Panang Curry is a rich, creamy, and mildly spiced Thai dish. It is usually prepared with Panang curry paste, coconut milk, and fresh herbs and served for lunch and dinner. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make an ultimate Panang Curry with chicken with clear step-by-step instructions. The post also includes a detailed recipe video to make cooking easier. This Panang Curry is easy to make a dish and it takes only under 30 minutes. And it is a delicious curry with bursting flavors that tastes great as a side dish over rice or noodles.
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What is Panang Curry?
Panang Curry is one of the traditional Thai red curries that is usually thick, creamy, and mildly sweet. Especially the freshly ground curry paste, coconut milk, fish, and peanut sauces used in the recipe make this curry unique from other Thai curries. Not to mention, the bold flavors from the galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil leaves make this curry delicious and flavorsome.
This curry has its base in the Southern region of Thailand and Panang refers to the island of Penang. This Thai curry is one of the popular dishes known for its creamy texture, mild spice level with extraordinary flavors from other ingredients. It is also one of the favorite take-outs in most Thai restaurants around the world.
Ingredients
The ingredients that you will need to make this curry should be available in most Asian grocery stores and if not some can be found online stores also.
- Panang Curry Paste - It is one of the important ingredients that make the dish from other Thai curries. I have shared the detailed recipe for making the curry paste below if you want to make it from scratch. But if some of the ingredients are not easily available you could find ready-made curry paste in most Asian stores around
- Chicken and Veggies - I have made this curry with chicken breast and bell peppers, but you can feel free add your favorite veggies or seafoods as other ingredients
- Coconut Milk - Using coconut milk gives a rich sweet note and creamy texture to the curry
- Fish Sauce and Peanut Sauce - Adding fish sauce, peanut sauce or butter gives an unique taste and flavor and I suggest adding them to enjoy the real flavors of this curry
- Herbs - Finally garnishing with Kaffir lime leaves and thai basil leaves gives bold fresh flavor to the curry. Since I was not able find Kaffir lime leaves in my place I skipped it. But to note, store-brought panang curry paste also has kaffir lime leaves as one of the ingredient in the making process, so you will never miss the flavor if you are using a ready made paste.
Panang Curry Paste
This curry paste is usually made with fresh ingredients which may not be available everywhere. If you want to try it from scratch then you can follow this recipe to make it at home.
- 7 dried spur chiles, remove the seeds for less spice level
- 2 stalks lemongrass, chop only the bottom and discard the leafs
- 1 tbsp fresh galangal, chopped
- 1 small shallot
- 2 coriander roots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ tsp finely grated Kaffir lime zest
- 1 tsp Shrimp paste
- ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
- 2 tsp, roasted peanuts
- ½ tsp peppercorns
- ½ piece whole nutmeg
- 2 tsp whole coriander seeds
Process- Steep the chilies in hot water until it is softened. Remove the chilies and allow them to cool down to room temperature. Now pound the chilies in pounder until it is nice and smooth. Add the remaining ingredients one by one and pound until everything is turned into a smooth paste.
Even though pounding gives a fresh taste to this curry paste, you can also blend them in a blender to make the process easier. This quantity gives you approximately half a cup of paste which can be refrigerated in an air-tight jar for up to 1 week.
How to make Panang Curry?
The recipe shared here is a traditional Panang Curry with chicken and vegetables. Let's see the clear step-by-step instructions to make this curry.
Saute Onions - In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add onions and chopped galangal. Saute the onions until they turn soft
Add Curry paste - Add in the curry paste and saute until the raw aroma disappears
Saute Veggies - Now add in your favorite veggies, I have used green, yellow, and red bell peppers. Stir for 3 to 5 minutes.
Add Chicken - Add in the boneless chicken pieces and give a good mix. Close the lid of the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Add Coconut Milk - Open the lid and mix in the thick coconut milk. Allow the curry to boil for 5 to 7 minutes
Garnish - Add 1 tsp of fish sauce, brown sugar, and mix well. Finally, add in the basil leaves and give a good mix.
Now the delicious Panang Curry is ready for you to taste and enjoy. Serve over white or brown rice and enjoy your meal.
