We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
Make the best authentic Thai 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.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“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!” – Tracy
“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.” – Erin
“Excellent recipe really simple and tastes 100% authentic. Takes me back to eating in the markets of Thailand every time.” – Kerry
What is Massaman Curry?
If you’re looking for a dish that’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor, you’ve got to try my Chicken Massaman Curry recipe! Chicken Massaman Curry is a creamy Thai curry made with coconut milk, chicken, potatoes, and warm spices. It is a little different from other curries because it is not very spicy. It has a mild heat, a little sweetness, and a subtle nutty flavor from the peanuts.
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 Jasmine Rice (which I make in the Instant Pot so it comes out perfect every time).
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of these ingredients can be found at your local grocery store or Asian market.
- Chicken – I usually use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but thighs work great too if you want something a little more tender and forgiving.
- Massaman curry paste – This is where all that classic curry flavor comes from. Different brands vary a bit in spice level, so use one you like.
- Coconut milk – Go with full-fat coconut milk here. It makes the sauce extra creamy and rich, which is exactly what you want in this curry.
- Peanut butter – Just a spoonful adds a subtle nutty flavor and helps make the sauce nice and smooth. It doesn’t overpower anything, it just makes everything better.
- Seasonings and sauces – This is where all the depth of flavor comes in. You will use garlic and fresh ginger for that bold, classic curry base, then lime juice to brighten things up, brown sugar for a touch of sweetness, fish sauce for that deep savory flavor, and a little Worcestershire to round it all out. It might sound like a lot, but it all works together.
- Vegetables – I like using potatoes and carrots here. Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes both work great because they get nice and tender and soak up the sauce, and the carrots add a little texture and natural sweetness.
- Toppings (optional) – Chopped peanuts add a little crunch, and if you like some heat you can drizzle on sriracha or sprinkle in red pepper flakes. I also like to finish it with fresh cilantro for a little pop of freshness right at the end.
Additions and Substitutions
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
You can easily customize this curry with a variety of vegetables. Red bell peppers are a classic choice, but yellow or orange work just as well. Green beans, peas, baby corn, zucchini, bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, or even butternut squash all make great additions or substitutions depending on what you have on hand.
How to Make Chicken Massaman Curry
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in 1 can of coconut milk, then add ginger, cilantro, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil.
- Add thinly sliced onion and chicken. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the second can of coconut milk and return to a boil.
- Add peeled and chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir well, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve over Jasmine rice with cilantro or lime, if desired.
Massaman Curry Paste
Massaman curry paste is a must for this recipe—don’t swap it with red or yellow curry or you will have a different kind of curry. Store-bought paste is convenient and has just about all the flavor you need. We use the Maesri brand, often found at Asian markets or online in small yellow cans.
Key ingredients in the curry paste include garlic, dried red chili, tamarind, lemongrass, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and kaffir lime. Some versions may also include shrimp paste or Thai basil. Making it from scratch is possible, but store-bought is much easier and just as tasty.
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.
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.
Yes! To make this in a slow cooker, sauté the curry paste in a bit of oil first to bring out the flavor, then add it to the slow cooker along with the coconut milk, chicken, veggies, and seasonings. Cook on low for 6–7 hours or on high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Yes! Use the sauté function to cook the curry paste in oil for 2–3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, chicken, veggies, and seasonings. Seal the lid and cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest. Give everything a good stir and serve over rice.
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.
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 authentic Thai Chicken Massaman 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
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 peanut butter , (creamy or crunchy)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 pound chicken
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 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, peanut butter, 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 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
- Boil potatoes for 3–4 minutes before adding to the curry to speed up cooking.
- For extra veggies, let them simmer in the sauce or stir-fry them first if you’re short on time.
- Shake or stir coconut milk well before opening—or open from the bottom to avoid separation.
- Adjust spice level with sriracha: mix it in or serve on the side.
- Use soy sauce instead of salt to deepen flavor.
- Don’t skip the lime—fresh lime juice brightens the whole dish!
- Slow Cooker: Sauté curry paste first, then add all ingredients and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4.
- Instant Pot: Sauté curry paste, add ingredients, and pressure cook for 8 minutes. Natural release 5 minutes, then quick release.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
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.