipe is a must-try. It tastes verrrrrry much like the Massaman from my local Thai place. This will be on repeat in our house. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!! Thank you!
Ok recipe, a bit too sweet though, peanut butter has no place in any curry, a handful of peanuts roasted in the oven and blitzed in a blender will suffice. Also there is absolutely no substitute for fresh grated ginger, powdered just will not do, completely different flavour profile. I like the inclusion of Worcester Sauce, adds that kick of tamarind. I think the chicken needs to be cubed, same size as the potatoes.
I must add though that I disagree with your comment “The best rice to use with ANY curry is Jasmine”. This simply cannot be true, it is indeed perfect for this dish but anyone competent in cooking South East Asian food knows the base rice is a good quality Basmati, eg Biryani, Jasmine rice with a Rogan Josh or Jalfrezi just won’t work.
Poor shaun. It must have been tough, but he managed to make this recipe even though it was far beneath him! He clutched his pearls the whole time while scooping the blasphemous peanut butter into his curry.
We aren’t sure why he pressed on to accomplish this task when he knows that the opinions of whoever posted this recipe are *simply* factually incorrect. But he did! And we are glad because shaun is actually a wealth of knowledge. If he could only share it in a less insulting way we would all be following shaun!
OMG! This was amazing. My wife told me this was the best thing I have ever made. This is our favorite dish when we go out for Thai food and exceeded any of those meals. Followed the recipe exactly except for a different brand of curry paste.
WOW! Thank you so much! Glad we could help you score points with your wife!
I have made Massaman Curry for at least 30+ years. I am from Thailand. You do not need to put ginger, worcestershir sauce, peanut butter past (use whole peanuts), siricha sauce, red pepper flakes, or lime juice (use tamarind juice).
I am sorry that this recipe isn’t to your taste.
I made this last night for dinner and we were over the moon happy! I’ve only just recently tried this for the 1st time at a restaurant and am thrilled to be able to make it at home now. We are eating Keto, so I used an acceptable sub for the sugar and lots of fresh veggies instead of potatoes, but left the rest as is.
The left-overs are calling me! THANK YOU for sharing!
So good! This will be my got to from now on!
This started out as Indian makhani chicken. I didn’t have the Indian curry paste, but I did have Massaman curry paste. I started looking for recipes and came up with this! I used one and 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs, sautéed an onion, added the curry paste and a can of fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies. I cooked it for eight minutes in the instant pot, and quick released the steam. I didn’t have coconut milk, so I used one can of coconut cream, and one can of chicken broth, and cashews instead of peanuts. I added everything else, including the borrowed peanut butter and lime juice from my neighbor, and cooked on the stove as written! I served this over brown and wild rice, and it was absolutely delicious! I will definitely make this again, and do it the same way that I just did it!
This recipe is so ridiculously delicious that I had to come back and comment on it, a first for me. Massaman is one of the few Asian dishes that my wife adores, and this turned out even better than the (overpriced) version from our local Thai place. It is is seriously hard to limit one’s self to a reasonable portion, it’s that good! Thanks for the killer recipe (also, ignore Jon, the dish needs no “saving”)
I lived 8 years in Thailand. Thought it was odd to add vegetable oil. Did it.
But, my Thai friend said “don’t put in vegetable oil”. Oil is from coconut milk. ***Add peanut butter. (PB saved this dish).
What an oddly constructed comment. The vegetable oil is just fine, and the recipe already has peanut butter in it
i used https://ozofoods.com/products/garlic-herb-chicken-cutlet/ to keep this vegetarian. I substituted sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. I let it simmer for an extra 15 mins. Everything else was as written. Everyone loved it.
My husband and I made this for dinner and it was absolutely delicious! Restaurant style quality. Definitely making again.
Outstanding!! Such a tasty and satisfying dinner. Thank you for sharing.
Fantastic and full of flavor. Not hard to do
I made this yesterday and my other half said this was my best massaman yet! Naturally I did not take credit as I copied it as exact below. It was delish and even better today. Thank you
Could I do this in a crockpot?
We haven’t tried this recipe in the crockpot before, but let us know how it goes if you try it!
Tastes just like my local Thai restaurants. Thanks for sharing
So easy and delicious! I added some beans, next time I’ll add more vegetables as well, plenty of sauce. My potatoes weren’t all done after 15 minutes so I’ll go to 20 minutes for final step.
Thanks! Now I don’t have to pay $20 for an inferior, cheap on meat, take out curry.
