A simple Panang chicken curry that you can throw together in under 20 minute! The perfect weeknight dinner recipe!
20-minute weeknight dinners are my love language!
And this Panang chicken curry hits all the high marks. Creamy, smooth, tangy yet sweet curry loaded with tender chicken, peppers, and Thai basil. Keep it simple and server it over a bowl of steaming rice and just add it to the weekly rotation because the crowds gonna go wild.
We’ve had nothing but rain here in our part of Houston lately, and come September, all I want is comfort food. Bring on the Texas-style chili, the Mexican chicken noodle soup, and now, my Panang chicken curry.
How to make Panang Chicken Curry:
Thai food is some of my favorite things to make because:
Today’s Panang chicken curry is loosely based off of the one from our favorite Thai restaurant in Houston. They keep it pretty straightforward (just meat and curry) but I like to add red bell pepper and a sliced shallot into the mix because the flavors work so well with the sweet and spicy, peanut-flavored curry.
I’ve been making Panang curry for years but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how they got it to have this deep, rich and tangy flavor. I tried everything! Lemon juice, lime juice, lemongrass but time after time, I couldn’t make it like theirs. Until now. The number one ingredient that gives Panang curry it’s classic tang? Tamarind paste. It’s the stuff we use when we’re making pad Thai, so I thought, huh, why not add a smidge to our Panang curry as well? And it did the trick. It gives the curry a nice and dark, slow-simmered, tangy flavor one that lime juice wasn’t providing.
What you need to make panang chicken curry in 20 minutes:
There are a variety of Panang curry pastes available on the market, the one I use it called Mae Ploy. Keep in mind that traditional Thai brands of curry paste will always stretch further than brands like Thai Kitchen which are readily available in mainstream grocery stores.
If you use a curry paste from an Asian supermarket, I suggest starting with 1-2 tablespoons of curry paste (2 if you can really handle spicy food.) Brands that are more readily available in most grocery stores seem to be less potent, so you’ll want to use 2-4 tablespoons of curry paste depending on your spice preference.
How to make Panang Chicken Curry at home:
You’ll notice we’re not using any oil in today’s Panang curry recipe. Grab your coconut milk, without shaking the can, skim a couple of tablespoons off the top and add that to your hot skillet or saute pan. This is the coconut cream; it’s loaded with oil so we’ll use it to cook our curry paste. Then add the curry paste and peanut butter and allow the flavors to wake up. Make sure it doesn’t burn though! Then we’ll add the chicken and mix it so that everything is coated well. Add the rest of the coconut milk along with the fish sauce, tamarind, sugar, veggies, and let it all just simmer until the chicken cooks through and the curry thickens, that’s it!
What do you serve with Panang Chicken Curry?
In the past, I’ve shared a Panang curry noodle bowl with you so you can certainly serve this over rice noodles or egg noodles. Steamed white or brown rice is my favorite though way to eat Panang curry though!
Hope you enjoy this quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe!
1 teaspoon tamarind paste concentrate (or more for more tang)
1 shallot, thinly sliced (or ½ red onion)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 kefir lime leaves, optional
¼ cup basil leaves
Instructions
PASTE:Without shaking the can, skim off two tablespoons of the coconut cream and add it to a sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Add the Panang curry paste along with the peanut butter and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir to coat, cook for 1-2 minutes. If at any point the sauce begins to stick to the pan, add a couple tablespoons of water to deglaze. Stir in the remaining coconut milk, starting with 1 1/2 cans (adjust with more later if desired.) Add the kefir lime leaves, fish sauce, brown sugar, sliced onion, and red bell pepper.
SIMMER: Allow the curry to come to a simmer, lower the heat and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the chicken cooks through. Taste and adjust with additional coconut milk, sugar, tamarind, or fish sauce as desired. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil. Serve warm with rice or cooked rice noodles.
Notes
leftover coconut milk can be poured into an airtight container and frozen for up to 6 months.
Have you made this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!
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Cook the paste in oil for 1-2 minutes before adding other ingredients. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 mL) of olive oil to a pan on medium and let it heat up. Spoon in the amount of curry paste you want to use, and stir it around for a few minutes, which will help release the paste's flavors.
Coconut milk is a vegan option for all curries. You can also try adding a splash of milk, if that's all you have to hand. Milk contains a protein called casein which actually breaks down capsaicin and makes it less spicy – both full-fat and skimmed do the trick nicely.
Adding citrus or vinegar provides a tangy flavor that balances the heat. Yogurt or sour cream can cool down the curry. Adding a pinch of sugar or ketchup can counteract the spiciness. Starchy foods like potatoes or rice can absorb heat.
The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.
The amount of curry powder you need to use will depend on how you're using it. If you're using it as a rub/seasoning, start with about 2 tsp.per pound of meat. If you're adding it to a yogurt marinade, we suggest adding about 2 Tbsp.
The amount of curry paste you use for one batch of curry depends on the strength of your paste and your personal spice tolerance, so taste the paste before you start! If it's really strong, start with about 2 tablespoons of paste for a batch of curry for four.
Even though coconut milk doesn't contain the same casein protein that magical ingredient in dairy that helps cool down spicy food it does contain plenty of fat, which helps to calm the heat in a dish and cool it down.
On Indian-style curries and chillies, a spoonful of yoghurt or soured cream works wonderfully, but if you've gone crazy with the heat, you can also add milk to the curry or chilli base. Once you've added the base, gently simmer it, but don't boil it, or it will split.
The type of yoghurt that is typically used in Indian cooking is called dahi. Dahi is a type of yoghurt that is made from curdled milk. It is thicker and more sour than yoghurt, making it the perfect addition to curries and other savoury dishes.
It is thicker, has a higher fat content and is scoop-able throughout. Coconut milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.
You can add a dollop of yogurt to curries, incorporate sour cream into Mexican dishes, or use coconut milk in spicy Thai or Indian recipes. Include Sweet Elements:Sweetness can balance out spiciness. Try adding a sweet component like sugar, honey, maple syrup, or fruit juice to your dish.
For curries that require a thicker, creamier consistency, coconut cream is the better option. It has a higher fat content compared to coconut milk and will result in a richer, smoother sauce. On the other hand, if you're looking for a lighter, more broth-like consistency, coconut milk is a better choice.
Generous amounts of black peppercorns are commonly used in Southern Indian cuisine. In this recipe, pepper is paired with curry leaves, cayenne, turmeric, tomatoes, and goat meat to take curry to a whole new level of spice!
This is a type of dish that is similar to a bhuna. It's made with diced onions, peppers, capsic*ms and a dry, often red, spice. It's a good option if you want a curry with a kick, and the marinade that the vegetables are cooked in gives them a slight spiciness.
Indian cuisine has some of the spiciest dishes on the world menu. Most of my cooking class clients ask me the same question. "What makes Indian food spicy?" And the answer to the question is just two words - "Thai green chili" and "Chili powder".
Starchy foods like rice, bread, and potatoes can help dilute the spiciness of curry. Add in a small ball of bread or potatoes, this can also help in reducing the fiery taste of the curries. Tomatoes can add a bit of sweetness and acidity that can help balance the spiciness of curry.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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