Crock Pot Massaman Curry Chicken
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Using this authentic recipe, it’s easy to make Massaman Curry Chicken at home in a Crock Pot, or on the stove. This popular Thai curry is slightly sweet, with mild spice. It’s rich, creamy, flavorful and easy to toss in a slow cooker in the morning, to come home to a delicious dinner in the evening!
Table of contents
Massaman curry is one of my favorite dishes to order at a Thai restaurant. At our favorite spot in San Diego, Koon Thai, they serve roti bread with a side of massaman curry for dipping and it’s always a must-order appetizer for me!
While I’ve been making this massaman curry chicken recipe since 2013, I recently updated the recipe, adding a couple extra spices to really bring out the authentic flavors of the massaman curry.
Like any traditional massaman curry recipe, this dish is flavored by a delicious curry paste. While you can make your own paste at home, I’ve found that Mae Ploy curry paste, which I order online, is authentic, flavorful and makes this dish come together so easily!
Combined with a delicious combination of spices, peanuts, vegetables and fish sauce, this dish is packed with flavor! I’ve made this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs. Both are so tasty, it’s really just a matter of personal preference.
It only takes 10 minutes to prep this recipe for a slow cooker. Let it simmer all day, then come home to a delicious dinner! Want to make this recipe on the stove top? I have instructions for that too!
Why this recipe works
- It’s packed with the authentic flavors of traditional Thai massman curry.
- It only takes 10 minutes of hands-on time to prep this recipe for the slow cooker or stove.
- It makes a lot of food, and tastes just as delicious the next day (maybe even better!) as leftovers!
Ingredients
- Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
- Ginger – fresh grated ginger will give you delicious flavor in the curry, but you can also use ginger paste if that’s all you have on hand.
- Curry powder – in addition to curry paste in the sauce, the chicken is tossed with curry powder for maximum curry flavor in this recipe.
- Five spice powder – while this combination of spices is traditionally found in Chinese cooking, this is my secret ingredient for making massaman curry with an extra kick of flavor. Ground cinnamon is traditionally found in massaman curry, and is one of the five ingredients in this five spice powder. If you don’t have five spice powder, you can simply use ground cinnamon instead.
- Ground coriander – a traditional spice found in Thai curry recipes. This is one of the spices that I added from the original recipe. It adds a rich flavor to the dish.
- Ground cumin – another traditional spice found in Thai curry pastes, I added this ingredient from the original recipe to give the chicken even more of the traditional curry flavor.
- Brown sugar – just a teaspoon of sugar will add a slight sweetness to the curry.
- Cayenne pepper powder – use only 1/4 teaspoon of this spicy pepper to add a slight spice to the dish. For a spicier curry, add more cayenne pepper to the curry sauce.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) – in the images pictured throughout this post, I used chicken thighs to make this recipe. I’ve also made it several times with chicken breasts. Both work well in this recipe, so feel free to use your favorite.
- Onion + carrots + red potatoes – each of these vegetables are commonly found in massaman curry recipes. Feel free to add more vegetables, like bell peppers, broccoli or eggplant.
- Peanuts – one of the signature ingredients in massaman curry.
- Coconut milk – you will need two cans of unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe. I recommend full-fat coconut milk to create a rich, creamy curry sauce. If you want to make the sauce extra creamy, you can also use canned coconut cream.
- Chicken broth – or water can be used, if you don’t have any broth on hand. The broth will add more flavor, but we’re only using 3/4 cup for the recipe, so it won’t make a huge difference either way.
- Fish sauce – adds a wonderful umami flavor to the dish.
- Massaman curry paste – make your own at home using this recipe, purchase Mae Ploy Curry Paste on Amazon, or pick some up at your local Asian market. I’ve found that most major grocery stores do not carry massaman curry paste in stores.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add the chicken and vegetables to a slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine crushed garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, five spice powder, ground coriander, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne pepper powder. Add sliced chicken breasts or thighs to a slow cooker. Add the seasoning mixture and toss to coat the chicken in the spices. Place the potatoes, carrots, onions and peanuts in the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Make the curry sauce. In the same large bowl that you made the spice mix, add coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce and massaman curry paste. Whisk to combine the ingredients, then pour the sauce into the slow cooker with the chicken and vegetables. Stir to combine everything. Make sure the vegetables and chicken are covered in the sauce. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.
What to serve with it
Once the massaman curry chicken has cooked all day in the slow cooker, serve it topped with diced green onions, fresh chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts. I also like to serve lime wedges on the side for drizzling over the curry. The lime juice adds a bright pop of flavor to the dish.
