I really did mean to post a classic pot roast chicken. But this Thai red curry version is SO MUCH MORE EXCITING!! To-die-for red curry sauce with outrageously juicy chicken, you’ll have this in the oven in 10 minutes. Effortless recipes with incredible results, this is my kind of food!
Thai red curry pot roast chicken
Consider this to be the roast chicken version of Lamb Shanks Massaman Curry, and beloved fan-favourite where you just put everything in a pan, pop it in the oven, then out comes fall-apart bronzed lamb shanks smothered in a rich massaman curry sauce.
Admittedly, this roast chicken red curry version does call for one extra step – sautéing the curry paste with aromatics (garlic, ginger, lemongrass) – before adding everything else and transferring it into the oven. Well worth a whole 2 minutes of effort for the extra depth of flavour you get in the Thai red curry sauce. And LOOK at the sauce!!
Speaking of sauce – did I mention we’re using store bought instead of homemade red curry paste today? For ease. Which brings me to an important topic:
My favourite red curry paste – Maesri
The best and cheapest. Full stop, end of story!
There is just no other than compares in mainstream grocery stores and Asian stores here in Australia. For authentic flavour – fresh, real, and not too sweet (why-oh-why are all the “western” red curry pastes so darn sweet??!!). Given the tick of approval by Thai nationals and it happens to be the cheapest curry paste clocking in at $2.10 a can.
While I highly recommend Maesri, this recipe does work with other red curry paste brands too. But the sauce will only be as good as the curry paste you use!
Where to find Maesri red curry paste
Asian grocery stores (it’s very common here in Australia)
Australia – Woolworths, Harris Farms, Amazon, asianpantry.com.au
Other countries – Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA (strangely pricey in Canada??)
Ingredients in Thai red curry pot roast chicken
Here’s what you need to make today’s recipe.
The red curry sauce
Red curry paste – As per section above, Maesri is my preferred! Cheapest and most authentic flavour.
Lemongrass, garlic and ginger – Adding these gives the store bought curry paste a flavour boost that makes it virtually like homemade red curry paste. It really makes a different!
Lemongrass – Substitute with 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste. But one day, I hope you can make this with fresh lemongrass because it really is better!
Coconut cream – Not all coconut cream is created equal! Good ones are 100% coconut and have better flavour. Economical ones use water + thickener.
Coconut milk will also work but coconut flavour is not as intense (the sauce gets a ton of juices from chicken which dilutes the coconut flavour which is why coconut cream works better than milk).
Kaffir lime leaves – For authentic Thai curry flavour! Fairly accessible these days at large grocery stores and Asian stores. They freeze 100% perfectly which is handy.
Use leftover kaffire lime leaves in Thai red curry, Tom Yum soup, Thai meatballs, beef rendang, Malaysian chicken satay curry, green curry, golden turmeric baked fish and everybody’s favourite Asian coconut rice!
Fish sauce – This is used as the salt in red curry. More flavour than plain salt!
Sugar – For the right touch of sweetness you find in red curry sauce.
Red chilli – For optional garnish.
Vegetables and herbs
Potatoes – Small, skin on whole potatoes are best as the skin holds them together while they cook up beautifully creamy inside. If using cut pieces, add them partway through cooking else they will disintegrate.
Green beans – Just to add some vegetables into the sauce, plus a sprinkle of green. Feel free to add other vegetables!
Thai Basil has a slight aniseed flavour. Italian basil can be used in a pinch! Really adds a special touch to the finished dish so try not to skip it. But if this is the only thing you’re missing, still worth making!
Coriander/cilantro (optional) – This is mainly for garnish, though if you don’t have Thai Basil this makes a good alternative as a fresh herb addition to the dish.
Whole chicken
Oh yes, and you will need a whole chicken. Let’s not make today’s recipe like that time I forgot to include pork in a roast pork recipe!! 😂
I use a 1.8kg/3.6lb chicken. It’s fine to use one a little larger or smaller as the pot-roasting method of cooking we’re using today is very forgiving. It will keep chicken juicy even if you take it over (small chickens) and cooks evenly and fast so larger chickens will cook through.
How to make Thai red curry pot roast chicken
This all gets made in one pot, and you’ll have it in the oven in 10 minutes!
Cook off curry paste – Sauté the curry paste with lemongrass, ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. The curry paste will dry out and caramelise which intensifies and improves the flavour. An essential step when using any store bought curry paste!
