Classic Curry Chicken With Potatoes

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
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Updated on 02/24/22
thai chicken curry with jasmine rice

enviromantic/Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
696 Calories
37g Fat
51g Carbs
45g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 696
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 37g 47%
Saturated Fat 21g 104%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Sodium 1278mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 7g 24%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 45g
Vitamin C 22mg 112%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 8mg 43%
Potassium 1696mg 36%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This curry chicken recipe is an instant favorite. It's a classic yellow curry made with chunks of chicken and potatoes and tastes like one of those wonderful curry dishes you can find in the marketplaces and streets of Bangkok. The use of curry powder helps the dish come together quickly and easily. If you don't want to make it from scratch look for a good Madras curry powder at your local Asian or Indian food store. A Madras blend works well with Thai flavors and will give you far better results than your average supermarket curry powder. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast, or thighs, chopped into small chunks, or whole chicken pieces

  • 2 to 3 potatoes, chopped into chunks

  • 1 to 2 medium tomatoes, chopped into chunks, optional

  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander, for garnish

  • 2 tablespoons Thai curry powder, Madras curry powder, or regular curry powder

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 stick cinnamon, optional

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chile flakes, or cayenne pepper, to taste

  • 2 shallots, diced, or 1/2 cup diced purple onion

  • 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 thumb-size piece galangal, or ginger, grated

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, or broth

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup, or sweet tomato puree

  • 1 can thick coconut milk

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, for stir-frying

  • 1 to 2 whole makrut lime leaves, or 1 bay leaf

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F (if using oven method).

  2. Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the curry powder, bay leaf, cinnamon stick (if using) and chili/cayenne. "Dry fry" these spices 1 to 2 minutes, until they are lightly toasted and fragrant.

  3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, plus the shallots, garlic, and galangal or ginger. Also, add a few tablespoons of the chicken stock—enough to keep ingredient frying nicely. Stir-fry 1 minute.

  4. Add the chicken and potatoes, stir-frying 1 minute to coat with the spices.

  5. Add remaining stock plus ketchup/tomato puree, stirring well to combine. Finally, add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lime leaves or bay leaf.

  6. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes until cooked. Or transfer curry to a large covered casserole dish and bake 1 hour at 350 F. Add tomatoes during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking (not before, or they will keep potatoes from becoming tender).

  7. When chicken is cooked and tender, taste-test the curry for saltiness and flavor, adding more fish sauce as needed until desired flavor/salt level is achieved. Also add more cayenne, chili sauce, or fresh-cut chiles if you prefer it spicier. If too spicy, add more coconut milk or a little plain yogurt. Add a little more sugar if it's too sour for your taste.

  8. Sprinkle over the fresh coriander and serve with plenty of Thai jasmine rice.