Thank you for your review! I love your addition of beans. I agree it saves money to make your own at home!
Have made this many times for several people and they all love it, for my vegetarian friends I bake tofu and add at the end. I also add green beans, cauliflower and yams, I think I put wayyyy too many veggies in though so I’m thinking of doubling the curry paste and coconut milk.
I’m super happy I never have to pay $20 for one serving of this again! Usually makes at least 8 servings.
I made this with tofu and it was fantastic!
It’s delicious and really useful recipe… As protein a choose tofu.
Thank you very much for sharing.
So wonderful! Thank you for the recipe! I am excited to find a curry recipe I could successfully make at home
This is amazing! Better than going to a restaurant. I didn’t use ginger or fish oil and I added a bell pepper and did boil the potatoes first, separately. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi I would like to make this massaman curry with tofu instead of chicken. Should I cook the tofu separately or do I put in instead of chicken?
I would cook the tofu separately!
I crispy bake the tofu and add at the end myself
Question looks good. Want to try it but saw it had fish sauce. I have an allergy to most fish and seafood. What can be used instead or can it be left out. Thank you
You can use soy sauce or coconut aminos as a substitute! It is just to add salty and umami flavor. Hope this helps!
You would probably not be allergic to fish sauce, do a skin test
Excellent recipe really simply and tastes 100% authentic. Takes me back to eating in the markets of Thailand every time.
Great recipe, but please indicate whether coconut milk is sweetened or unsweetened.
*This reply has been removed due to inaccurate information*
Hi do you have any tips for sweetening the curry if you can’t get sweetened coconut milk?
*This reply has been removed due to inaccurate information*
I am so sorry for the confusion. In an earlier comment we said that it was sweetened coconut milk. This recipe uses UNsweetened coconut milk. We have changed the recipe to be accurate.
I am so sorry for the confusion. In an earlier comment we said that it was sweetened coconut milk. This recipe uses UNsweetened coconut milk. We have changed the recipe to be accurate.
I cooked it with unsweetened coconut milk and found that the curry had enough sweetness from the brown sugar. This is a very tasty dish.
Best chicken massaman I’ve tried making at home!
Simple and delicious!
This is the best recipe for Chicken Massaman Curry..exactly like I have had in the best Thai Restaurants…can use oyster sauce if you do not have fish sauce on hand. I used sliced microwave cooked carrots instead of potatoes to cut out some carbs and ate it like a soup or stew instead of over rice as I am on a low carb diet. Yummy.
Hey
How do you have any recommendations for a sweetened coconut milk? They don’t really sell it in the shops in the uk as far as I’m aware.
Thanks
If we can’t find sweetened coconut milk, we just use regular. It comes out pretty similar! Hope this helps!
Omg so yum and easy to make on a busy schedule. Thumbs up from my family
Amazing!!! I added water chest nuts, cauliflower, broccoli, jalapeño, green pepper and green onions and it was so amazing! Holding on to this recipe.
I just made this and it came out perfect and tasted amazing! Thank you 🙂
HELP! My chicken was way too dry. What did I do wrong? I’ve made this recipe before and the chicken was perfect. I don’t know what I did differently. Any ideas? I’m new to cooking and would LOVE any advice.
Ps. I’ve been googling looking for an answer for over 30 minutes. I’m sick of searching, so I thought I’d just ask the question here. I hope hope hope someone answers.
Chicken dries out when it is overcooked. Maybe the pieces you used last time were thicker so they didn’t cook as fast? Did you use a different cut of chicken? Chicken breasts are often more dry than chicken thighs.
This recipe is great! It’s just as good as what I had in a restaurant, if not better.
Instead of potatoes I added squash, carrots mushrooms and a little bit of pineapple. And instead of adding them to the pot, I had cashews, pepper flakes and sriracha set as toppings (because not all of my family likes spicy).
Bomb easy massaman recipe
Simple and delicious. I made it for the first time and didn’t have cilantro or peanuts. I substituted cashews for the nuts. I also used about 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs as it is more forgiving and doesn’t dry out like breast meat. Will definitely have cilantro and peanuts and peanut butter next time as it could only make it better. This is a keeper.
This is a fantastic recipe. All the ingredients are easy to get hold of or already in your pantry. I used chicken thigh and didn’t bother with the peanut butter or Sriracha but that’s just personal choice. Absolutely delicious. Will make again without a doubt.
Easy, delicious recipe. I love a recipe that I can easily make in about 45 minutes, so I’m more likely to regularly make it, and this fits the bill! Made no changes at all to the recipe. Loved it.
