Key Ingredients
Thai yellow chicken curry is a quick and flavorful weeknight meal ready in just 30 minutes. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Coconut Oil: Sauté the aromatics and the yellow curry paste in coconut oil to enhance their flavor.
- Aromatics: Add depth with three fresh garlic cloves and grated ginger.
- Curry Paste: Yellow curry paste (prik gaeng karee)—a staple in Thai cuisine—gives the curry its signature sweet, sour, and slightly spicy taste. Maesri yellow curry paste is the best I’ve tried, but Mae Ploy yellow curry paste is a solid choice. If you have the time (and ingredients), whip up a nam prik gaeng karee for a more authentic flavor.
- Chicken: Make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into thin slices at a bias. You can substitute boneless chicken breasts, but adjust the cooking time since the pieces will take longer; the safe internal temperature for chicken is 165°F (74°C).
- Coconut Milk: Full-fat coconut milk gives the curry a creamy consistency. For thicker curry, opt for canned coconut cream.
- Vegetables: Bite-sized Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes and carrots naturally sweeten the curry and make it more filling.
- Fish Sauce: Adding a splash of fish sauce provides a salty, umami boost.
- Thai Basil: Bites of Thai yellow chicken curry with fresh basil are the best. If you can’t find Thai basil leaves at the grocery store, use what you have.
Additions and Substitutions
- Mix up the veggies. One of the best things about making Thai curry at home is its versatility. It’s a perfect way to use up extra veggies in your fridge! Try adding zucchini, spinach leaves, red bell pepper, baby corn, sweet potatoes, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, broccoli florets, sliced tomatoes, or bamboo shoots. Just cut them to a similar size so they cook evenly.
- Sweeten the curry. Thai yellow chicken curry has a beautifully balanced sour, sweet, and savory flavor. But add a touch of palm sugar or brown sugar if you want a sweeter dish.
- Control the consistency. Add a little chicken broth to the coconut curry sauce if you prefer a soupier consistency to spoon over white rice.
- Go nutty. For a nutty twist, toss whole cashews and peanuts into the mix or stir in a spoonful of peanut butter.
How to Make Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Warm the coconut oil in a preheated wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Sauté for 1 minute.

Step 2: Add the chicken and cook until the color changes. Then, stir in ⅓ of a can of coconut milk and the carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Step 3: Add the remaining coconut milk from the first can. Increase to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Step 4: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the second can of coconut milk (if using) and the fish sauce. Garnish the curry with Thai basil leaves, and enjoy!


Expert Tips
- Prepare the chicken and veggies. Cut the chicken thighs thinly at a bias for even cooking. Similarly, cut the vegetables into 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Bloom the paste. Enhance the flavor of yellow curry paste by sautéing it in a hot wok with aromatics before adding the chicken, vegetables, and coconut milk.
If you enjoy Thai yellow chicken curry, try more Thai recipes!

Serving Suggestions
Curry lovers will enjoy this simple, homemade Thai yellow chicken curry. It pairs beautifully with a bowl of steamed Jasmine rice, a handful of fresh Thai basil leaves, and a few Thai chili peppers to munch on while you enjoy the creamy curry.
Try it with brown rice, coconut lime rice, or low-carb cauliflower rice, based on your preference.
Lighten the meal by serving yellow curry alongside broccoli, green beans, broccoletti, or a vibrant green papaya salad.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Curry tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for weekly meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Thai yellow chicken curry freezes for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftover curry in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is yellow Thai curry spicy?
Yellow curry is milder than Thai curries like panang, green, red, or jungle curry, which leans extra spicy. If you’re sensitive to spicy food, adjust the heat using half a can of yellow curry paste or add extra coconut milk to mellow the spice.
Can I use yellow curry powder instead of yellow curry paste?
Technically, yes, you can use yellow curry powder instead of Thai yellow curry paste, but the curry flavor will be completely different.
Yellow curry paste relies on ingredients like lemongrass, garlic, shallots, galangal root, shrimp paste, Thai chilies, and various spices for its bold, aromatic, and slightly tangy flavor.
On the other hand, yellow curry powder is a dry spice mix with a mellow, earthy flavor. It was originally created to replicate the flavors of Indian cuisine. While delicious, save curry powder for classics like Singapore noodles or Japanese chicken curry.
More Weeknight Meal Recipes:

Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -inch knob of ginger, grated
- 1 can (4 ounce) Maesri yellow curry paste
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, thinly sliced at a bias
- 3-4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cans (15 ounce) coconut milk, full-fat, divided
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, for garnish
- Warm the coconut oil in a preheated wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken and cook until the color changes. Then, stir in ⅓ of a can of coconut milk and the carrots and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the remaining coconut milk from the first can. Increase to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the second can of coconut milk (if using) and the fish sauce. Garnish the curry with Thai basil leaves, and enjoy!
- Prepare the chicken and veggies. Cut the chicken thighs thinly at a bias for even cooking. Similarly, cut the vegetables into 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Bloom the paste. Enhance the flavor of yellow curry paste by sautéing it in a hot wok with aromatics before adding the chicken, vegetables, and coconut milk.
Chelsea
Wednesday 6th of April 2022
This recipe is so tasty and super quick and easy!! Definitely don’t skip on the Maesri curry paste, it’s the best!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 12th of June 2022
Agreed, the Maesri curry paste is a game-changer.