Massaman Chicken Curry

Last Updated on January 11, 2023 by Chef Mireille

Thailand, like much of Southeast Asia, has an Indian community who are descendants of Muslim traders. This is the most popular Thai curry from that community and is most often made with beef or mutton in Thailand. However, I went with the more commonly eaten in the US chicken version here. This curry is very similar to Malaysia’s rendeng, a rich coconut milk curry commonly made with beef or mutton – a popular dish of Malaysia’s Indian descended population.

From what I can surmise is that this curry came from Thai Muslims, who were originally from Indonesia. At that time, the curry was called Salaman. Since Mussalman is the word for a Muslim person in India, it’s probable that the later Indian immigrants renamed the curry. I used this site as a resource for this week’s Thai recipes. More than the authentic recipes, her posts are all jam packed full of history, leading you to be able to create an authentic version of the recipe…instead of just a quick version that has become popular in the west. If you are interested in Thai food, hop over and pay her blog a visit. It’s a treasure trove of recipes and culinary history. I chose to do a quick method and used store bought Massaman curry paste, however if you want to make a homemade version of the curry paste yourself, check her recipe here. While her recipe used a slightly adapted fusion recipe by doing a whole roasted bird (like we would use for Thanksgiving or another holiday meal), I went with a more traditional rustic version in my adaptation.

Massaman Chicken Curry

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

Yield: Serves 8

Chicken Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces with bone
• 1 onion, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 5 crushed green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups water

Curry Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5 tablespoons Massaman curry paste
• 1 cup coconut cream (see note below)
• 8 oz. red potatoes, cut into eighths
• 2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup palm sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2/3 cup roasted peanuts

In a large pot, combine chicken, onions, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, pineapple juice, coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.

In a wok, heat coconut oil. Add coconut cream. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Add curry paste and cook for 3 minutes, until the oil starts to separate.

Add potatoes and 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the chicken. Cook on high for 20 minutes.

Add cooked chicken with all the remaining liquid, 1 cup of thin coconut milk (remaining in the can after you removed the cream), pineapple, palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, lime juice, peanuts and salt.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with sticky rice.

Notes: If using canned coconut milk, DO NOT SHAKE THE CAN. Open can and carefully remove the cream from the top.

After making this recipe, I was shopping at my local food co-op and noticed that they had one brand that also sold the coconut cream separately in a small can. The brand is Native Forest. Since my food coop only sells all natural and organic products, you might be able to get it at an organic market if your local  market does not carry this brand. Don’t buy cream of coconut. That is a totally different product.

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Massaman Chicken Curry

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• Chicken Ingredients:
• 2 1/2 lbs. chicken pieces with bone
• 1 onion cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• Curry Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 5 tablespoons Massaman curry paste
• 1 cup coconut cream see note below
• 8 oz. red potatoes cut into eighths
• 2 cups chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup palm sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2/3 cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

• In a large pot, combine chicken, onions, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, pineapple juice, coconut milk and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• In a wok, heat coconut oil. Add coconut cream. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Add curry paste and cook for 3 minutes, until the oil starts to separate.
• Add potatoes and 2 cups of the cooking liquid from the chicken. Cook on high for 20 minutes.
• Add cooked chicken with all the remaining liquid, 1 cup of thin coconut milk (remaining in the can after you removed the cream), pineapple, palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, lime juice, peanuts and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Notes

If using canned coconut milk, DO NOT SHAKE THE CAN. Open can and carefully remove the cream from the top.

After making this recipe, I was shopping at my local food co-op and noticed that they had one brand that also sold the coconut cream separately in a small can. The brand is Native Forest. Since my food coop only sells all natural and organic products, you might be able to get it at an organic market if your local market does not carry this brand. Don't buy cream of coconut. That is a totally different product.

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