Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry
The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry we’ve ever made! An authentic Thai Panang Curry Recipe, straight from Thailand. Cancel your takeout order and give it a try!
Authentic Thai Cuisine
What’s your favorite type of food?
That is a question I get a lot. Especially when I meet new people and they find out I write a food blog.
Although my answer is likely to change on any given day, swayed by my current cravings, Asian cuisine is always at the top of my list.
There are a few Asian dishes I cannot get enough of. Dishes that make me squeal with delight at the sheer thought of them… Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio Bowls, Thai Pad Kee Mao, and Korean Bulgogi to name a few.
Many of these are meals that can be ordered at Asian restaurants. Yet I find they are often even tastier when made at home.
Thai Panang Curry Recipe
Thai Panang Curry is another dish I swoon over.
It’s rich and spicy with a distinctly unique flavor from the addition of kaffir lime leaves and panang curry paste. I could eat this every day of the week and never get tired of it!
To top it off, the fragrance of a good Panang curry is so intoxicating, it should be bottled in my humble opinion.
I have ordered Panang chicken curry numerous times at Thai restaurants, and experimented with homemade version nearly as many times.
After much testing, I have finally come up with a recipe I feel is The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry I’ve ever made, and possibly the best we’ve ever eaten.
I know that sounds braggy, and I do apologize, but this recipe is flipping amazing!
Just taste it and you’ll forgive me.
Best Panang Curry Recipe
The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry is extremely simple to make. The catch is, that you will most likely have to go to an Asian market to gather the ingredients.
But trust me, The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry recipe is worth the trip!
If you live in a large multicultural city, your standard grocery stores may have everything you need.
Panang Curry With Chicken
If not, google Asian markets… Even small towns usually have one.
Once there, hand your grocery list over and ask the clerk to help you find the best brand of panang red curry paste, thick coconut milk, and fish sauce. Be sure to also pick up Thai basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves.
You can substitute other types of basil, however, the kaffir lime leaves cannot be replaced. The flavor is too unique to swap another ingredient, or to leave it out. The Panang curry paste has some kaffir lime leaf in it, but it’s not enough.
Find a Local Asian Market
When I go to the Asian market, I usually stock up on panang curry paste, the thickest coconut milk I can find, and kaffir lime leaves.
Fresh kaffir lime leaves can be frozen for longevity. They do turn dark in the freezer, but retain their vibrant flavor.
Panang curry paste is a type of red curry specific to Thailand and Laos.
It is less spicy and more aromatic than standard red curry paste. In a pinch you could substitute red curry paste, but the flavor will not be quite the same.
Panang Curry Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
- Sweet onion
- Red bell pepper
- Orange bell pepper
- Garlic cloves
- Coconut oil
- Panang red curry paste – made with lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste, coriander seeds, lime zest, cumin seeds, and chilies
- Peanut butter
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Thick coconut milk (or coconut cream)
- Fish sauce
- Thai basil leaves or sweet basil
How To Make Panang Curry
Ready to make The Best Thai Red Curry you’ve ever tasted?
- Start by cutting chicken thighs, onions, and bell peppers into bite-size pieces.
- Then crush the kaffir lime leaves to help release their oils. They are tough little leaves so smash and twist away, until they smell very strong.
- Sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic in a large skillet. Then add the panang curry paste and a spoonful of peanut butter to the center of the pan. Sauté the curry for a couple of minutes to intensify the flavor.
- Then add the kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, fish sauce, and chicken to the pan.
- Simmer the curry until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. Stir in Thai basil leaves and you have a dish worth drooling over.
- Bold, fragrant, and oh-so delicious! Your local takeout joint has nothing on The Best Thai Panang Chicken Curry.
Get the Full (Printable) Best Panang Curry Recipe + Video Below!
Panang Chicken Curry FAQ
As mentioned above, you will need to make a stop at a local Asian market. However, this recipe is worth the trip… And Asian markets are tons of fun to explore!
Yes! As long as the curry paste and fish sauce you buy are gluten-free, the entire recipe is as well. Most are, but be sure to check the ingredients. P.S. This recipe is dairy-free as well!
This recipe will keep well for 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Keep in an airtight container. That makes this a fabulous MEAL PREP dish!
More Thai Recipes You Will Love
- Thai Pad Kee Mao
- Red Lentil Curry
- Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Easy Chicken Pad Thai
- Tom Yum Soup
- Thai Larb Rolls (Keto)
- Thai Turkey Meatballs
Thai Panang Chicken Curry Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 4 ounces Panang red curry paste (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 12 kaffir lime leaves, crushed
- 13.5 ounces thick coconut milk, unsweetened (1 can)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves or sweet basil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Chop the onions and peppers into rough 1-inch pieces. Mince the garlic. Then crush the kaffir lime leaves to help release their oils.
- Place a 14-inch skillet (or wok) over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil. Once the oil melts, add the onions. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the peppers and garlic. Sauté another 2-3 minutes.
- Move the veggies to the sides of the skillet and add the panang red curry paste and peanut butter to the center of the pan. Sauté the curry for 2-3 minutes to intensify the flavor, moving around the pan. Then add the kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Stir to blend.
