Rich and delicious homemade Panang Curry is made with tender chicken and sweet bell peppers in a creamy coconut curry sauce.
Those who contemplate the beauties of the earth find reserves of strength.
Rachel Carson
Why You’ll Love This!
Creating a rich and fragrant Panang Curry is an experience that goes beyond mere cooking—it’s an exploration of flavors, textures, and techniques honed over many years. As chefs with a passion for Thai cuisine, we have had the pleasure of crafting over 50 Thai recipes, each teaching us something new about the art of balancing flavors and the joy of using quality ingredients.
Combined with tender chicken and sweet bell peppers nestled in a creamy coconut curry sauce, this dish transforms into a comforting masterpiece. Once all your ingredients are prepped, they come together easily.
What is Panang Curry?
Panang Curry originates from Northern Thailand but is popular all over the country. What gives it its unique flavor is the addition of peanuts to a red curry base, adding a level of richness common in the cooler areas of Thailand. Panang curry paste is similar to red curry but typically includes cumin, cardamom, and coriander, whispering of its neighboring country of Burma. It is sometimes confused with Malaysian cuisine because its name is similar to Penang, an Island in Malaysia.
Panang Curry Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Chicken thighs work too. Or sub with our crispy tofu.
- Panang curry paste: Start with less, for mild flavor, then add more to taste. You should be able to find this at a regular grocery store, online, or visit a local Asian market. We prefer Maesri brand. Or sub-Red Curry Paste and see notes.
- Shallot, ginger, lemongrass, garlic cloves: For depth and aromatic flavor. Use minced lemongrass or a paste. Galangal is a nice option too. These savory additions enhance the flavor- essential especially with you are going with less curry paste.
- Bell peppers: Red, orange, or yellow work here. Use a combination for more color!
- Coconut milk: For subtly sweet, nutty flavor and a rich and creamy sauce.
- Peanut butter: Unsweetened. Optional, but adds rich, nutty flavor and creates a thicker consistency in the sauce.
- Chicken broth: Make our homemade chicken stock for even more depth of flavor. It’s so easy!
- Fish sauce: Enhances the deep and savory umami flavor.
- Kaffir lime leaves: For citrusy flavor and aroma. I keep dried lime leaves on hand for when fresh are unavailable. They work great!
- Coconut sugar: Or sub brown sugar or palm sugar. For sweetness, to help balance all of the flavors.
- Thai basil: Highly recommend not substituting but regular fresh basil will work. For a fragrant, herby finish.
- Lime juice: For a bright, citrusy garnish.
How to Make Panang Curry Recipe
1. Prep the chicken (or tofu). Cube the chicken and season with salt, or make our crispy tofu.
2. Sauté the aromatics. Warm oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot. Sauté the shallot, ginger, and lemongrass for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add garlic and panang curry paste. Start with a little to keep the flavor mild. You can always add more at the end of cooking, adjusting to your heat preference. Fry for one minute.
3. Create the sauce. Add peanut butter (if using), coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, and kaffir lime leaves. Stir everything together, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken and peppers. Add the chicken to simmer for 3 minutes, then add the bell pepper to simmer for 2 minutes. The key is to keep the bell peppers crisp and just barely cooked. You can adjust this cooking time to your preference. Turn off the heat and add the Thai basil leaves.
5. Serve. Serve with Jasmine rice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of peanuts or peanut chili crunch and fresh thai basil leaves. A sprinkle of lime zest is nice too.
Panang Curry Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan! Instead of chicken, make our crispy tofu! Sub with our vegan fish sauce and use vegetable broth.
- Sub any protein. You can also replace the chicken with any protein of your choice; shrimp, beef, or pork.
- Add or swap veggies. Add more vegetables, like onions, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, green beans, bamboo shoots, zucchini, or snow peas.
- Add dark, leafy greens. Near the end of cooking, add leafy greens like spinach or kale.
- Use red curry paste. If you can’t find panang curry paste, you can sub with red curry paste. Try making your own red curry paste with a mortar and pestle.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve panang curry over Jasmine rice and garnish with peanut chili crunch.
While this is a satisfying meal on its own, you can pair this curry with any of our Thai recipes!
FAQs
Usually made with chicken, panang curry is made with panang curry paste, shallot, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime.
Panang is a type of red curry, but it is typically sweeter, richer, and creamier.
This rich and creamy curry has a nutty and subtly sweet flavor with mild spice.
Hope you enjoy our Panang Curry recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments!