I just ordered the curry paste from Amazon. I am excited to make this recipe.
Am I the only one who added some pineapple chunks? Delicious recipe, thanks!
Pineapple chunks is a great idea!
That’s my plan tonight! Also using asparagus and serving over grilled salmon instead of chicken. Love this easy recipe Thanks
This curry soup looks incredibly delicious! Just WOW; I am making this after Christmas , and I can’t wait to enjoy this awesomeness!
I love all the flavor in this and will make it again, this was new for us but the family all went crazy over it!
This recipe is comfort in a bowl. It’s truly delicious, and I’m so glad it will sustain me for the winter!
Best recipe ever!!!
Absolutely beautiful curry! Never made massaman curry at home, but it’s really time to try!
Best recipe by far! Tastes like my favorite Thai place in town!
I made this recipe over the weekend and my husband and I loved it so much! We always order massaman curry at Thai restaurants but it’s my first time cooking it so Thank You!! I did end up using more chicken as I had 3lbs of chicken thawed so I doubled the recipe and only used 3 cans of coconut milk but everything still tasted delicious. Will keep this recipe forever!
Our family LOVES this recipe. Better than take-out. Thank you!
So savory and creamy! I love the tang and the perfect amount of spice. The chicken is so perfectly tender. I just love this curry so much!
This was SO good! I love trying new-to-me international cuisine. Can’t wait to make it again.
What a great family recipe! Love how quick & easy it is to throw together!
Massaman Curry is my go-to when we order from our favorite sushi restaurant. I really need to get some of this curry paste and try this recipe – it looks just like the one I order out!!
Yum!! This recipe was so flavorful and easy to make. I loved all the spices in it — will definitely be making it again soon!
I got my jar of Massaman curry paste today, ready to make this curry for dinner tomorrow. I can’t wait!
Made this recipe and it was delicious. I think 4 potatoes is a bit too much so I put 3 and I still think it’s too much. Maybe a little more chicken for all those potatoes. I’d like to try sweet potatoes since I had it once at a Thai restaurant.
Made this for the first time last night & it was better than any restaurant I’ve ever been to. Just modified it a smidge. I used cashews instead of peanuts, added a tsp of cinnamon, tsp of turmeric, & a tbsp of minced garlic (add on 1st step, saute with curry paste). This is now a staple recipe at my house. So delicious!
Thank you so much for the 5-star rating! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
awesome recipe!!! thank you so much
Hello, this sounds so delicious. Any idea how to adapt the recipe to make it in the instant pot? Would I use the same amount of liquids?
I haven’t tried it in the instant pot but if I did I would probably cook the chicken the same way as in the recipe, just on sauté mode and then I would add the rest of the ingredients except the rice and cook it on manual high for 5-6 minutes. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
This looks incredible. So much flavor! Can’t wait to try it!
This came out great. I used red curry paste because it was easier to find in my grocery store, and it was just as delicious as the massaman chicken I get at my favorite Thai restaurant. My only suggestion is to add more than just 1 lb of chicken. Fantastic recipe and really easy to cook!
Deep flavors. Loved it
This was extremely salty and I only used 2tsp not tbsp of fish sauce. Reading other ppls comments I believe it’s because different paste have different strengths so be careful..
LOVE this recipe. I have shared it with so many friends and family members. I don’t even crave my local Thai restaurant anymore.
This was so good! I accidentally grabbed the massaman paste at the store so I used this recipe to use it up. It was fantastic! I love all types of curry, but my husband does not. This one he actually really liked. Thanks for a great recipe!
Does this freeze well? If so, best way to prep it to freeze and to use later?
I haven’t tried freezing it, so I’m not sure. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Really great recipe. Perfect for prepping a couple of lunch / dinner boxes and freezing in if needed. I think this might have saved my quarantine! I used a more concentrated massaman paste so only needed 3-4 tbs.
Ahhh – another Massaman Curry lover! I’m so glad you like the recipe and it’s a bright spot during this time. Thank you for the comment!
Really good with cashews and sweet potatoes (sub for white spuds)as well! Happy to have a recipe!!! Thank you!
Is there a way to thicken it up?
You could add a little less coconut milk, or cook it down a bit. It is a thinner curry, so we usually don’t add any thickeners.
This is one of my favorite curry’s! so delicious and simple to throw together!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! My husband requested it again for next week! Thank you!
This is easy to make and I thought I would have to go to a specialty grocery store for the ingredients. But you can easily find them anywhere. Simple to make considering the complex flavors!