- Stir in the chopped chicken and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the basil leaves. Serve with rice, quinoa, or noodles.
You don’t have to first brown the chicken?
Hi Donna!
No, you are actually poaching the chicken in the sauce, so it’s extra soft.
May I use a can of coconut cream I got at the Asian market instead of the milk?
Hi Irene,
Yes, if it’s not sweetened it should work. :)
How can the sodium count per serving be so low?
Hi Shari,
Our recipe form has an automatic nutritional calculator built-in, but I have found that sometimes it’s wonky. I just re-ran the recipe and the sodium did come out higher this time.
Love it, made as directed. Next time, the only thing Ill do is cut down on Kaffir Leaves. I think they were too overpowering. I do absolutely love them though and without a doubt, they are key ingrefient. Maybe my leaves ae bigger than yours?!! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this great and easy recipe. Unfortunately I can’t get hold of the basil leaves but even without that it is a great dish!
To get enough veggies, I make it together with your thai quinoa salad (with a reduced amount of sesam oil in the salad).
Keep up the good work.
Al – The Netherlands
I have made this a couple of times now…this recipe inspired my first serious foray into the Asian market in the next town over (which is next to the Indian Market, a tale for another day 😍) and now I am addicted. This recipe is simple, delicious, and easily rivals the red chicken curry from the popular local Thai house (and is better than some others we’ve tried!) The Panang Red Curry paste and kaffir lime leaves really are the secret to the amazing authenticity of the dish. Even my son, a tough customer who spent a month in Southeast Asia this past summer, gave it the stamp of approval. Two thumbs up! Followed the recipe exactly but added a bit of chili powder just because my son is a madman and likes it blazing (the local Thai restaurants refuse to give us *hot* – we’re too blond and white and get what’s closer to medium no matter how spicy we order. 😂) But whatever your heat preferences, this is delicious!
Will ground kaffir leaves work too? Also, my daughter is allergic to seafood. Can I substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce?
Hi Michael,
Yes, to both. It will definitely change the flavor, not having the fish sauce, but it will still be delicious! :)
My son is allergic to peanuts. Will it make much of a difference if I don’t add the peanut butter?
Hi Amy!
You can skip it, but check your curry paste as well. Sometimes it contains nuts.
We made this tonight and will DEFINITELY be making it again! It is the perfect amount to spiciness, and had all of my favorite flavors. We used the sauce pictured in the blog and could not have been tastier! We just about doubled the kaffir lime leaves and added shallots with the garlic. So so flavorful!
Followed the recipe as written and the dish came out fantastic. I found the majority of my ingredients at the local Korean market H-Mart. Most complain about the entire can of curry paste being to spice, I actually added 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes and for me that gave it a nice intensity to balance the hint of sweet.
No more will I give my money away to the local Thai restaurant so often for such tiny portions.
Made this for the second time
Delicious dish
Made this yesterday and it was delicious. Only change was to add in a couple of chillis for spice but otherwise followed to the letter. Easily one of the best meals ive made, thank you.
Really phenomenal. Restaurant quality. Next time I may use 3/4 of the can of panang curry paste because it was a touch spicy for my husband but we both still loved it. I used unsweetened coconut cream because I didn’t know what “thick” coconut milk meant. It worked well but i’m not sure it was correct.
I have been making Panang chicken for a few years with a curry base. This one added so much depth and flavor! The peanut butter was the kicker, that was missing in my prior attempts. Wonderful!
Thanks so much! I’m so very glad you liked it. :)
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Hi Sean,
Absolutely! You should still sauté the onions and peppers in a skillet first. Then slow cooker on high for 2-4 hours.
Hi,
I tried your recipe however my dish turned out slightly bitter. I used red curry paste as I could not get the panang curry paste. It was spicier. I am not sure why it tasted bitter.
I’ve made the recipe twice. I LOVE IT.
The first time I made it, I didn’t have a few ingredients (bell peppers, chicken, thai basil, or fish sauce) so I forwent all of those ingredients and used tofu. IT WAS STILL EXCELLENT. I did add spinach and 3 thai chilies in addition to everything else because I’m a spice fanatic. The heat was on point for me. **If you’re adding tofu you’ll want firm or extra firm tofu cut in cubes. Forego all chicken steps and add tofu 5 min into the simmer step. **
The second time I made it, I was added bell peppers, thai basil, and fish sauce. I still used tofu and 3 thai peppers. It was even better this time. I did take care to remove the kaffir leaves after simmering and before adding the thai basil. I found the kaffir flavor too strong the first time I made it when I tried to eat around it. It was harder to avoid because of the the added spinach. Anyway, this recipe is awesome, spicy, and really hits the spot. I cook for one so I was able to have this for 5 extra meals (dinner or lunch) which was perfect for meal planning. Definitely added to my rotation when I’m craving thai food.
This recipe was delicious!!! This was my first try experimenting with this meal. We ate this meal at a restaurant last night and I was determined to prepare it at home. I added shrimp as well. Is My food was just as good-if not better than the restaurant. Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Angela