For many people, massaman is their favourite of all Thai curries because of the tender braised meats and aromatic spices. It's so popular that CNNGo once voted it to be "the most delicious food in the world!" This chicken massaman curry recipe is one that I've been making since I was a teenager in Thailand, and I promise it'll beat anything you get at a Thai restaurant!
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What is Massaman Curry?
In the context of Thai cuisine, massaman curry is unique in that it is thicker and richer than others like green curry or red curry. It also uses a lot of warm spices, making its flavour more reminiscent of Indian curries. It's believed to have come to Thailand via southern Thailand via the Malay people who are Muslims, which is why in Thailand massaman curry is considered a Muslim-Thai food.
Because of that, you will find massaman curries in Thailand made with chicken, beef, or even goat, but never pork. This is despite pork being the most popular meat in Thailand!
Massaman is typically a mild curry, so it is also one that's perfect for kids or those with low spice tolerance. For another mild Thai curry, try this Thai yellow curry recipe.
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
Just an FYI that the recipe has been updated after the release of this video (which is very old!), so some of the steps and amounts in the recipe card may differ slightly. But it is still good to watch to get the idea of the process!
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.
- Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks. If you want to substitute beef, check out this luxurious massaman beef recipe here that uses short ribs, or this Instant Pot massaman curry which uses chuck. Pork is not typically used for massaman curry because it is a dish of Muslim origin.
- Coconut milk. See my post here on how to choose the best coconut milk.
- Massaman curry paste. Store-bought curry paste is perfectly fine to use, Mae Ploy and Maesri both make massaman curry paste. However, because it's not considered a "basic" curry like red, green or even yellow curry, so many stores will not carry it, especially if it's not an Asian grocery store. Fortunately, you can make a semi-homemade massaman paste by adding some spices to store bought red curry paste. If you like to DIY you can also make homemade massaman curry paste from scratch.
- Palm sugar, or substitute light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- Fish sauce, see my post for how to choose the best fish sauce
- Tamarind paste, you can use pre-made tamarind paste (also labeled as tamarind concentrate) or make you own from pulp. Be sure to use tamarind from Thailand and not India to ensure it is the right product. If you're unfamiliar, read more about what tamarind is and how we use it in Thai cooking. If you can't find it, a touch of Worcestershire sauce or lime juice is fine.
- Potato, a starchy potato such as russet is fine but they overcook easily so you have to be careful. A waxier potato such as Yukon Gold or new potatoes will be a little more forgiving so it's generally my preference. You can also use yellow sweet potatoes (but not the orange ones as they are too soft and watery).
- Yellow onion, cut into 1 cm strips.
- Roasted whole peanuts
- Jasmine rice for serving. But feel free to serve it with brown rice as well!
How to Make Massaman Curry มัสมั่นไก่
Here's a bird's eye view of this recipe, when you're ready to make, please see the full recipe card below!
Before you cook: Like all stews, this dish is better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle. So if you can, make it a day in advanced!
- In a heavy bottom pot, reduce ½ cup of the coconut milk until it “breaks,” i.e. the coconut oil starts to separate. If the coconut has been reduced until very thick and this doesn't happen, that's fine, go ahead and proceed. (Some coconut milk has been processed in a way that prevents separation of fat).
- Add the curry paste to the reduced coconut milk and sauté for a few minutes on medium heat until aromatic.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, with the palm sugar and 2 tablespoon of the fish sauce and 2 tablespoon of the tamarind paste. Add the chicken and simmer gently for 35 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, onions and peanuts, and if needed, add enough water to keep everything barely submerged. Let simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked.
- When the cooking is done, do a final seasoning check of the sauce. Adjust by adding more fish sauce (for salty), tamarind (for acid), and sugar (for sweet). Serve with jasmine rice.
Important Note: The reason I don't add all of the fish sauce and tamarind at once is because of variability in products. Curry pastes vary greatly in their saltiness, so adding everything at once may result in a dish that is too salty. Tamarind paste also varies greatly in acidity!
Modifications
- Massaman curry can be adapted for a pressure cooker. Check out my Instant Pot massaman curry recipe here.
- It can also be cooked in a slow cooker. I don't have a recipe specifically for it, but you can use my recipe for the massaman curry sauce, and then follow instructions for another slow cooker recipe for the protein of your choice.
- Vegetarian massaman curry. You can omit the chicken and use vegetarian proteins such as tofu and other vegetables, keeping in mind that this is a rich curry, so you will need hearty veggies to stand up to the flavour. Eggplant, mushrooms, and root vegetables are all good choices. Adjust cooking time accordingly. Use soy sauce instead of fish sauce, and make sure that the curry paste does not contain shrimp paste.
Storage
Massaman curry keeps VERY well. In fact, I recommend making it one day in advance for even better flavour. But when you reheat, be careful not to overcook the potatoes! In the fridge, in an airtight container, the curry will keep for up to a week.
