Thai Red Curry Chicken Thigh Bake

This one-pan Thai red curry chicken bake keeps the chicken thighs juicy while building a rich, aromatic sauce. The paste can be made from scratch with dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste, or you can use a shortcut with a good quality shop-bought red curry paste boosted with tomato purée and paprika.

The chicken is browned first to crisp the skin, then baked in coconut milk and stock so the sauce reduces and flavours the meat while leaving the skin golden.

Yield 4

Author Sorrel Benge-Abbott

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

1 H & 15 M

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Thai Red Curry Chicken Thigh Bake

This one-pan Thai red curry chicken bake keeps the chicken thighs juicy while building a rich, aromatic sauce. The paste can be made from scratch with dried chillies, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste, or you can use a shortcut with a good quality shop-bought red curry paste boosted with tomato purée and paprika. The chicken is browned first to crisp the skin, then baked in coconut milk and stock so the sauce reduces and flavours the meat while leaving the skin golden.

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Ingredients

For the curry paste

• 6 dried red chillies, soaked in a couple of tablespoons of hot water until soft, then drained
• 3–4 medium fresh red chillies, deseeded if you want it milder (depending on heat)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 medium shallots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, chopped
• 2 cm galangal (or ginger), chopped
• 1 tsp shrimp paste (or 2 anchovy fillets)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée, optional
• 1 tsp sweet paprika, optional
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Shortcut option: Use 3–4 tbsp good quality Thai red curry paste, blended with 1 tbsp tomato purée and 1 tsp paprika to boost colour and body.

For the rest

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 150 ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (taste before adding more)
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• Handful coriander and Thai basil leaves, to serve
• Steamed greens and jasmine rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry. Sprinkle the skin lightly with salt and leave for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, or overnight if possible.
2. Make the paste by blending all the ingredients until smooth. If using shop-bought paste, blitz with tomato purée and paprika to improve the colour and body.
3. Pat the chicken skin dry again. Heat a wide shallow pan over medium-high heat and melt the coconut oil. Fry the chicken, skin side down, for around 5 minutes until golden and crisp, checking regularly so it doesn’t burn. Remove to a plate.
4. Pour off any excess fat, leaving around 2 tablespoons in the pan to stop the sauce turning greasy.
5. Return the pan to medium heat. Add the curry paste and fry for 3–5 minutes until fragrant, stirring continuously.
6. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Stir in the coconut milk, chicken stock and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer briefly until smooth, then taste and add fish sauce if needed.
7. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce, skin side up, ensuring the liquid only comes halfway up the thighs so the skin stays crisp. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. For smaller thighs, check from 25 minutes.
8. Scatter with coriander and Thai basil, and serve with lime wedges, steamed greens and jasmine rice.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

740

Fat

61 g

Carbs

10 g

Sugar

5 g

Protein

45 g

Approximate values per serving (without rice)

https://www. sorrellskitchen/recipes/thai-red-curry-chicken-bake

All rights reserved for Sorrel's Kitchen

Thai, Chicken, Curry, Chicken thighs, Chilli, Ginger, Coconut milk

Mains, Dinner

Thai

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Ingredients and sourcing tips

Chicken thighs
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs stay juicy during baking and crisp beautifully. Breasts will dry out, so avoid swapping. If you prefer boneless thighs, use them but shave about 10 minutes off the oven time.

Chillies
Dried red chillies bring body and depth to the paste, while fresh chillies add bright heat. Slice off a tip and taste it before blending - every chilli is different, depending on size or even how recent it was watered before being picked - if it’s fiery, use fewer or deseed to control the heat. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

Galangal
Fresh galangal has a sharper, more citrusy flavour than ginger and is worth seeking out at Asian supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute with a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger or a tablespoon of galangal paste. Scraping the skin of the ginger with a teaspoon is the easiest way to peel without waste.

Shrimp paste
This is traditional in Thai curry pastes and gives a punch of umami. If you can’t find it, anchovy fillets are a workable substitute.

Kaffir lime leaves
Perfect for adding a Thai fragrant, citrusy lift. Dried leaves are often available but fresh ones are available in asian supermarkets. If you can’t get them, use peeled slivers of lime zest instead but remove them before serving.

Variations and dietary swaps

Shortcut curry paste
If you don’t have time to make the paste from scratch, use 3–4 tablespoons of shop-bought Thai red curry paste and blitz it with tomato purée and paprika. This boosts the colour and flavour while saving time.

Lighter version
If you want to reduce the calories, remove the chicken skin and just brown the flesh before baking. The flavour is still good, but you’ll miss out on the crisp skin.

Kitchen notes

Crisp skin
Keeping the sauce level below the skin line is essential. It means the chicken gently poaches in the curry sauce while the skin stays golden.

Sauce consistency
Pour or spoon off any excess fat before adding the paste so the sauce doesn’t become greasy or split. The coconut milk and stock will reduce in the oven, giving you a glossy sauce that clings to the rice.

Tasting for balance
Always add the fish sauce after tasting. It should lift the sauce with savoury depth, but too much can overwhelm the other flavours.

Heat control
Start with fewer fresh chillies if you’re unsure, and deseed them for less heat. You can always serve extra sliced chillies on the side.

Cooking times

Bone-in chicken thighs usually take about 30 minutes in the oven after browning. If your thighs are smaller, check from 25 minutes. The meat should be tender and pull easily from the bone, with juices running clear.

Serving suggestions

Serve with extra chilli slices, a wedge of lime and scattered with fresh coriander and Thai basil. Pair with steamed jasmine rice and seasonal greens like pak choi or tenderstem broccoli. For drinks, a crisp lager or chilled Riesling balances the heat, while a Thai iced tea makes a refreshing non-alcoholic match.