Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (2024)

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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·4.9 from 51 reviews

Do you ever have those days where you wake up and think, “I would do anything right now, to be on asunny island in Thailand,with a big, spicybowl of curry in front of my face”?

Because I do.

And today was one of those days.

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (1)

Inconveniently, though, I’m over here in California. And no matter how much I want it to be, going to Thailand just isn’t on theagenda today.

So instead of pouting, I’ve decided to bring Thailand to me.

Today, I’m cooking up a big ol’ pot of Thailand,in the form ofsome creamy yellow curry, packed with tender chicken, potatoes, carrots, and onions.

I know I can hardly wait to share myThai yellow curry recipe with you. So let me ask you one thing.

Are you ready for this?!

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (2)

ThisThai yellow curryrecipe couldn’t be easier to make, and it couldn’t be more satisfying either.

It’s one spicy, creamy, flavorfultrip to Thailand, packed into one bowl. And it’s healthy, too!

Serve thiscurryover some rice, and garnish with a pinch of cilantro, and you’ll transport yourself to a faraway land — the Land of Smiles — where the sun is hot, the curry is even hotter, the Asian elephants roam, andthe beaches are nothing short of screensaver material.

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (3)

Which curry paste should you use?

To make this Thai yellow curry recipe properly and authentically, you need one very important ingredient:Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Paste.

If you search high and low, you might be able to find yellow curry paste at the grocery store. But if you want your curry to taste just like the curry you’ve had in Thailand – or at your favorite Thai restaurant – you need this curry paste, which is imported straight from Bangkok. Most of the pastes you’ll find in the grocery stores and Asian markets just don’t cut it.

Trust me on this one.

Note: If you can get your hands on the Mae Anong Curry Paste (it’s often sold out), then get it… and stock up! It’s the best. If you can’t, then a very close second best is the Mae Ploy Yellow Curry Paste. Truly though, both are great.

Get your authentic Thai curry paste on Amazon:

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (4)

The hardest part about this Thai yellow curry recipe is simply waiting for the mailman to deliver your beautiful parcel of curry paste.

Once you have it, all you need to do is thinly slice your chicken, chop up your vegetables, and let the curry paste work its magic.

And of course, you can’t forget to throw in some of that thick and luscious coconut milk. Mmmmm. Yes, please.

Which coconut milk should you use?

Just like choosing the right curry paste, it’s important to get high-quality coconut milk.

The quality of coconut milk brands varies widely. When you’re shopping, look at the ingredients list to find the product with the highest coconut solids to water ratio, ideally with no extra additives. You may need to trial and error a few different brands to find the one you prefer. Low-quality coconut milk will result in a more “soupy” or “runny” curry.

Traditionally, Thai curries are not supposed to be extremely thick. If you prefer a thicker curry, you can simply substitute coconut milk for coconut cream. And again, the same rules apply. Check the ingredients list; see if you can find a can of 100% coconut kernel extract, with no extra water, thickeners, or other additives listed on the label.

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (5)

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken

A staycation never looked so good. Am I right?

Seriously, this stuff is the real deal.

Making this Thai yellow curry recipe is like taking a trip to Thailand, but without the jet lag and the expensive plane ticket. It’screamy, spicy, and healthy, and it’s everything you’ve been needing in your life.

And if you don’t have all the ingredients, don’t worry! This recipe is very versatile, so you can add in whatever vegetables and proteins you have on hand.

This Thai yellow curry isauthentic and absolutely delicious. And now that you’ve seen this post, you know you want to make it! So what are you waiting for?!

Get your authentic Thai curry paste on Amazon:

Print

Authentic Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken

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4.9 from 51 reviews

Craving some authentic Thai yellow curry? Don’t have the time to take an island vacation? Well, this simple, spicy, and delicious recipe will take your tastebuds on a journey to Thailand, and you don’t even have to leave your own kitchen.

  • Author: Maddy’s Avenue
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 people 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
  • 4 tbsp yellow curry paste
  • 2 15-ounce cans of coconut milk (high quality, see notes)
  • 1 or 2 cups chicken stock
  • 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8” rounds
  • 4 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced into wedges, then halved
  • 2 chicken breasts, very thinly sliced
  • 1.5 tsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • 3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1.5 tsp sugar, plus more to taste
  • cilantro, for garnish
  • lime wedges, for garnish
  • serve with jasmine rice

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the curry paste to the oil, and stir-fry until fragrant, about two minutes. Take care to scrape any bits that stick to the bottom of the pot with your spoon.
  3. Spoon in the coconut solids from the top of the can first, and allow it to fry with the paste for a minute. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk (or coconut cream) and 1 cup of chicken stock. If you would like the curry to be thinner/soupier, then you can add 1 more cup of stock. Bring to a low boil, then turn the stove down to a simmer.
  4. Stir in the potatoes. When the potatoes are about halfway cooked through, stir in the carrots and onions.
  5. Once the carrots are almost fork-tender, add in the thinly sliced chicken and cook for two or three minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and tender. Pay attention not to overcook the chicken, this process doesn’t take long.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fish sauce, salt, and sugar, adjusting each to suit your tastes.
  7. Serve the curry in bowls, over jasmine rice. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Notes

  • The quality of coconut milk brands varies widely. When you’re shopping, look at the ingredients list to find the product with the highest coconut solids to water ratio, ideally with no extra additives. You may need to trial and error a few different brands to find the one you prefer. Low-quality coconut milk will result in a more “soupy” or “runny” curry.
  • Traditional Thai curries should be on the soupier side, but not too thin either. If you prefer a thicker curry, substitute one or two cans of coconut milk for coconut cream. And again, the same rules apply. Look at the ingredients list. See if you can find cans of 100% coconut kernel extract, with no extra water, thickeners, or other additives listed on the label.
  • If your curry still ends up “soupy” or “runny,” you can thicken it with a slurry of corn starch and water.
  • Make sure to purchase this yellow curry paste from Amazon. While you might be able to find other yellow curry pastes at the grocery store, none of them are as authentic as this one, which comes straight from Thailand!
  • If you don’t have virgin coconut oil, you can also use vegetable oil.
  • You can make this recipe vegetarian/vegan by simply omitting the chicken and fish sauce. Use soy sauce or vegan fish sauce instead, to taste.
  • We used a mandoline to cut all of the carrots equally and to give them the fun, ridged texture you’d see in a restaurant.

