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Thai

Thai red curry with chicken and bamboo shoots

Non-vegetarian

แกงเผ็ดไก่ · kaeng phet kai

Chicken and bamboo shoots simmered in coconut milk with a dried red chilli paste, finished with makrut lime leaves and Thai basil — hotter and drier-tasting than green curry.

Thai red curry with chicken and bamboo shoots is a Thai curry from Thailand, ready in about 55 minutes and made with dried whole chillies, coconut milk and chicken thigh. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Delicious Thai curry with vibrant flavors served alongside fragrant steamed rice on a wooden table.
Photo: Augustinus Martinus Noppé / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
30 min
Cook
25 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
682

Ingredients

4 servings

For the curry paste

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pound the toasted spices and white pepper (opens in a new tab) to a powder. Add the salt and drained chillies and pound well, then the lemongrass (opens in a new tab), galangal (opens in a new tab), coriander roots, shallots (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab), a little at a time, until you have a smooth paste. Work in the shrimp paste (opens in a new tab).

    Spices being ground in a mortar and pestle
    How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil and the thick cream from the top of one can of coconut milk (opens in a new tab) in a wok (opens in a new tab) until the oil starts to separate. Fry 4 tablespoons of the paste until fragrant and darker.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken and stir to coat, then pour in the remaining coconut milk (opens in a new tab) and add the bamboo shoots (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Simmer gently with the fish sauce (opens in a new tab), palm sugar (opens in a new tab) and lime leaves until the chicken is cooked; add the pepper for the last 3 minutes.

    • 12 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and the juices run clear (74 °C in the thickest part).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Taste and adjust the seasoning. Take the wok (opens in a new tab) off the stove, stir in the basil (opens in a new tab) until just wilted and serve with rice.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Thailand · Well documentedAlso popular in United Kingdom, United States, AustraliaMore food from Thailand
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), aromatic / warmly spiced, creamy, savoury
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
With the listed swaps: Pescatarian, Flexitarian-friendlyWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Dried whole chillies · Coconut milk · Chicken thigh · Shallot · Garlic · Lemongrass
Techniques
Simmering · Bhunao

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom fish sauce
  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom shrimp paste, fish sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

682 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 487 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 21%
  • Carbohydrate 12%
  • Fat 67%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy682 kcal140 kcal
Protein36.9 g7.6 g
Carbohydrate21.7 g4.4 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars3.2 g0.7 g
Fibre——
Fat53.2 g10.9 g
Saturated fat39.9 g8.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol141 mg29 mg
Sodium1549 mg318 mg
Salt equivalent3.9 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1209 mg
Calcium
98 mg
Iron
9.9 mg
Magnesium
170 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
131 µg
Vitamin C
46 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
72 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: long-grain white rice.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves.
  • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
  • Shrimp paste: Fish sauce (FDC 174531) at 1.5× as a stand-in salted fermented seafood condiment; protein is understated.
  • Jaggery / palm sugar: Brown sugar (FDC 168833) used as a stand-in for unrefined cane jaggery and palm sugar.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Store-bought red curry paste (about 3–4 tablespoons) is a perfectly normal shortcut in Thai homes.
  • Freeze leftover paste in an ice-cube tray.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping the frying of the paste — raw paste tastes harsh and flat.

Serve with

  • Serve with jasmine rice and a simple Thai omelette.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently; add fresh basil.

Variations

  • Red curry with roast duck: Use sliced roast duck with pineapple chunks, cherry tomatoes and grapes, added just to heat through (kaeng phet pet yang).

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 3, 4, 5

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Curry paste

    Thai red curry paste

    This recipe makes it as part of the method (147 g for 4 servings). The full masala recipe explains each step in detail.

    Make Thai red curry paste

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