More Thai Curry Recipes
Panang Curry Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Thai recipes, dinner recipes, weeknight dinner,
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Rich and delicious homemade Panang Curry is made with tender chicken and sweet bell peppers in a creamy coconut curry sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil ( avocado, coconut, peanut)
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced or grated, or use ginger paste
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass, minced or paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons panang curry paste (for mild, start with less and add more to taste), ***see notes
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter, unsweetened (optional)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce (we used 2, adjust to taste)
- 10 lime leaves
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 bell peppers- red, orange or yellow, sliced
- a handful of Thai basil or regular fresh basil, torn
- lime juice to garnish
Instructions
- Cube the chicken and season with salt. Or make our crispy tofu and set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the shallot, ginger, lemongrass, and garlic until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the panang curry paste (start light, you can always add more to taste at the end) and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar and kaffir lime leaves. Stir to incorporate and bring to a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and continue to simmer for 3 minutes (7 minutes for thighs). Add the bell peppers and simmer two minutes more. (This keeps the peppers crisp and just barely cooked, adjust to your preference). Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from heat.
- Add Thai basil leaves.
- Serve with Jasmine rice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of peanuts or peanut chili crunch and Thai basil leaves.
Notes
Leftovers will keep 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
If substituting with red curry paste, enhance with ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 9.1 g
- Sodium: 573.3 mg
- Fat: 17.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.3 g
- Fiber: 5.5 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 1.5 mg
I love the flavor so far (in the midst of cooking). What concerns me is the amount of liquid- it doesn’t look like a lot but I don’t want to thin it down now with more chicken stock so that I won’t lose the amazing flavor.
Just curious – was 1/2 cup of chicken stock correct? And if so, is it truly for 4 portions?
Just curious if you used full fat coconut milk? It makes 4 cups and served with rice.
Yes I did. It was very delicious but fed only 3, with a little extra.
But glad I made it – it was super tasty
Glad you liked it! It can easily be doubled too. 🙂
OMG,you’ve outdone yourself on this one! It’s so flavorful and warming on a winter evening. I added a sliced potato, threw in some carrots, and sugar snap peas. Honestly, I can’t believe I made this because it tastes better than our favorite Thai restaurant.
Yay Michelle! So glad it worked out for you. Really appreciate you taking the time to review!
What a fabulous curry – easy to make and si very delicious. Another fantastic recipe from Feasting at Home
Awesome so glad you enjoyed! Really appreciate you circling back to rate and review!
This dish was delicious like always! You could almost lick your plate! I do not always take the time to tell you but thank you for all your fantastic recipes 💕
Really appreciate hearing from you Johanne, so glad you enjoyed!
This was absolutely DELICIOUS! We used almond butter but only because I didn’t have peanut butter. I will definitely be making this again and I will try it with peanut butter!
Good to know about the almond butter! So glad you liked this one.:)
The problem with all your recipes is that they’re so good that I’m getting very picky with restaurants! When you can make something this tasty in a short time at home, with the complexity of flavour that makes your taste buds tingle…. Thank you for making my tummy happy!
Awesome to hear this Kate! 🙂
I am super excited to make this recipe! We traveled to Thailand last year and had amazing curry. I hope this tastes similar! I was wondering if by chance I could use almonds and almond butter instead of peanuts and peanut butter? If it alters the taste in a major way, I won’t but I’m just trying to eliminate the need to go to the grocery store! Thanks!
The taste will alter slightly but should still yummy!
I do not see anywhere in the recipe where the lime leaves should be removed? Does that mean, the leaves should be eaten? In other recipes which call for Kafir Lime leaves, I have removed the leaf, which I have always felt was a great waste.
Oh, I will add that to the recipe! They should be removed. The leaves are edible when they are ground up, but not so pleasant to eat whole. They impart such a wonderful flavor, think of it like tea or coffee. 🙂
Sylvia, you are one amazing chef with delectable recipes. You must have been by your dad’s side learning to cook which brings joy to my heart!!! I tell everyone I know about you. I was telling a couple at Whole Foods (while we were getting our high pH water) about the Thai Panang and they said, “We just arrived back home from Thailand last night”. What are the odds? Light and Love to all.
Thanks Colette 🙂 Appreciate you sharing the blog- it means a lot!
Zoooo lekker! Zeer gebalanceerde smaken en structuren.
Tot op de bodem opgegeten en het bord ook nog schoon gelikt
(Soooo delicious! Very balanced flavors and structures.
Ate all the way to the bottom and the plate was also licked clean)
Thanks for letting us know Maria! So happy you enjoyed.
Your recipes are so incredibly good. I have to avoid highly saturated fat laden coconut milk so added blended lite silken tofu.
What a interesting idea Joyce! Glad it worked out for you.