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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.
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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