Chicken massaman curry

Try our easy chicken massaman curry

If you are looking for a low-effort way to enjoy a delicious Thai curry, our easy chicken massaman curry recipe is your solution. The vegetables and sauce require some prep work, but after that, they spend the rest of the time in the oven, giving you a hands-off cooking process.

Baking it means the chicken skin gets delightfully crispy, the sauce thickens as it slowly reduces, and everything on top takes on a superb golden-brown colour. So, switch on the oven and give it a go!

Try our tom kha gai, panang curry with chicken, or a quick Thai stir-fry with chicken for more Thai-inspired dishes.

With succulent chicken and tender potatoes

The chicken thighs roast skin-side up, which lets the skin crisp while the meat underneath stays juicy and delicate. As they bake in the sauce, the chicken draws in the creamy curry, taking on both its warmth and its gentle spice.

The potatoes break down slightly at the edges while holding their shape in the middle, giving the curry a soft bite and a mild sweetness that works so well with the spiced base. Both play an important part in giving the curry its hearty signature.

Warm and comforting spices

The warmth in this curry comes from garam masala and turmeric, combined with red curry paste. Garam masala unites several ground spices, giving the curry a blend of gentle heat, sweetness, and earthiness. Turmeric adds its distinct golden colour along with a slightly bitter note.

Red curry paste builds on that base with chilli, lemongrass, and garlic, boosting the fragrance with sharpness and heat. Upon baking, the spices settle into the sauce and intensify, leaving a comforting, multi-dimensional experience in every spoonful. It has most of the flavours you associate with Indian cuisine, all wrapped into one delicious curry.

Incredibly creamy curry sauce

The curry sauce turns incredibly creamy with the combination of coconut milk and cooking cream. Coconut milk sets a base of tropical sweetness and soft nuttiness, and the peanut butter deepens that flavour. The peanut butter also thickens the sauce, adding body and enhancing the sauce’s smooth, creamy finish. Fish sauce sharpens the flavour with a salty, punchy edge, while soy sauce offers a savoury, slightly sweet taste with a hint of bitterness that steers the flavour towards umami.

Serve with fluffy rice and coriander

We serve our chicken massaman curry with basmati rice to echo the Indian origin of the garam masala used in the recipe. Basmati, with its long grains and fragrant aroma, suits the creamy sauce and absorbs it into every grain.

To finish, we add a handful of chopped coriander, a classic herb in Thai cuisine used for both its flavour and freshness. Its citrusy sharpness enlivens the intense flavours of the spices and adds a lovely pop of colour to the deep browns underneath.

Find new ways to prepare the recipe

Instead of using garam masala in our chicken thigh massaman curry, play around with individual spices to steer the curry in a different direction.

Cinnamon contributes warmth right at the front, while cardamom stays further in the background, giving the sauce a floral, slightly citrusy note. Cloves have a stronger presence, sharp and bitter. Cumin lays down an earthy base, and ground coriander cuts through the creaminess with its fresh, slightly zesty flavour. Nutmeg keeps things mellow with soft muskiness, and star anise slips in with a subtle liquorice note.

You can also fold in a few vegetables alongside the potatoes. Carrots offer natural sweetness, while cauliflower breaks down slightly under the heat, blends into the sauce, and tastes both sweeter and nuttier than carrots. Small cubes of pumpkin add earthiness and provide a tender bite.

Layer on extra flavour and texture right before serving. Chopped peanuts have a pleasant crunch and mirror the flavours in the peanut butter, while a squeeze of lime cuts through the creaminess with bright acidity. Fried shallots provide a delightful sweetness, and garlic chips are sharp and nutty.