If you want to make this recipe a part of your regular rotation, I suggest making the massaman curry sauce in advance and freeze it!
Other Thai Curry Recipes to Try
If you're a fan of Thai curries, check out these other popular and equally easy recipes.
- Green curry is a classic, and there's a really good vegan green curry, too!
- Red curry is what I consider the most basic of all curries so it's a good one to start, and just about any Asian market sells red curry paste! Here's a chicken red curry with squash, and a red pineapple curry with shrimp.
- Yellow curry is something else to try if you want to stick to the stewy, rich curry similar to massaman. I have both yellow curry chicken and yellow curry with beef.
Thai Massaman Curry Chicken มัสมั่นไก่
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Authentic and easy recipe for Thai massaman curry with chicken. It's a 1-pot dish that's Thai food beginner-friendly. See modifications for other proteins and a vegan version in the blog post. Gluten free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (500 ml) coconut milk, divided
- 5 to 6 tablespoons (75 to 90 ml) massaman curry paste, store bought, semi-homemade or homemade
- 3 tablespoons (36 g) finely chopped palm sugar or light brown sugar, packed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) tamarind paste, store-bought or homemade
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) fish sauce
- 2 pounds (1 kg) chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on
- 10.5 ounces (300 g) waxy potatoes, such as new or red-skinned potatoes, cut in 1-inch (2.5 cm ) chunks
- ½ large yellow onion, cut in ½-inch (1.2 cm) strips
- ¼ cup (35 g) unsalted roasted peanuts
- Jasmine rice, for serving
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Instructions
Place ½ cup (125 ml ) coconut milk in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Add the curry paste and stir to mix well, and let the mixture thicken, stirring frequently, until the mixture is very thick and the coconut oil separates from the paste, about 5 minutes (the oil may not separate depending on the coconut milk you’re using; this is okay ). If the paste sticks to the bottom of the pot, deglaze with a bit of coconut milk.
Add the remaining coconut milk and stir to mix, scraping the bottom to make sure no curry paste is stuck. Add the palm sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml ) tamarind paste, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml ) fish sauce. Stir to mix well, then taste the sauce and add more fish sauce as needed. You will need to adjust the seasoning again after it’s done, but it’s important that the chicken is cooking in a well-seasoned sauce.
Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer gently over low heat, partially covered, for 35 minutes. (Time to make your rice now if you haven't done so!)
Add the potatoes, onions, and peanuts; if there is not enough liquid to keep the potatoes and onions barely submerged, top it up with more coconut milk or water (using coconut milk will make a richer curry ). Cook the potatoes over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until they are fully cooked.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce or tamarind paste as needed. Serve with jasmine rice.
Tim says
I’ve been using this recipe and have really enjoyed the dish it produces. However, I’m not entirely confident that it’s truly authentic. I recently discussed the recipe with a Thai person, and they were a bit surprised by some of the key ingredients. Especially the use of tamarind paste and the amount of palm sugar. According to them, traditional Massaman curry does not typically include tamarind paste, and palm sugar is used only sparingly, if at all, mainly to adjust sweetness to personal taste. They also suggested adding a cinnamon stick and a bay leaf, not mentioned in this recipe, to the pot during the cooking process. I found to be a helpful tip for enhancing the depth of flavor.
Jake says
Pailin grew up in Thailand and this is a recipe from her childhood. I haven't ever seen a Massaman curry recipe without tamarind paste and sweetness is a preference. This reminds me of when my Sicilian friend said 'fish and tomato NEVER go together' when there's so many Sicilian dishes including both ingredients. People aren't always correct, even to do with their culture. There is also cinnamon in the curry paste.
Bob says
My favorite Thai curry. I use the Massaman Curry I get from my Asian market by a company called 'Maesri' and have found of all the other curry pastes, this is the best one and most consistently good. But I used your recipe and the extra tamarind paste really drives a great flavor my past ones had missed. I'll be using this recipe a lot!
James Cummings says
I use the Maesri as well, it's great. My favourite is beef the beef massaman recipe, but the chicken is great as well. It is so difficult not to eat the whole pot in one go.
Liz Lumpkin says
Absolutely love this recipe! I just tried it and loved it, so easy to follow! But I still cannot get that delicious layer of oil on top which you mentioned is a traditional Thai standard. Mine mixes tougher and looks more like a creamy base, no separation. Any advice to keep the oil separation?
Jack Freiermuth says
Fantastic! I used drumsticks, but I’m not sure if I should cut it off or serve whole drumsticks?
Also I added pineapple because my fav Thai restaurant adds pineapple to their Massaman
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Just serve whole drums, the meat should fall off very easily when you eat anyway 🙂 Pineapple sounds great.