This recipe is absolutely amazing! Followed the recipe exactly, minus the sirachi and red flakes! 5 stars! Thanks for sharing
I made this and followed it closely except I didn’t have chopped peanuts so I put in an extra TBSP of peanut butter. It was Excellent. I used Maesri massaman curry paste from an Asian market and it was just pleasantly spicy. We don’t like it too hot so this was great. Plan to make a large batch for a gathering. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
This is by far the best recipe using the canned paste…and after making Masaman from scratch, believe me, the paste is the way to go. I didn’t use peanuts, and had to add a bit of water to cover the potatoes and chicken, so I used a total of 4tbsp of peanut butter. I have experimented with the canned paste at least a dozen times, and you have nailed it. Thanks!
We are so glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for letting us know!!
Aaaammmmaaazzzziiiinnng! I use shrimp rather than chicken. Company licks their plates!
Oh, I am definitely going to try shrimp next time!
So is this supposed to be 2 28oz cans of coconut milk?? Recipe calls for 28 oz can, but reading instructions it talks about opening two cans of coconut milk (once in the beginning and once later when chicken is added)
We used (2) 14 oz cans! Hope this helps!
Super easy recipe and having come back from Thailand this week my husband commented that this was even better than the one he had on Thailand.
I am living in the UK and all ingredients easily sourced from main stream supermarkets.
This is the best Massaman recipe I’ve ever used. Everyone loves it and it is not at all difficult to make and doesn’t involve lots of expensive ingredients. The amounts can be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd. Thanks a million for such an amazing recipe – I never thought a Massaman could become one of my signature dishes and that I could achieve such a delicious, family favorite Thai curry in less than an hour!
This is a fabulous recipe. I wouldn’t change a thing!!! This tastes like the best restaurant Massaman with the advantage of being made in your own kitchen. It really stretches your pound of chicken and a few potatoes to feed a good sized group!!! My family love this recipe.
Thank you, Maura! I ran into a neighbor at the grocery store just yesterday who was buying the ingredients to make this for his fiancé. He told me he makes this recipe once a week. It really is a good one!
Just finished making this and it’s one of the best we’ve tasted, in a restaurant or out! Fabulous taste and texture.
So glad you liked it! So easy to make at home and cheaper than takeout!
Hi, Can you leave out the Fish Sauce or is it 100% nessecary?
You can leave it out if you don’t like fish sauce. It adds a salty, tangy flavor that some may not prefer. Totally up to you!
Made this for a load of friends, got 5-star reviews all round!
Hi Michael- That is awesome! So glad your friends loved it! Thanks for the 5-stars!
I can’t wait to try this recipe:). Can I use lite coconut milk?
Yes, you can, it just won’t be quite as thick and creamy. Hope this helps!
Omg so so so good. I omitted Sriracha/red pepper flakes and subbed some of the potatoes for butternut squash and sweet potatoes. This will definitely have me ordering curry from Amazon regularly!
We are so glad you liked it! Thank you for the 5-star review!
This is my favorite dish at a local Thai restaurant and it tasted just like it. It was amazing. Has anyone tried to keeping it warm in a slow cooker for a couple of hours? We are having company and I want to make it again.
I don’t see why there would be any problem keeping it warm in a slow cooker for a couple hours. You should be totally fine! Hope this helps!
This recipe is amazing and easy. I was able to order the curry on Amazon and had all the other ingredients. This is better than the local Thai restaurant. I’m planning on making it for our annual ice fishing event in a couple of weeks, bet there will be nothing left!!
Thanks so much for sharing this.
This would be perfect for an ice fishing festival! Should keep everyone nice and warm 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! So happy to hear you liked it so much!
One of the only dishes I’ll eat from our local thai restaurant is massaman curry. I love the balance of heat and sweetness. It has gotten expensive to eat out so I decided to find a recipe. My husband is usually the cook so to be able to do this on my own was awesome. Super easy to follow recipe. I made some tweaks based on my own likes such as using olive oil instead of vegetable oil and adding snap peas and pineapples. I chopped the peanuts peanuts. I also added 1 small can of unsweetened coconut cream as someone else recommended. Seriously an awesome recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Wow thank you so much for sharing! Massaman is one of my go-to menu choices when I go Thai. You almost can’t go wrong no matter where you go. So glad you found our recipe and that it was a success!
After eating at our favorite Thai restaurant the other day, my family agreed, we will stay home next time and make this recipe. They love it so much better!! Thanks for sharing, It’s delish.