Because this curry recipe is loaded up with veggies, it can be eaten by itself, but I recommend pairing it with your favorite variety of rice. I also love dipping up the extra sauce with roti bread! Click any of the links below for the recipes.
Additions and variations
- Make it with beef, instead of chicken. Massaman curry sauce pairs just as well with beef and lamb, as it does with chicken. Making massaman curry beef is so easy in the slow cooker, simply swap out the chicken breasts or thighs with two pounds of cubed beef chuck roast, or two pounds of beef short ribs.
- Make it spicy. Massaman curry is typically served with mild spice, if you’d like to spice it up, add 4-6 minced Thai chilies in with the garlic, ginger and spices, to season the chicken. You can also increase the amount of cayenne powder from 1/4 teaspoon up to 1 teaspoon.
- Add more vegetables. In addition to the carrots, potatoes and onions, feel free to add 1 cup of broccoli, green beans, sliced zucchini, green or red bell peppers cut into a large dice, or cubed eggplant.
How to make it on the stove
If you prefer to make this massaman curry chicken on the stove, instead of in a slow cooker, follow these simple instructions.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce and massaman curry paste. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine crushed garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, five spice powder, ground coriander, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne pepper powder. Add the chicken to the spices and toss to coat.
- Place a large pot, or dutch oven, on the stove over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add the spice coated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside.
- Pour the prepared curry sauce in the pan, then add the potatoes, carrots, onions and peanuts. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pan, then reduce the heat on the stove to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover massaman curry chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the massaman curry in a microwave for 3 minutes, or in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
Diet variations
To make this recipe vegetarian, and vegan, replace the chicken with 4 cups of vegetables. This can be more carrots, onions and potatoes, or additional veggies like broccoli, bell peppers or eggplant. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and replace the fish sauce with soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos. Use a vegan massaman curry paste that does not include shrimp paste, like this curry paste, found on Amazon.
This recipe is gluten free using the ingredients pictured above. Always check the label on fish sauce and curry paste to make sure they are gluten free.
Tools for this recipe
- Slow cooker or dutch oven (for the stovetop version)
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
More Thai recipes
Try these other authentic Thai recipes that have been tested and perfected in my kitchen!
Made this Massaman Curry Chicken recipe and loved it? Be sure to rate it 5 stars in the recipe card below!
Crock Pot Massaman Curry Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons five spice powder, or ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
- 1 cup onion, large dice
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cups red potatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 28 ounces coconut milk
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ cup massaman curry paste
Optional toppings
- 1 tablespoon green onions, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, ginger, curry powder, five spice powder, ground coriander, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken to a slow cooker, then pour the spices over the chicken. Toss until the chicken is coated in the spices.
- Add the onions, carrots, potatoes and peanuts to the slow cooker.
- In the same large bowl that you made the spice mix, add the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce and massaman curry paste. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the curry sauce into the slow cooker with the chicken and vegetables.
- Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
- After the cooking time, serve the curry in bowls with cooked white rice (optional) and top with fresh diced green onions, chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side for drizzling over the curry.
Notes
- How to make it on the stove:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce and massaman curry paste. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine crushed garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, five spice powder, ground coriander, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne pepper powder. Add the chicken to the spices and toss to coat.
- Place a large pot, or dutch oven, on the stove over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add the spice coated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned on the outside.
- Pour the prepared curry sauce in the pan, then add the potatoes, carrots, onions and peanuts. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, cover the pan, then reduce the heat on the stove to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Make it with beef instead of chicken – simply swap out the chicken breasts or thighs with two pounds of cubed beef chuck roast, or two pounds of beef short ribs.
- To spice up the curry, add 4-6 minced Thai chilies in with the garlic, ginger and spices, to season the chicken. You can also increase the amount of cayenne powder from 1/4 teaspoon up to 1 teaspoon.
- Store leftover massaman curry chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the massaman curry in a microwave for 3 minutes, or in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
- To make this recipe vegetarian, and vegan, replace the chicken with 4 cups of vegetables. This can be more carrots, onions and potatoes, or additional veggies like broccoli, bell peppers or eggplant. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and replace the fish sauce with soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos. Use a vegan massaman curry paste that does not include shrimp paste, like this curry paste, found on Amazon.
- This recipe is gluten free using the ingredients pictured above. Always check the label on fish sauce and curry paste to make sure they are gluten free.
Nutrition Facts
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4 Comments on “Crock Pot Massaman Curry Chicken”
How many servings does this recipe provide roughly?
Hi Nicki, this recipe will serve 6-8. Enjoy!
Looks amazing! I’m salivating now just by looking at that recipe! 🙂
You should have come over last week for “take-outs”, the recipe made a ton 🙂