Thai Yellow Chicken Curry with Potatoes

Thai Yellow Chicken with Potatoes is a delightfully easy but super flavorful recipe. Simply combine a homemade curry paste with chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions, and coconut milk and let a little bit of simmering work its magic. Put this in the rotation as one of the best healthy dinners that’s better than takeout.

Restaurant Quality 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.

So I bucked up some courage, headed to my local Central Market, and proceeded to search for a few necessary, but somewhat hard-to-find ingredients.

Can I just offer you a little encouragement? The hardest part of this entire yellow curry recipe is… locating the ingredients.

And honestly, after you find the Thai chili peppers and the lemongrass paste, it really isn’t all that bad!

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.

What is Yellow Curry?

Yellow curry is a milder curry that is often served at Thai restaurants in the West. It is made from a paste full of numerous spices such as curry powder, coriander, turmeric, ginger, garlic, peppers, lemongrass, and sometimes a touch of sugar is added. It is then cooked together with coconut milk to make a delicious yellow curry sauce.

Most yellow curries are made with either chicken, beef, or fish. Then starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, are added. It is then served over steamed rice or with rice noodles.

Ingredients

The basic ingredients you need to make this homemade yellow curry dish include:

• 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. Just make sure to 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 this instead.
• Carrots. These give the dish a nice texture and a natural sweetness.
• Red Bell Pepper. 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!
• Garlic and ginger. Fresh is best, and you can find both of these in your produce section!
• Thai chili peppers. You should locate these at the more specialty grocers if your local grocery stores don’t have them. They are the little ~2-inch peppers that you see in this post’s photos. Asian stores should have them if you have access to one. If these are difficult to find you can substitute a diced jalapeño or some cayenne pepper.
• Spices. Salt, turmeric, curry powder, and coriander all can be easily found in the spices aisle.
• Lemongrass paste. This was the most difficult to locate. I ended up finding a store-bought paste at my larger, more specialty grocery store, but you can also check Asian markets. However, if none of your local stores stock it, you can always buy this one online! Different brands should be available.

How to Make Thai Yellow Chicken Curry with Potatoes

Making this Thai yellow curry chicken recipe consists of a few steps:

Make the Yellow Curry Paste

The yellow curry paste forms the base of this dish. Add the garlic, ginger, diced Thai chili peppers, salt, turmeric, curry powder, coriander, and lemongrass paste to a food processor or high-speed blender.

Process until a smooth paste forms.

You especially want to be sure the peppers are fully blended to best distribute their flavor throughout the curry.

You can store this fragrant paste for up to 2 weeks in an airtight zip-top bag in the refrigerator. If you keep it much longer it will most likely start to lose its potency!

You can usually find ready-made curry paste at the store, but making your own is easy and yields the best flavor.

Prep the Ingredients

Use a sharp knife and a cutting board.

Chop the potatoes, bell peppers, 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 Base

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 Yellow Chicken 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:

• Instant Pot White Rice
• Cauliflower Rice
• Instant Pot Basmati Rice
• Coconut Cilantro Brown Rice

Meal Prep and Storage

• How to prep ahead: Feel free to make the curry paste a couple of days before. If needed, chop the veggies and store in a bag in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• How to store: Prepare the entire recipe as outlined below, let it come to room temperature, and then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• How to freeze: You absolutely can freeze your leftover yellow curry for up to 3-4 months. Let it come to room temperature, and then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before transferring to the freezer.
• How to reheat: If refrigerated, you can reheat the yellow curry on the stovetop (this is the recommended method) or quickly reheat it in the microwave. If stored in the freezer, let it thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

How do you make Thai yellow curry?

Thai yellow curries are a flavorful blend of garlic, ginger, and Thai peppers along with spices like turmeric, curry, coriander, and lemongrass paste, typically. These flavors simmer together with coconut milk, a protein like chicken, and tender vegetables like potatoes and carrots. And the bright yellow color is so appealing!

This delicious recipe is on the milder end of the spice scale and has the perfect amount of heat for those just starting out in curries.

Where is Thai yellow curry from?

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.

What does Thai yellow curry taste like?

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.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free and dairy-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Whole30: Simply leave out the sugar.
• Low Fat: Use a lite coconut milk instead of the full-fat option.
• Vegetarian: Opt for tofu, or increase the veggies in place of the chicken.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Change it up. While this is commonly served with chicken, opt for shrimp or pork for a different flavor. You can even go with a firm tofu!
• Up the benefits. Feel free to include additional vegetables, like snow peas, celery, broccoli, sweet potatoes, green beans, or even cabbage.
• Be fancy. Take some extra time to cut your veggies at a diagonal angle for a nice look.
• Go low-carb. Serve over a bed of cauliflower rice for extra nutrition.
• Some like it hot. Add in extra peppers or opt for a hotter variety to increase the spice level if you like a bit of heat.

More Comforting Curry Dishes

Curry is such a diverse dish that can be enjoyed in so many ways.

Chickpea Curry and 15-Minute Curry Cauliflower Rice are both healthy, vegetarian options.

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk and Chicken Korma Curry are incredibly flavorful and delicious.

Instant Pot Yellow Chicken Curry is ready in a jiff. And Salmon Curry with Coconut Milk is an awesome seafood option.