Doc Clabo says
This dish was delicious, but the potatoes took forever to cook through, even though I cut them somebody smaller than the one inch you recommended. Once they were cooked, in about 40 (!) minutes, it was great.
Ben says
Great recipe. Easily made vegan with vegan alternatives for fish sauce and chicken.
Mark says
I'd like to use healthier chicken breasts. In this case, when would you add the chicken? I'm guessing when you add the potato but I'd love your opinion.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Cut it into thin, ½ inch strips so there's a lot of surface area for the sauce to coat it, and at this size, you simply need it to cook for 2 minutes just until cooked through. So add them in at the end, and marinate the chicken breast with fish sauce as it won't have time to absorb the flavour from the curry.
Audrey says
Delicious! Definitely worth the effort to get the tamarind paste and other authentic ingredients. Just as good as I've had in restaurants, if not better.
I live out in the country now with no access to international restaurants, so I'm thrilled to be able to make this at home 💜
Sara Miller says
I had this for the first time at a local Thia restaurant! It was delicious! I am making it this week!! I think they also had carrots in it! Yummy
Louise says
Delicious. We have had lamb massaman before and I wanted to use up some of the ingredients in my fridge, but we had chicken on hand as protein. I had to substitute peanuts for cashews (what I had available), however everyone loved this.
DDean says
At the 11:00 min mark, there is what sounds like a bird of some sort in the background...Can you identify the animal for me? I have heard it before (but I can not remember) and would love to know what it is.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Unfortunately I don't know what that bird is!
Peyton payne says
Would I be able to make this in the crockpot?
Yasmin Karim says
Hello! Do you have a specific brand of massaman curry paste you would recommend ? Thank you!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I generally like Maeploy 🙂
Shawn says
I just tried your recipe and it was absolutely delicious! I love Thai food and I really wanted to learn how to cook some of my favorite dishes at home because I can't get good Thai where I live in the south. I didn't know what to expect bc often Asian recipes on line are very American, disappointing, and lack flavor and authenticity, etc. I headed to my local Asian grocery and picked up the ingredients that I didn't have like the curry, tamarind, and coconut milk. We had just had Thai Massaman in Jersey while visiting and it was good. I added carrots to mine bc the restaurants that I've had it include carrots. Your recipe was perfect and a big hit, and one that I will add to my tried and true delicious recipes for guest! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.
Ree says
Omg Pailin, bless your hands! This was so so good. Incredible flavours yet so simple to make. Thank you for sharing these amazing recipes so generously. Love these recipes and love you.
Bert says
Great taste! Thanks.
Sarah Patch says
Really looking forward to trying this! Normally when I use skin-on chicken, you’d want to make the skin crispy through broiling or something similar. How does the skin end up in this recipe, just being boiled? Does it dissolve, or does it get soft/mushy?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
It just ends up soft 🙂
dave says
Just returned to try Thai cooking after over 20 years. My efforts all those years ago were disappointing compared to authentic Thai cooking. However now thanks to the care put into the recipies and how to cook them, an ABSOLUTE SUCCESS with chicken Tom Yam and Massaman curry. Thank you Hot Thai Kitchen, all credit to you!!!
Sabrina Hicks says
I'm wondering when you would add the tofu to cook? I'm thinking to press it, pre-fry it in sesame oil and salt, later fry it into the paste like with the chicken. But then don't add it to the pot until we add the vegetables? Since it probably doesn't have to cook as long as the chicken? Also, how much tofu do you think? I'm thinking a half block of firm pressed cubed tofu? Thank you so much! I'm excited!
CHETAN R MURTHY says
I'm also curious about details on how to make this veg: I recently learned about pressing extra-firm tofu to get out excess water, then pan-frying it, and .... haha, I'm really eager to try it with Thai recipes (already making tofu pad thai - yum).
Mick says
Regarding the bone in & skin on chicken, how do you like to serve this when it’s done? Also, do you need to skim off any fat?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I serve the chicken with the bones in, and it's gonna be so tender you can pry the meat off with a fork and spoon. You don't need to skim off the fat unless you want to
Monika says
Hi Pailin, can I make this curry with prawns rather than meat? Will it still taste authentic and do you think prawns will go nicely with it?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Prawns are not usually used in massaman because the heavy spices tend to overwhelm the prawns, but you could certainly try!
Monika says
Thank you so much for your response! I used prawns it was delicious but I’ll make it next time with chicken! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!!
Taylor says
I've never given a review on a recipe, but I had to on this one. I believe this was the best meal I have ever made. My husband and I were floored. The flavor was excellent, the consistency was perfect, the vegetables were tender and the chicken was juicy. This trumps any massaman we've had. Thank you for sharing.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Thank you so much!!! So glad to hear!
Kat says
I was wondering, what's the best way to adjust spice level? I prefer a spicier massaman curry and my family prefers a milder.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Make the big batch mild, and then for your portion, I would add some kind of spicy chili flakes/powder. You can buy Thai chili flakes from Asian stores, or make your own by buying spicy dried chilies, toasting it slightly, then grinding it into a powder.
