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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, nutty, and mildly spiced curry that’s perfect for dinner. One of those recipes that you are fighting over the leftovers the next day.
Why I Love this Curry
If you’re looking for a curry that’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor, you’ve got to try my Chicken Massaman Curry recipe! 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! This curry goes perfectly with a side of Long Grain Rice or Instant Pot Rice.
🩷 Erica
Here’s What You’ll Need
Most of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store or Asian market.
- Protein & Sauce Base
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – or thighs if you prefer
Massaman curry paste – the key to authentic flavor
Full-fat coconut milk – for a rich, creamy sauce
Peanut butter – adds creamy, nutty depth - Aromatics & Flavor Boosters
Onion – yellow or white
Garlic and fresh ginger – for bold, aromatic flavor
Lime juice, brown sugar, fish sauce, and Worcestershire sauce – brightens, sweetens, and deepens flavor - Veggies
Potatoes – Yukon Gold or Russet work best
Carrots – adds texture and subtle sweetness - Optional Toppings
Chopped peanuts – for garnish
Sriracha – for heat
Red pepper flakes – for added spice
Fresh cilantro – for a burst of freshness
Massaman Curry Paste
Massaman curry paste is essential to this recipe—don’t swap it for red or yellow curry paste. Store-bought paste is a huge time-saver and works perfectly. It’s thick like tomato paste and has a strong, fragrant aroma that mellows out once coconut milk is added, creating a mild, flavorful curry.
You can usually find Massaman curry paste at Asian markets, specialty grocery stores, or online. We like the Maesri brand, which comes in a small yellow can and costs about $2. Other brands come in jars, plastic tubs, or vacuum-sealed packs—just pick one that’s available to you.
If you’re curious, Maesri’s paste includes ingredients likegarlic, sugar, soybean oil, dried red chili, tamarind juice, shallot, salt, lemongrass, coriander seed, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, kaffir lime, and galangal. Some brands also add shrimp paste, tamarind paste, or Thai basil. You can make your own, but it’s more time-consuming and costly than buying a ready-made version.
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:
- Red bell peppers (yellow or orange can also be used)
- Green beans
- Peas
- Baby corn
- Zucchini
- Bamboo shoots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
Helpful 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best rice for curry is Jasmine rice. It’s a fragrant, long-grain rice that pairs perfectly with Thai dishes. Brown Jasmine or Basmati rice also work well. If those aren’t available, any long-grain white rice will do.
Thai and Indian curries are both saucy dishes with meat and vegetables served over rice, but they’re quite different in flavor. Thai curry is lighter and more aromatic, made with coconut milk, lemongrass, and fish sauce for a sweet, salty, sour, and spicy balance. Indian curry is richer and spicier, using ground spices like cumin and garam masala with tomato, yogurt, or cream for a deeper flavor.
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 (Tofu is a great substitute) and sub for a vegan fish sauce.
Because curry and rice can be a complete meal on it’s own, but if you are expecting company or simply just want the meal to go further, you can try some of these tasty Asian-inspired and Thai side dishes:
Thai Coconut Soup
Asian Cucumber Salad
Asian Lettuce Wraps (PF Chang’s Copycat Recipe)
Pork and Veggie Potstickers
Thai Lettuce wraps
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
I can’t wait for you to try this delicious curry. It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and the perfect dish to add some spice to your regular dinner rotation. Give it a try and let me know in the comments how it turns out or any modifications you tried to make it your own! 🥘
Chicken Massaman Curry
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.
Video
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.
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!