Chicken Red Curry (with Butternut Squash)
Craving a cozy, flavorful meal that comes together easily? This chicken red curry with butternut squash is calling your name. The sweet squash adds warmth and texture that pairs perfectly with the creamy, gently spiced curry. Best of all, this chicken red curry comes together in just one pot. Simply sauté the Thai red curry paste, simmer the chicken and squash in coconut milk, and serve over rice. An effortless, comforting meal ready in under an hour! With its complex flavors melding sweet, savory, and spicy notes, this easy chicken red curry with butternut squash or vegetables of your choice will become a new favorite weeknight dinner.
Vegetables that Work Well in Red Curry
Vegetables that work well for red curry are winter melon, chayote, Thai and Japanese pumpkins, banana squash, butternut squash, bamboo shoots, and green Thai eggplant. Read more about 6 types of eggplants from “live eat learn“. Sometimes, spur chillies, bell peppers and green beans work very well in this curry too. In this recipe, I am using the butternut squash as the main vegetable. And do not forget the Thai basil!
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What can you make using red curry paste?
Red curry paste is the most versatile Thai curry paste that you can use in stir fry such as “Pad Prik King” and “Kua Kling“. You can create other types of curry paste by using red curry as a base such as Panang Curry Paste, and Kang Kua Past for the Shrimp Pineapple Curry. I also use this red curry paste for Thai Northern Sausage or Sai Ua and appetizer like fish cakes.
Must you sauté the curry paste with vegetable oil?
If you have followed my other curry recipes in the past such as authentic Thai Massaman curry, green curry, or Khao Soi Recipes, you may see that I sautéd curry paste with coconut or vegetable oil. This is a fool proof method for the curry to render beautiful colors and release their flavor compounds as mentioned in the paleopantry. However, I decided to use the Thai traditional method in this recipe. Instead of stir frying the curry paste with vegetable or coconut oil, I extracted the coconut oil from coconut milk. See the video and picture below for clarification.
Chicken Red Curry (with Butternut Squash)
Equipment
- 1 wok or pot or deep skillet
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Red Curry Paste I use Aroy-D brand. See the link.
- 600 mL Coconut Milk Use about 200 ml at a time. I use Aroy-D brand. See the link.
- 300 mL water
- 1 lb chicken thigh
- 4 – 5 tbsp fish sauce start with 2 tbsp and keep tasting
- 2 tbsp sugar Palm sugar or coconut sugar are best for the curry. If you do not have it, use brown sugar or table sugar.
- 2 -3 cups butternut squash half small butternut squash
- 1/2 cup Thai basil
- 5 kaffir like leaves optional
Instructions
- Cut the butternut squash in halves. Scoop the seeds out and microwave that half that you'd like to use about 2 -3 minutes. Then peel and cut the squash into bite size. Set it aside.
- Cut or chop red bell pepper into bite size. If using Kaffir lime leaves, devein them. Wash and prepare the Thai basil as well. Set everything aside.
- Cut the chicken into bite size. I use chicken thigh, but you can use chicken breast too. Set it aside.
- Start with medium-low heat, use the thickest part of the coconut milk. About 200 mL. Heat the coconut milk to extract some coconut oil and stir quite consistently until you see some clear bubbles around the coconut milk then add the red curry paste to stir fry.
- Stir fry the curry paste with the coconut oil until you start seeing some read oil around the skillet. See the picture above or see the video. This is the oil from the coconut and from the curry paste herbs. Season with sugar and stir to combine.
- Turn the heat up to medium – high. Then add another 200 mL of coconut milk and the chicken to the skillet. Stir fry the chicken until cooked through. You should be able to cut the chicken with a wooden or aluminum spatula easily when it's completely cooked.
- Start with only 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Please, remember that not all the curry paste brand and fish sauce taste the same.
- Add the butternut squash, bell pepper, and water to the skillet. Stir to combine. Close the lid to help the squash cook faster. However, make sure to open the lid and stir every a few minute or so to make sure nothing sticks at the bottom of the pot and burn. See if you can cut the squash with the spatula or a spoon.
- Add kaffir lime leaves for more aroma and freshness. Please, do not use lime or lemon juice. Your curry will turn slightly bitter when adding lime juice while the stove is still on. It's also doesn't belong to the Thai curry. If you do not have Kaffir lime leaves, just skip it. Adjust the taste and see if you need more fish sauce. I ended up using 5 tablespoons altogether. But add about 1 -2 tablespoons at a time.
- Add the last part of the coconut milk (200 mL). Wait for the curry to boil again and add the Thai basil leaves. Turn the heat off. Serve with rice or bread and enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Chicken Red Curry with Butternut Squash Recipe Ingredients 3 tbsp Red Curry Paste I use Aroy-D brand. See the link. 600 mL Coconut Milk Use about 200 ml at a time. I use Aroy-D brand. 300 mL water 1 lb chicken thigh 4 – 5 tbsp fish sauce start with 2 tbsp and keep tasting 2 tbsp sugar Palm sugar or coconut sugar are best for the curry. If you do not have it, use brown sugar or table sugar. 2 -3 cups butternut squash half small butternut squash 1/2 cup Thai basil 5 kaffir like leaves optional Get more details ans list of vegetables that work well for this curry from my website or this link https://stickyricethaikitchen.com/chicken-red-curry-with-butternut-squash/ #redcurry#curry#thairedcurry#butternutsquash#butternutsquashrecipe#thairecipe#homemadefood#tiktokfood#soupseason#currytime#chickencurry#cocinando#yummyfood#easyrecipe#simplerecipe
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