Eleni Rokakis says
I COMPLETELY agree-this was incredible!
JM says
This is such an easy recipe to follow, especially if you already have the curry paste on hand. From watching the blind taste test on red curry brands I decided to try some other Arroy-D flavors. Thanks for sharing so much knowledge, it's really enhanced my curry making abilities!
Mark says
Already made this a few times and it's the best version that I've tried. Want to make a beef version tonight. Have a nice chuck roast that i'll be using. Any advice on making the change from chicken to beef re: length of cooking time or browning/not browning the beef (or anything else).
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Glad to hear! Check out my massaman beef recipes, there are two on the website, one stovetop and the other using a pressure cooker. Hope you enjoy!
Steven T. says
I used the semi-homemade recipe you provide for the massaman curry paste with Aroy-D red curry paste. Personally, I would definitely cut back on the cloves and cinnamon on this as it bounces out too brightly (I have Saigon cinnamon at home - perhaps it's much stronger than other cinnamon varieties). Other than that it came out great. I cooked it using a 5.5 qt sauté pan, as I find it easier to cook with than a Dutch oven or large pot. That being said, I had to add more coconut milk after putting the potatoes (I used Klondike Goldust) and onions. I did also find myself adding more fish sauce, i.e. I used Red Boat 40°N and ended up adding 2 more tbsp. of fish sauce (5 total) and a total of 3 tbsp. of tamarind paste (I used ASIAN BEST brand).
I've seen a lot of comments here about the potato and I just want to let people know that it's a recipe and you can adjust it to your needs and to your liking. I added extra galangal, makrut lime leaf (aka kaffir lime leaf) and lemongrass because I like those flavors to shine through. Lucky for me that I can get all the ingredients easily within walking distance from my home (I live in Queens, NYC).
Thanks Pai! The recipe was thorough and easy to follow.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Glad to hear it worked out well, Steven! Thank you for your review! -Pai
Shannon says
I bought the same tamarind paste as in your supply list. I stirred it and tried to break it up. But even after the 35 minutes of cooking the chicken, there were still dime sized chunks of it. Is there something I should do before adding it to the sauce?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi Shannon, sorry to hear you had trouble with that! If you bought tamarind pulp that comes in a block, you will need to turn it into a liquid paste first following instructions here: https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/making-tamarind-paste/. I know it is confusing because different brands call tamarind products different things (pulp, concentrate, paste, etc.). Hope this helps!
Melissa says
Made our own curry paste from your recipe and it's too spicy for us. Any recommendations? We did 40g dried chilis first go round and only 8g the 2nd. The 2nd wasn't as hot but still too hot for our kids.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You'd need to change the type of chilies used to something more mild. Guajillo should be tolerable for kids.
Sophy says
Amazing taste. I used an unbranded massaman. paste from local oriental shop in UK (gamble I know!). Added extra palm sugar/fish sauce/tamarind. Absolutely amazing taste!! Thank you so much Pai!
Anja says
Only one potato and one onion? In my old, very authentic cook book they use a lot more. I love it better with more of both so that you have a kind of hot pot.
Mark says
I had Massaman curry in Thailand several years ago and it was the BEST! Now I can try to make it at home. I will use the Maesri brand which is made in Nakhon Pathom so I think it will have a good mix of spices.
Joy says
Funny no one mentions its a dish from the muslim population of Thailand.
Tom Peters says
It's literally what "Massaman" means lol
Tom Peters says
That's literally what "Massaman" means lol
Foody says
Very tasty,, Instead of store bought Massaman curry paste I made it from stratch (some extra work) but its much nicer than ready made paste:
https://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/massaman-curry-paste
Klaudia says
I wanted to write that it’s as good as at restaurant but.. it would be a lie. It’s much BETTER than in restaurant!!! Thank you for amazing recipe ❤️
Futile Resistance says
I'm not as big a fan of the massaman paste compared to the other curry pastes, but this recipe def works better than most variations elsewhere
Eva Vincil says
Hi used Chicken thighs, boneless And skinless. I mixed cumin, cinnamon, coriander seeds, pepper, salt. And nutmeg with a little bit of flor and used that on my thighs and browned them in the pan. Although not the traditional recipe it tasted good.
Sandy LV says
I used Mae Ploy Massaman paste & 1 T tamarind powder. I adjusted by using more palm sugar. Fantastic! Thank you Pai!
Stephen Chan says
I love Thai curries, while Massaman may not be my favourite among all curries, it's still delicious in it's own way, especially the peanuts!
Michael says
Earlier a dish for kings and rich people. Today you can get it everywhere in Thailand.
Today, thanks Pai, you can make it at home.
Original taste of Thailand.