This Thai red curry with chicken, sweet potato, green beans and bamboo shoots, cooked in coconut milk, is full of flavour, healthy and so easy to make at home!
Serve this delicious curry with coconut rice for an exciting meal!
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I can always tell our life gets a bit too busy when we start relying on takeout meals for dinner. While takeaway dinners are fun once in awhile, I definitely don’t want to make it a habit. Too expensive and not the healthiest of options.
We do enjoy the taste and variety though, and that is why I always try to recreate our favourites at home. This Thai chicken curry is my take on the dish my daughter and I order the most!
I did use one clever shortcut to make my prep time quicker and pain free. Yes, my kitchen hack is premade Thai red curry paste!
Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry
Two of our favourite curries from our local Thai restaurant are chicken and potato curry and chicken curry with green beans and bamboo shoots. While most of the ingredients are quite common to our cooking, the bamboo shoots aren’t. As strange as they might sound, they are delightful!
Bamboo shoots are also readily available in the Asian aisle of your supermarket, and usually come in a can. They add a really nice crunch to your curry and a delicious but subtle flavour.
In my homemade version, I combined the ingredients from the two curries we love, and replaced regular potatoes with sweet potatoes. Instead of making a labour intensive homemade curry paste, I used my favourite store bought brand. The curry came together in less than 30 minutes!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- First of all, let’s talk about store bought curry pastes. Not all are created equal and some brands are definitely tastier and more authentic than others. Do a little research and taste testing to determine which one you prefer.
- Secondly, you can use low fat coconut milk if you wish to reduce calories but unfortunately, this will also significantly reduce the flavour of the curry. The coconut flavour is mostly in that solid layer, which low fat coconut milk is lacking. In my opinion, it’s not worth it but it is entirely up to you.
- You can also use skinless, boneless chicken thighs instead of the breasts. This curry will also work with fish, shrimp, prawns or make it vegetarian with lentils. This recipe is so versatile.
- You don’t have to use the same vegetables as I recommend. Choose what you have on hand and what you prefer for the best outcome. Asparagus, mushrooms, snow peas, sugar snap peas and red and yellow peppers all work wonderfully in this recipe.
- Do give bamboo shoots a try, they are seriously amazing and very authentic to Thai curries.
- Feel free to use green or yellow curry pastes to vary this recipe.
Serving suggestions
This tasty curry only needs a bed of fluffy white rice to become a proper meal. A variety like Jasmine is going to be just perfect.
Of course, there are lots of ways to take rice to the next level. Coconut rice, conveniently made in an Instant Pot, is my go to.
You can also dress the curry up by adding side dishes. I think that shrimp is just about perfect. Honey garlic shrimp and salt and pepper shrimp are my recommendations.
More favourite Thai recipes to try
- Easy Thai red curry with prawns and snow peas
- Thai fish curry
- Vegetarian Thai green curry
- Thai green papaya salad (Som Tam)
Chicken and Sweet Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 180g/2/3 cup This is an affiliate link.Thai red curry paste
- 400ml/14 oz This is an affiliate link.coconut milk
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 sweet potatoes medium
- 110g/1 cup green beans
- 120g/1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots
- ½ red chilli optional
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- coriander to garnish
Instructions
- To the heated pan add the curry paste with 2 tbsp of the coconut milk, allow the curry to warm through on medium heat until the aroma is released, then pour in the rest of the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
- Next add in the sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks, green beans, bamboo shoots and chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-sized pieces. Stir to combine and sprinkle the fish sauce all over together with the palm sugar or brown sugar, cut the red chilli in half and add to the curry, if using. (Use the chilli sparingly or omit if you are sensitive to spicy food.)
- Then bring the curry to a boil, lower the leat and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked all the way through but still holding their shape. Serve with rice.
Bryan Coates says
I’m concerned if the chicken will be satisfactory cooked by the end of the 20 minutes!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
A whole chicken breast is fully cooked within 20 minutes if fried in a pan. In this curry the chicken breasts are cut into small and thin slices, that are not thicker than 5 mm, they are fully cooked after 5 minutes.