Wow! That is quite a compliment! Thank you so much! 🙂
YUM!
I didn’t have any fish sauce on hand and it still came out awesome. Also added some extra veggies we had to use when we put the potatoes etc in. Everyone loved it ages 5-45.
Thank you!
Thank you so much for the 5-star rating! We are so glad you loved it!
My husband’s words after his 1st bowl “Wow! You’ve mastered this dish on your 1st attempt!” This is 1 of our favorite Thai dishes & now we’ll be having it more often. I actually made it in the instant pot.
On SAUTE mode in Instant Pot, I added ginger, garlic, curry paste and chicken and sauted for 30-45 seconds. Added carrots, onions, sweet potatoes and coconut milk, stir well till the curry starts bubbling. Then I cooked on manual for 10 minutes. Perfection!
I am so glad you loved it!! Thanks for the 5-star rating!!
Does anyone know how to get that thick coconut milk like in the video? All the coconut milk that I bought isn’t thick like in the video.
The coconut milk that comes in cans is thicker. You can usually find it by the Asian foods in your grocery store.
I’m very excited to try making this recipe. I had massaman curry for the first time a few weeks ago and have been craving it ever since.
I’m curious, roughly go much siracha sauce and red pepper flakes do you use? I don’t want to mess it up lol
It really depends on how much spice you like/can handle. I would start out just adding a little bit at a time and taste-testing it until you find the right spice level. Hope this helps!
I didn’t add any sriracha or red pepper flakes. I don’t find that it needed it..
This was AMAZING!! Great recipe, balanced flavors. I add a bit more ginger and cilantro b/c I love it, and I also added some green beans to this for some greens. Will keep in my files for future:) Thank you!!
Oooh sounds yummy!! We are so glad you liked it!!
This was gorgeous! Now cooked this many times and it always gets rave reviews from guests! I dont like fish sauce so use half the amount in the recipe but still tastes fab. Thanks so much.
Thank you for the 5 stars! We are so glad you like the recipe!
Could someone please tell me what kind of onion I’m suppose to use?
Sweet Vidalia, yellow, white, spring onions? There are so many different kinds and I don’t want to use the wrong one and ruin the dish. Thanks!
You can use any of the ones you have mentioned and it will turn out great! Typically we use yellow onions but any will do fine. Hope this helps!
This recipe is amazing, thanks so much for sharing. The peanut butter is a fab touch and gives the dish an extra depth, so yummy and super easy to make.
I’m so glad you like it, Jenny! Thank you for the 5-star rating!
First time making massaman curry. This was delicious. Will def make again. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
So glad you liked it!
I just found this recipe via Pinterest. I’ve made it twice, by request, in the last two weeks. Ohmyyummyness. This rivals any Massaman curry I’ve had in restaurants. Thank you!
So glad you like it!
I just made this a day ahead of when it will be served. Naturally I had to taste and I was not disappointed it was delish. I cannot wait to eat it
Tomorrow it will be even better
Good call! We like to double the recipe and freeze half because it reheats so well. 🙂
Excited to try this tomorrow, I am a little nervous because I bought a different brand, it was what was available. It is Mae Ploy. It is a big can, 2 lbs 3 oz. I am hoping to use the suggested measurement I saw in your comment of 4 oz or 1/2 cup. Have you ever tried/heard of that brand? Wish me luck.
I have heard of that brand but haven’t used a big can like that. You should be fine using the 4 oz measurement. Hope this helps!
Thank you sooooo much, I tried another massaman curry recipe and it was disgusting so in despair I went back to the interwebs and came across your recipe. I made it just as written and it came out absolutely delicious. It was better than the curry at my favorite thai spot. Thanks again I will be making this recipe a lot.
Your comment completely made my day 😀 Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let us know how you liked it! I am so glad you found a winner! I hope you will keep coming back for more recipes. We have lots of good Thai/Indian ones 🙂
This was really good! I only had one can coconut milk, so I added a can of chicken broth. No lime either, so added a splash of rice vinegar (flavor could’ve used the lime though) I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks!
I made your massaman curry which was great. Mine was a darker brown to yours and I wondered which brand curry paste you used?
We really enjoyed and will be making it again very soon.
The brand I use is Maesri. Hope that helps!
can i make this in a slow cooker?
I don’t see why not? Go for it! 🙂 Let us know how it worked.
Love this recipe! Super easy and very authentic tasting. Every bit as good as the massaman curry at my favorite local thai restaurant. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you liked it!