Did you try making our Thai yellow curry recipe? Let us know how it went by commenting below and tagging @maddysavenue or #maddysavenue on Instagram!

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Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Recipe with Chicken, Potatoes, and Carrots (2024)

FAQs

What makes Thai curry yellow? ›

Turmeric is the vital ingredient that gives this curry its yellow hue. Yellow curry is the mildest and often made with coriander, cumin, lemongrass ginger, garlic, and yellow or red chili. In addition to coconut milk, this curry has a rich taste with sweet and mild flavors.

What is the difference between Thai yellow curry and Indian yellow curry? ›

Thai curries have a brighter flavor and soupier consistency, because they use lots of fresh herbs and are cooked for less time than Indian curries. It's worth your time stocking up on some of the unique ingredients — you can freeze herbs like lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for multiple future uses.

What are the three types of Thai curry? ›

There are three main types of Thai curries—red, yellow, and green—which are categorized by the color of the curry paste. The color of the chilies and other ingredients gives each curry its distinct hue. Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chilies.

How do you thicken Thai yellow curry? ›

Make a slurry of cornflour and water, say a teaspoon of flour to a tablespoon of cold water, mix it well and drizzle it into the curry sauce, drizzle half in and stir to thicken and if not thick enough add more and so on.

What is the traditional Thai yellow curry called? ›

Kaeng lueang (Thai: แกงเหลือง), directly translated, means "yellow curry" in Thai. This dish is called kaeng som or "sour curry" in southern Thailand. It is a sour curry that is lighter in color than kaeng kari, but spicier and sharper in taste.

How unhealthy is Thai yellow curry? ›

A cup of yellow Thai curry made with chicken has 391 calories and 22 g of total fat. The curry has 32 g of total carbohydrates, including 3 g of sugar and 3 g of dietary fiber.

What is the most popular Thai curry? ›

One of the most popular curries in Thailand is green curry, also known as kaeng khiao wan in Thai. It's a spicy curry that is made with a base of green chili peppers, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and cilantro.

Which Thai curry is healthiest? ›

People love green curry because of the gentle balance of heat, sweet, and acid from the chiles, lime, and fresh herbs. Green curry is great with chicken and shrimp because it offers a punch of seasoning to the protein. The long list of herbs also makes green curry one of the healthiest Thai cuisine dishes.

Which Thai curry taste the best? ›

1. Green Curry. This Green Curry is one of the best Thai curries if you like hot, spicy food. It's creamy, fiery, and delicious, deriving its heat from a generous amount of green chilies.

Does Thai curry use coconut milk or cream? ›

The majority of Thai curries are made with coconut milk as the main liquid, which produces creamier curries, but they're not necessarily “rich.” The amount of coconut milk can vary by quite a lot, depending on the texture one is looking for: massaman curry, for example, is quite rich because it uses coconut milk and is ...

What Thai curry is best for beginners? ›

Thai massaman

Massaman is a great starter Thai curry, while some think it's a great Thai curry for kids. It's the perfect base for my Slow-Roasted Duck Massaman and pairs perfectly with the gamey flavour of the meat.

How is Thai curry traditionally made? ›

Ingredients are traditionally ground together with a mortar and pestle, though increasingly with an electric food processor. With many curries, the paste is first stir-fried in cooking oil before other components are added in to the dish.

Will coconut cream thicken a curry? ›

For a rich and creamy curry, coconut milk or cream can be a fantastic thickening agent. They not only add creaminess but also a delightful tropical flavour. Simply pour in some coconut milk or cream and let it simmer until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Do you thicken curry with lid on or off? ›

To thicken a soup, stew, or sauce, leaving the lid uncovered is ideal. "It must be off, or semi-covered, if you are slowing down the reduction process," says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Will milk cool down a curry? ›

If you're okay with thinning the curry, pour 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of milk into the pot that has the curry sauce in it, and mix it in to reduce the heat. You could also add abouy 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of coconut milk to the curry sauce to cool it down if it matches the flavor or if the curry already has a coconut base.

What is different about yellow Thai curry? ›

In general, Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy, although it can sometimes vary depending on what region of Thailand you are in. Read on for my complete guide to Thai curries… and all my tips and tricks on how to dial down the heat.

What makes curry bright yellow? ›

That characteristically bright yellow color comes from the addition of turmeric, which is a delicious spice that is known for its ultra-bright yellow color in powder form.

What is the difference between red and yellow Thai curry? ›

Red curry was made with several red chillies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chillies, and yellow curry was made with yellow chillies. In Thailand, these chillies have a slightly different taste as well as differing in colour.

What is yellow curry sauce made of? ›

Panang curry paste: The key ingredient that gives Panang curry its distinct flavor is the Panang curry paste. It typically includes ingredients such as dried red chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), coriander seeds, cumin seeds, shrimp paste, and various spices.

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