Sauce – Add the chicken stock then reduce it by half to concentrate the flavour. Add the remaining sauce ingredients – coconut cream, fish sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves – and stir to combine.
Put the chicken into the sauce and spoon sauce over. Then place the potatoes around it.
Bake covered for 40 minutes.
Brown the chicken – After 40 minutes, remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Oh, and push the beans into the sauce for the last 10 minutes! Any earlier and they’ll overcook far too much.
Just use a spoon to baste the chicken (which simple means spooning the sauce over) though if you have a turkey baster, it will make your life even easier.
Final baste – Give the chicken a final baste then transfer it to a plate to rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into pieces.
Thai Basil leaves – Stir the basil leaves into the sauce just before plating up, so as to retain the freshness of the flavour.
To serve – Place the chicken pieces on a platter then pour over the sauce, potatoes and beans. Garnish with extra chilli and fresh coriander if desired, then take it to the table!
I know I’ve been going on and on about the sauce – and it really is worthy of the talk, I promise – but I shouldn’t undersell how juicy the chicken is, thanks to the pot roasting method of cooking! So much more forgiving than traditional roast chicken – which we all love, but does require more accuracy to ensure you don’t end up with a dry breast.
Ah, also, the potatoes!! Using whole small baby potatoes means we can cook them until they are really soft and creamy inside without disintegrating. If you only have large potatoes, cut them into 1.5cm / 0.6″ chunks and add them about halfway through the cook time, otherwise they will over-cook and turn into mush.
Serve over jasmine rice, to soak up all that beautiful curry sauce, and a perky side salad for something fresh. Pictured above is my Asian side salad but if I had a choice, I probably would’ve opted for smashed cucumbers or my favourite Chang’s Crispy Noodle Cabbage Salad.
I really hope you try this recipe one of these days! Something a little different but very straight forward to make that’s forgiving, with knock-your-socks-off results. It’s Amazing – with a capital A. Everybody knows when I use capitals, I really mean it! 😂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Thai red curry pot roast chicken
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg/ 3.6 lb whole chicken
- 1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 115g/ 4 oz (1/2 cup) Thai red curry paste (Maesri recommended, Note 1)
- 2 large garlic cloves , finely grated (Note 2)
- 2 tsp fresh ginger , finely grated (Note 2)
- 2 tsp fresh lemongrass , finely grated, white / pale green part only (Note 2)
- 1 cup chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 400 ml/ 14 oz coconut cream (Note 3)
- 6 kaffir lime leaves , crushed in hand (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 600g/ 1.2lb small potatoes (12 or so), skin on (Note 5)
- 120g/ 4oz green beans , trimmed and cut in half
- 15 Thai basil leaves , or more! (sub ordinary Italian basil, Note 6)
Serving + optional garnishes:
- Jasmine rice
- Red chilli , finely sliced
- Coriander / cilantro leaves
Instructions
- De-chill & salt chicken – Take the chicken out of the fridge 1 hour prior. Pat dry then sprinkle with the salt.
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan).
- Sauté curry paste – Use a large, oven-proof pot with a lid. Heat oil on medium high heat. Cook curry paste, garlic, ginger and lemongrass for 2 minutes. This step substantially improves the flavour of store bought curry paste.
- Sauce – Add chicken stock, stir, then simmer rapidly for 3 minutes to reduce by half. Stir in coconut cream, hand-crushed kaffir lime leaves, sugar and fish sauce.
- Place chicken into the sauce. Spoon over sauce. Surround with potatoes.
- Bake 1 hour – Place the lid on and bake for 40 minutes. Remove lid spoon sauce over chicken (ie. baste). Turn the oven up to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan). Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, baste, bake another 10 minutes.
- Beans, then bake 10 minutes – Push beans into the sauce (wherever they fit!). Baste again then bake for a final 10 minutes (no lid).
- Rest 10 minutes – Remove chicken onto a plate (Note 7). Rest 10 minutes. Put lid on pot to keep sauce warm.
- Serving – Carve chicken, place on platter. Stir basil leaves into sauce. Pour/spoon sauce, potatoes and beans over chicken. Garnish with chilli and coriander, if desired. Serve with jasmine rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Typical.
Hi Nagi,
This was delicious despite me not totally following the recipe so I can imagine how much better it could be!
Are you able to add a little note / comment to your recipes that are a little spicy and therefore not kid friendly?
