Chicken and Cauliflower Spicy Thai Red Curry

Most of my posts seem to mention just how much Alex and I love curry–and just how often we eat it! For most of last winter, we held weekly “Monday Curry Nights”, and now that the weather is getting colder once again the tradition is back in full force. Thai red curry is one of the first things I really learned how to make when I first started cooking in 2018, which naturally led into it being the first recipe I ever posted on this blog back in January 2019. Over time, though, this entire dish has grown and evolved into an even better version of itself as I’ve become more comfortable in the kitchen, and it seems fitting to post the new and much-improved recipe as this year comes to a close. Even after all this time, it is still one of my favorite things to cook–and eat!

This recipe makes four servings.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2-3 red bell peppers
• 2 zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups (about 1 lb) cauliflower, frozen
• 4 oz (about 1 can) Thai red curry paste
• 14 oz (about 1 can) coconut milk
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3/4 tbsp dried Thai basil
• 1/2 tbsp gochugaru/red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tbsp light oil
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp minced lemongrass
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala

Directions:

1. Slice peppers into strips, zucchini into rounds, and chicken thighs into bite-sized strips, about 1 1/2 inch in length.
2. In a large stock pot with lid, add light oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, minced lemongrass, curry paste, 1/2 tsp white pepper, and 1 tbsp salt. Heat on meidium/medium-high until the spices become fragrant and begin to sizzle.
3. Add chicken and fish sauce, stirring to coat with the spice paste. Cover pot with lid and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until the chicken has mostly cooked through.
4. Add coconut milk, dried Thai basil, gochugaru/red pepper flakes, garlic powder, garam masala, remaining 1/2 tsp white pepper, and remaining 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until all lumps of coconut cream have dissipated, about 30 seconds.
5. Add vegetables, stir gently to coat with coconut sauce, and cover pot with lid. Boil covered for 10 minutes.
6. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium-low/low. Let simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.
7. Meanwhile, add frozen cauliflower to a steamer basket over a separate pot of water. Add lime juice and lime zest on top of the frozen cauliflower (so that any juice or zest that misses the cauliflower falls into the water below), cover, and bring to a boil. Let steam for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender and fragrant.
8. When finished, remove both from heat and stir the lime cauliflower and cilantro gently into the curry, taking care not to break up the florets. Serve with white rice, additional lime juice, and additional cilantro.

Given the track record this dish has in our house, I can assure you that it stores and reheats beautifully. In fact, it can often be even more delicious the second day, after the flavors have had time to sit and meld together. Fucking amazing!

Print Recipe

4 from 2 votes

Chicken and Cauliflower Spicy Thai Red Curry

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 288kcal

Equipment

• stock pot with lid
• steamer basket

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs
• 2-3 red bell peppers
• 2 zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, frozen about 1 lb
• 4 oz Thai red curry paste about 1 can
• 14 oz coconut milk about 1 can
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic minced
• 1 tbsp ginger minced
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 3/4 tbsp dried Thai basil
• 1/2 tbsp gochugaru/red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tbsp light oil
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp lemongrass minced
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala

Instructions

• Slice peppers into strips, zucchini into rounds, and chicken thighs into bite-sized strips, about 1 1/2 inch in length.
• In a large stock pot with lid, add light oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, minced lemongrass, curry paste, 1/2 tsp white pepper, and 1 tbsp salt. Heat on meidium/medium-high until the spices become fragrant and begin to sizzle.
• Add chicken and fish sauce, stirring to coat with the spice paste. Cover pot with lid and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until the chicken has mostly cooked through.
• Add coconut milk, dried Thai basil, gochugaru/red pepper flakes, garlic powder, garam masala, remaining 1/2 tsp white pepper, and remaining 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until all lumps of coconut cream have dissipated, about 30 seconds.
• Add vegetables, stir gently to coat with coconut sauce, and cover pot with lid. Boil covered for 10 minutes.
• Remove lid and reduce heat to medium-low/low. Let simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.
• Meanwhile, add frozen cauliflower to a steamer basket over a separate pot of water. Add lime juice and lime zest on top of the frozen cauliflower*, cover, and bring to a boil. Let steam for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender and fragrant.
• When finished, remove both from heat and stir the lime cauliflower and cilantro gently into the curry, taking care not to break up the florets. Serve with white rice, additional lime juice, and/or additional cilantro.

Notes

* (so that any juice or zest that misses the cauliflower falls into the water below)