Best Thai Yellow Curry Recipe
I used to live near an inconspicuous yet amazingly authentic Thai place. It is probably my favorite Thai restaurant.
I simply loved their Thai yellow chicken curry. No matter how much I ate there, I never got tired of the rich flavor and creamy sauce that warmed me from the inside out.
After some time enjoying this dish a little too often, I realized that I had a true fear… a fear of attempting and ultimately failing at executing a foreign cuisine’s classic recipe.
But it’s surprisingly easy to make, and SO delicious. You can keep it simple by buying a Thai yellow curry paste at the store or make your own at home! (And make all kinds of Thai curries…)
Now that I’ve done the legwork, I can honestly say this homemade curry is incredible. I don’t feel the need to eat out quite so often. If it’s your first time making Thai food, don’t fear! You’ll be digging into a delicious bowl in no time.
Made this the other night and it was everything that you promised. Quick, easy, and delicious.
– Anonymous
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Chicken. Both chicken breasts and boneless chicken thighs will work equally as well. Just make sure you cut it into similarly-sized cubes so they cook at the same rate. You can also substitute beef or shrimp and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Potatoes. Yukon gold are a great variety to use in this curry recipe. However, if you happen to have red potatoes or another waxy potato available, feel free to use those instead.
- Carrots. These give the dish a nice texture and a natural sweetness.
- Red Bell Peppers. You can also use a green or yellow bell pepper.
- Coconut Milk. Make sure you buy the CANNED coconut milk, not the kind in the refrigerator. Also, if you want a thicker curry, opt for full fat coconut milk. If you are okay with it being a bit more watery, but with fewer calories, lite coconut milk works great!
- Yellow Curry Paste. You can easily grab a jar of yellow curry paste at local grocery stores. Or, make your own curry paste! All you need is fresh garlic and ginger, Thai chili peppers, lemongrass paste, and spices (salt, turmeric, curry powder, and coriander). Check a local Asian market, if needed.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Optional–Make the yellow curry paste.
You can use store-bought Thai yellow curry paste or make your own at home.
Just blend garlic, ginger, Thai chili peppers, salt, turmeric, curry powder, coriander, and lemongrass paste into a smooth mixture—making sure the peppers are fully pureed. Store the paste in an airtight bag in the fridge for up to 2 weeks for the best flavor.
Prep the vegetables and chicken.
Use a sharp knife and a cutting board.
Chop the potatoes, red pepper, carrots, and onions into small, bite-sized pieces.
Slice the chicken into 1-inch cubes, as well. Remember, keep everything as similarly sized as possible so it cooks at the same rate.
Make the curry sauce.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent, then add the chicken breast.
Cook the chicken until it’s almost cooked through. Add the coconut milk, yellow curry paste, bell pepper, potatoes, and carrots. Stir it all together.
Simmer the yellow curry sauce for 25-35 minutes, or until you have tender chicken and vegetables.
Serve the curry.
Serve Thai curry over your favorite rice and garnish with Thai basil if you’d like.
These rice recipes will all work great with this dish:
FAQs
Thai yellow curry is from Thailand. Many times, people confuse this dish with Indian curries. However, curries from Thailand usually rely on a different set of herbs and aromatic leaves, while Indian curries have more spices.
Thai yellow curry is a delightfully earthy mix of spices and herbs. It is typically milder than red or green curry, so many just beginning to enjoy curries flock to it.
Yellow curry is a mild Thai curry made from a spice-packed paste—typically including curry powder, turmeric, garlic, and lemongrass—simmered with coconut milk for a rich, flavorful sauce. It’s commonly paired with chicken, beef, or fish, plus starchy veggies like potatoes, and served over rice or rice noodles.
Tap stars to rate!
Thai Yellow Chicken Curry Recipe
email this recipe!
Ingredients
Yellow Curry Paste
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste or grated ginger
- 2-6 Thai chili peppers finely diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon curry powder mild
- 1 teaspoon coriander ground
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
- Or ⅓ cup of store-bought yellow curry paste
Yellow Chicken Curry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cups sweet onions cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lb. chicken cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 2-inch strips
- 3 large carrots cut into ½-inch pieces, about 1 ½ cups
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes cut into ¾-inch cubes, about 1 ½ cups
- 2 15-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk or one can lite and one can full-fat
- 1 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the Curry Paste: Combine all yellow curry paste ingredients together in the bowl of a small food processor. (If you have a 6+ cup processor you may want to double the recipe.) Process ingredients for 2-4 minutes, or until ingredients become a thick paste.4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger paste, 2-6 Thai chili peppers, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste, Or ⅓ cup of store-bought yellow curry paste
- Sauté the Meat and Veggies: Drizzle olive oil into a large pan over medium heat and add onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add chicken and curry paste. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 more minutes, or until the chicken is almost done cooking. Add red bell peppers, carrots, potatoes, milk, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 ½ cups sweet onions, 1 lb. chicken, 1 red bell pepper, 3 large carrots, 4 Yukon gold potatoes, 2 15-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk, 1 tablespoons white sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Simmer and Serve: Bring curry to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 25-35 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are fork tender. Serve Thai yellow chicken curry over jasmine rice and enjoy!
Tap stars to rate!
Notes
- Protein: While this is commonly served with chicken, opt for shrimp or pork for a different flavor. You can even go with a firm tofu!
- Add-ins: Feel free to include additional vegetables, like snow peas, celery, broccoli, sweet potatoes, green beans, or even cabbage.
- Serving: Serve over a bed of rice, or opt for cauliflower rice for extra nutrition.
- Spice: Add in extra peppers or opt for a hotter variety to increase the spice level if you like a bit of heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Curry Recipes
Curry is such a diverse dish that can be enjoyed in so many ways—yet somehow always manages to be perfectly warming and satisfying.
Chicken Korma Curry
45 mins
Massaman Chicken Curry
45 mins
Thai Green Chicken Curry
30 mins
Pumpkin Curry
50 mins
Made this the other night and it was everything that you promised. Quick, easy, and delicious.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
It would be nice to hear something about the hard to find lemon grass as an actual ingredient.
Hi Dirk! Lemongrass paste is a bit easier to find. You can also substitute a Thai Yellow curry paste for the homemade paste. This post will be updated soon to reflect these tips. Sorry for the confusion and hope this helps.