My 5 and 3 year old was looking forward to trying it but was too spicy for them.
Thanks and keep doing the amazing recipes!
This was so good. Prep took about half an hour with all the grated ingredients, but it was absolutely worth it. We have enough for supper tomorrow night and a carcass for soup!
This was so juicy and wonderfully seasoned. Many compliments from the family. Worth it to use all the authentic ingredients.
Will make again.
Loved making this. We got two nights worth out of it and it tasted even better the next night! I have your cookbook and use it every week. I’ve never used any cookbook as much as this one. Love your work Nagi! Big hugs to Dozer. 💕💕🥰
Made this for Sunday lunch, a wonderful recipe, simply delicious. I did turn up the oven and put the potatoes on a baking sheet and they crisped up beautifully while the chicken rested. Thank you Nagi for another great recipe.
Nagi, this recipe’s making my mouth water! I have everything on hand except a whole chicken. Is it possible to use chicken thighs? If so, how might I adjust the timing for that swap? I love all your recipes and your book is my cooking Bible. Love it so much.
I used thighs. Worked fine. Was delicious
Hi Nagi! Can I make this with thigh Cutlets rather than a whole chicken?
Hi Nagi, cooked this dish tonight, WOW!! what a delicious meal. I did alter it slightly as i added egg plant and slow cooked the dish in the oven for 3 hours before turningit up to brown off the top. Perhaps not quite true to its Thai origins, but it was a huge success, thank you
Just made this for my partner and I for Sunday dinner – 10/10 from both of us! Used a slightly smaller bird and just cut 5 mins off the initial cooking time. So flavourful and one of those great showstoppers with not so much effort!
Outstanding, better than any restaurant, chicken was melt in the mouth tender, flavours sublime. Easy to prep and cook. To date, the best recipetineats recipe that I’ve made.
This was amazing. Now I’m wondering what else I can do with a pot roast chicken… I think a massaman experiment is in order Thank you, Nagi, for another fine fish.
Wow, wow, wow. What a fabulous dish. It tasted like it came from a Thai restaurant. Thanks for the red curry paste brand recommendation- I would never have tried otherwise.
Made this last night and my husband and I loved it. Used dried kaffir lime leaves and dried Thai basil (homegrown last season), sweet potatoes’ and frozen green beans that 8 first thawed. Served it with brown basmati rice and baby bok choy sautéed in (solid) coconut oil. The plating was colorful and beautiful! The only things I’d do different next time is add more green beans and use skin-on chicken pieces or chicken thighs.
i used the red Thai curry recipe a few days ago, The extras made this curry one of the best I ever tasted. Was done with Ayam red curry paste and chicken breasts rather than a whole chicken.
The best curry ever
Silver Lake Vegan makes tasty Indian Vegan food, you can have amazing Indian cuisine here We offer Takeout and Dine In services, our food is full of all fresh ingredients Enjoy while eating healthy food at our restaurant
Wondering if this would also work well in a slow cooker?
I made this a few days ago. It was absolutely fantastic! It was also very easy and quick to make. I used a large chicken cut in half (was just over 3 lbs.) I used half the amount of red curry paste because we can’t handle too much heat. It was the perfect amount. I used a tablespoon of lemongrass paste, a can of coconut milk because that’s what I had on hand, and I subbed fresh asparagus for the green beans. I didn’t have any fresh Thai basil so I just omitted it. Followed the recipe other than the mentioned changes. My husband and I enjoyed this for 3 meals along with Jasmine rice. One of the best meals I have made in a very long time. Sending you hugs and thanks from Canada, Nagi!
Made this yesterday and it was fantastic!! I couldn’t find kaffir leaves anywhere so just subbed the zest and juice of 1 lime. Also didn’t have Thai basil so used Italian instead. Was absolutely delicious with basmati rice on the side. Will definitely be making again.
Absolutely the BEST!!! I only had a 1.5kg chicken and wasn’t sure if I had to reduce the cooking time but in the end I cooked it for the same amount of time and it was perfect. So tasty and such juicy chicken. This is definitely a winner
Thai red curry pot roast chicken – Could this recipe be done in a slow cooker?
Delicious! Very easy to make. Followed instructions exactly and also added some chunky chopped carrot to boost veg intake.
Another Nagi stunner. Made this for 8 people last night and my only issue was trying to find a large enough pot. Will be making again.