Tips
- I have used store brought Panang curry paste but you can also make the paste from scratch and I have also shared the recipe above
- The coconut milk used here gives a rich and creamy texture to the curry. And it also helps to deliver a mild sweetness to the Panang curry
- This Thai Panang curry is made with chicken and it can also be prepared with shrimp, tofu, and vegetables
- If you are looking for vegan-friendly Panang curry, skip the chicken, fish sauce and use vegetarian-friendly Panang curry paste and also add in your favorite veggies or tofu
- The peanut sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar used in this recipe gives a unique taste and flavor to the dish, and make sure not to skip the ingredients to achieve the same
- The sauces, curry paste used in the recipe has a good amount of salt, so keep an eye while adding salt to this curry
- This Panang curry with chicken tastes great with noodles, white, brown, or jasmine rice and can be served for lunch or dinner
Variations
- Add in your favorite vegetables to make vegetarian only Panang Curry
- To make vegan version of this recipe use vegetarian friendly Panang Curry paste that does not have shrimp or fish paste. And you can use tofu as a vegan protein option
- If you cannot find Panang curry paste, you can substitute with Thai red curry paste which delivers similar taste to the curry
- You can also substitute chicken with shrimp for seafood variation
Storage Suggestions
This Panang Curry tastes delicious when served warm and stays good for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the curry in the freezer for up to 2 months. Store in individual freezer-friendly containers and thaw before you reheat the curry.
Serving Suggestions
This curry tastes great with a bowl of white rice and most other rice dishes. You can also serve it over noodles and makes a perfect meal for lunch or dinner.
You could also find similar Thai recipes below.
More similar Chicken Recipes:
Looking for different chicken recipes to cook for your next meal or a party? Then you could also check this collection of Indo-Chinese Recipes, Indian Chicken Dry and Semi Gravy Recipes to enjoy with your family and loved ones. Have a look!
Panang Curry Recipe video
I have shared a detailed video of this Panang Curry recipe that I hope will help you to make a perfect dish at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Panang Curry
Ingredients
- 1¼ lb Chicken, boneless
- ¼ cup Onion, chopped
- ¼ cup Green Bell Pepper
- ¼ cup Red Bell Pepper
- ¼ cup Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 tbsp Galangal, chopped
- ¼ cup Panang Curry Paste
- 1 tsp Peanut Sauce
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- ¼ cup Oil
- ¼ cup Thai Basil Leaves
Instructions
To prepare Panang Curry
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add onion, galangal and saute until it turns soft
- Now add Panang curry paste and saute until the raw aroma disappears
- Add 1 tsp of peanut sauce and give it a good mix
- Now add the green, red and yellow peppers and give a nice stir
- Add the chicken pieces, salt and mix well
- Close the lid of the pan and cook the chicken for 7 to 10 minutes
- Open the lid and add coconut milk to the chicken mixture
- Allow the curry to boil for 5 to 10 minutes and then add fish sauce, brown sugar and give a good mix
- Finally, garnish the chicken curry with Thai basil leaves and switch off the flame. Now the delicious Panang curry with chicken is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this Panang Curry with a bowl of white rice and side dishes of your choice
Video
Notes
- The coconut milk used here gives a rich and creamy texture to the curry. And it also helps to deliver a mild sweetness to the Panang curry
- I have used store brought Panang curry paste but you can also make the paste from scratch
- This Thai Panang curry is made with chicken and it can also be prepared with shrimp, tofu, and vegetables
- If you are looking for vegan-friendly Panang curry, skip the chicken, fish sauce and use vegetarian-friendly Panang curry paste and also add in your favorite veggies or tofu to the same recipe instead
- The peanut sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar used in this recipe gives a unique taste and flavor to the dish, and make sure not to skip the ingredients to achieve the same
- This Panang curry with chicken tastes great with noodles, white, brown, or jasmine rice and can be served for lunch or dinner
Nutrition
FAQ
Panang Curry is a thick, creamy, and slightly sweet Thai curry made with chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. It is usually made with fresh Panang curry paste, coconut milk, kefir lime, and basil leaves. This curry is one of the popular Thai restaurant take-outs across the world. It is typically served over rice or noodles for lunch or dinner.
Panang Curry and Red Curry looks similar in color but it differs from the taste. Red curry is typically hot when compared to Panang Curry. Panang curry usually has the flavor of peanut, the sweetness of coconut which is not in the case of Red Curry.
Yes, you can skip the fish sauce if really do not like the smell, but traditional Panang Curry is made with fish sauce that delivers a unique taste and flavor.
To make a vegan version of this curry, just add your favorite veggies or tofu instead of chicken. And use vegetarian curry paste and skip the fish sauce from the recipe.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
H-3
Looking sumptuous but test after making it in home soon
Sangeetha Vel
Glad to hear that. Will be happy to hear how it turned out for you.