I’ve made Massaman curry many times and THIS IS THE BEST AND EASIEST RECIPE!!! Faster and more flavorful than my instant pot attempts, better than my slow cooker trials and nearly spot on to my local Thai restaurants-in fact this one is cheaper to make and waaaaay better!!! Thank you for the PERFECT MASSAMAN RECIPE!!!!
Hi Erika– love the name btw 😉 — wow what a huge compliment! We are so glad that this Massaman recipe is a new favorite for you (and that you found it easy to make)! Thanks for the kind comment and for the 5-stars!
Best recipe! Can i ask, have you wver made it using prawn and if so did you do it differently as it cooks different to chicken of course x
We haven’t used prawns before, but that sounds delicious!
Thank you!
I love this dish, I posted your dish picture on the World food guide website for everybody to see.
http://worldfood.guide/photo/347/
http://worldfood.guide/dish/246/
I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now. It’s a hit. We love this so much! I couldn’t find Massaman curry paste so I make my own from here: http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/massaman-curry-paste.
Thank you so much for this recipe, my husband always asks if I can make it again. It’s perfect!!! 🙂
This was just delicious! I used 2 cans of the massaman curry paste and it was out of this world yummy! I’ll be making this again and again. Everyone devoured it!
This recipe was awesome! My family and I had just had Massaman for the first time at a local Thai restaurant and I wanted to find a recipe. This was perfect!!!! The only change I made was using 2 potatoes and 2 zucchinis and I used a tablespoon of kosher salt instead of the fish sauce. For the curry paste, I found it on Amazon , Maesri massaman curry paste. 🙂
Thank you!!!!!!!!! This is a keeper!
I never review recipes but this was too delicious that I had to say thank you!
Thank you! I didn’t find massaman paste at the grocery store so I used thai red curry paste, but I’ll try the nearest asian market next time I make this. And my fave Thai restaurant’s massaman curry is a bit thicker, sweeter, and more peanut buttery so I added corn starch, more brown sugar, and more peanut butter. My additions definitely made it less healthy, but it was pretty darn close to what I was aiming for and I couldn’t have done it without your recipe. Had it for dinner tonight and am already looking forward to having it for lunch tomorrow. Thank you again!
I recommend to use only half of fish and Worcestershire sauces.
Start with vegetable oil and massaman curry paste (1-1,5tbsp curry pasta, depends how strong it is) and after 1-2 minutes, add chicken for 2-3 minutes and then add the 1st can of coconut milk. Then you can use bigger slices of chicken… First time when I tried this food I used way too much curry pasta!
This dish is even better if you use 2 cans of coconut milk + 1 can of coconut creme!
Otherwise, thank you a lot for the recipe! 🙂
I have been making masuman for yrs now and I do use this brand of curry paste in the can. I made this tonight and it was such a great recipe! The other day when at the Thai grocery the Thai man that was helping my husband get some groceries mentioned that they use a squash whether butter nut buttercup or what have you…… So tonight that is what I did I made this recipe but subtituted the white potatoes with squash. I just cooked it until the small bites sized squash was nice and soft. I have to say out of all of the masuman curry I have made over the yrs…..this was the best ever! ; ) Amazing! Thanks for the recipe! It’s my new and improved masuman. You have to try using squash instead too….it will blow your mind!
You know is really amazing?!…. Sweet potatoes!!!
This recipe is awesome! I made it for a work event and everyone asked for the recipe. Even those who aren’t normally willing to try any ethnic food loved it. I added a small can of chicken broth, and a can of pineapple chunks.
(How large is the can of curry paste? Never saw it in a can
4 oz!
Exactly what I want in a homemade masaman. This has become a staple recipe at my house 🙂
Oh my word……you are my newest BFF. This is my favorite Thai dish ever! I cannot wait to hunt down that curry paste and try this. This dish is expensive at our favorite restaurant for how much you get. Thank you!
@ Samantha– I looked on the can and it is 4 oz (or 1/2 c.) Hope this helps!
-Erica
Do you know how many ounces or tablespoons (or other measurements) of masaman you use? I don't have a can like the one pictured, and don't want the measurements/taste to be off. Thanks.
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made this and it was a hit! Loved it!
You've been featured on my blog, http://dedeland.blogspot.comThanks for all the AWESOME recipes!
Wow,This curry dish is AWESOME! Tastes just like the Thai Bamboo restaurant! Definitely a keeper!
oh my! I am so excited to try this, you don't even know!!!!!! ahhhhh My fav thai dish by far!!!!