Recipe At a Glance
- Dish: Thai-inspired chicken curry served over jasmine rice
- Flavor Profile: Creamy peanut-coconut curry with savory fish sauce, red curry paste, and bright lime
- Key Ingredient: Thai red curry paste and peanut butter create a rich, balanced curry sauce
- Method: Chicken and sweet bell pepper are simmered in a coconut milk curry sauce, then finished with spinach, lime, and scallions
- Servings: 4
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Effort Level: Simple
Balancing Rich Curry with Bright Lime
This Thai peanut curry chicken leans into the balance of rich peanut sauce, savory curry paste, and bright citrus that makes Thai-inspired curries so satisfying without requiring a long simmer or hard-to-find ingredients. The coconut milk softens the heat of the red curry paste while fish sauce and lime add the salty and acidic contrast that keeps the sauce from feeling heavy.
Fresh lime juice gives the dish plenty of brightness on its own, but if you can, try to keep kaffir lime leaves in your freezer for recipes like this. They add a deeper citrus aroma that’s difficult to replicate and work especially well with the peanut-coconut base. We also like the addition of spinach here because it turns the curry into more of a complete one-pan dinner instead of just a sauce served over rice.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
A few key ingredients make this recipe work – here’s what to know. A complete list with quantities is in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay tender and flavorful after simmering in the curry sauce. Boneless pork chops cut into strips are a good substitute, and thinly sliced sirloin steak also works well if you’d like a beef variation.
- Thai Red Curry Paste: Red curry paste gives the sauce its signature Thai-inspired flavor and heat. Since spice levels vary by brand, start conservatively and add more to taste.
- Coconut Milk: Regular coconut milk creates the richest, smoothest sauce consistency. Light coconut milk can be used, but the sauce will be noticeably thinner, so you may want to use the thickening tip included in the recipe notes.
- Peanut Butter: Creamy natural peanut butter without added sugar gives the sauce balanced peanut flavor without making it overly sweet. It also blends more smoothly into the coconut milk base.
- Lime and Kaffir Lime Leaves: Fresh lime juice and zest brighten the rich peanut-coconut sauce and balance the savory flavors. If you can find kaffir lime leaves, they add a more aromatic citrus note that works especially well in Thai peanut curry. They freeze well, so they’re worth keeping on hand for curries, soups, and stir-fries.
A Quick Look at Preparation
How to Make Thai Peanut Curry Chicken
Here’s how this dish comes together, along with a few tips for the best results. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
This Thai peanut curry comes together quickly once the ingredients are prepped, so it helps to mix the sauce before you start cooking. Whisking the coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, and lime juice together ahead of time ensures the peanut butter blends smoothly into the sauce instead of clumping in the pan.
The chicken is lightly browned first to build flavor before the fish sauce is added to deglaze the pan. That step pulls the browned bits into the sauce and adds extra savory depth. Once the bell pepper and curry mixture are added, the sauce simmers gently until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors have blended.
Add the spinach at the end so it keeps its color and texture without overcooking. Finish the curry with scallions, chopped peanuts, and an extra squeeze of lime if you’d like a brighter finish.
Tested Tips
- Start with a smaller amount of curry paste and adjust after tasting since heat levels vary quite a bit by brand.
- Slice the chicken into evenly sized pieces so it cooks at the same rate and stays tender in the sauce.
- Remove the tough center rib from kaffir lime leaves (if using) and slice them very thinly so they blend evenly into the curry.
- Add the spinach in batches rather than all at once to avoid cooling the sauce too quickly and overfilling the pan.
- Use regular coconut milk if possible for the smoothest, richest sauce consistency.
More Peanut Sauce Recipes to Explore
If you enjoy the rich, savory balance of Thai peanut curry chicken, there are plenty of other ways to bring peanut sauce into dinner rotation. Thai Chicken Flatbread Pizza pairs peanut sauce, chicken, crisp vegetables, and melted mozzarella on a crisp naan crust; African Chicken Peanut Stew combines chicken, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes in a deeply savory peanut broth; and Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Shrimp offer a lighter option with fresh herbs, rice paper, and a creamy peanut dipping sauce.
Thai Peanut Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 ounces), see notes
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into cubes
- 1-1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Zest of 1 lime, ( or Kaffir lime leaves – see notes)
- 6 ounces fresh spinach
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts
- Steamed jasmine rice
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of the curry paste until smooth. Taste and add additional curry paste in small increments if you’d like more heat. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on the outside.
- Add the fish sauce and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the red bell pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the coconut milk mixture, brown sugar, and lime zest (or kaffir lime leaves if using). Simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Add the spinach a handful at a time, allowing each addition to wilt before adding more.
- Stir in half of the scallions. Taste the sauce and add additional fish sauce if desired.
- Serve over steamed jasmine rice and garnish with the remaining scallions and chopped peanuts.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
