Phanaeng Curry, Kai Phanaeng
This panang curry recipe fries panang paste in thick coconut cream until the oil separates, then simmers chicken in it until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Peanut butter, palm sugar and fish sauce give it its nutty, sweet-salty balance, finished with makrut lime leaf, chili and Thai basil. One serving is about 455 g — curry with jasmine rice.
Panang curry is first recorded in Tam Raa Kap Khao, a Thai cookbook printed in 1889, which already mentions kai phanaeng — chicken panang. It comes from central Thailand and the early Rattanakosin era, and its name is thought by some food writers to come from the Malay word panggang, meaning grilled, a hint that the meat was once grilled before simmering. Unlike green curry, which is built on fresh green chilies and eggplant, panang is built on dried red chilies and peanuts, cooked in coconut cream until thick — which is why it is milder, sweeter and richer than its green cousin.
Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice
Provenance
Thailand
Central Thai Classic
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
40m
15m prep • 25m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
840 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 455 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Easy (One Pot)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Central Thai Classic
Photo: Vee Satayamas, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Moderate — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)
A good panang is judged by the sauce: thick enough to coat the meat and the spoon, with a gloss of red oil on top and a balance of sweet, salty and nutty.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Slice the Chicken and Open the Coconut Milk
15 Mins • Slice + Measure
Cut the chicken into bite-size strips so it cooks evenly in the simmer. Open the coconut milk and spoon the thick cream off the top into a small bowl — that cream is what you fry the paste in. Measure the paste, peanut butter, palm sugar and fish sauce, tear the lime leaves, slice the chili and pick the basil, and get the rice cooking.
Maestro Tip: Do not shake the coconut milk can. The cream must stay separate from the thin milk underneath, or the paste will boil instead of fry.
5 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Spoon the thick coconut cream into a wide pan or wok over medium heat and stir until it bubbles and a little oil appears. Add the panang paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until it smells deeply fragrant and the oil turns red-orange. This frying step is what makes the curry taste cooked, not raw.
If the cream will not split, add a teaspoon of oil — some brands are stabilised and need help.
Done when: The paste is dark, glossy and very fragrant, with red oil at the edges.
5 Mins Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Add the chicken strips and stir to coat them in the paste, then pour in the rest of the coconut milk. Stir in the peanut butter until it melts into the sauce. Bring it just to a gentle simmer — never a hard boil, which can split the coconut milk.
Coating the chicken in the paste first means every piece is seasoned before the liquid goes in.
Done when: The chicken is coated in a thick, red-orange sauce that is barely simmering.
15 Mins Low heat, about 95°C (200°F)
Simmer gently, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon. Check the thickest piece: chicken must reach 74°C (165°F). If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water.
A slow simmer thickens the sauce; a hard boil makes it grainy.
Done when: The sauce coats a spoon thickly and the chicken reads 74°C (165°F).
3 Mins Low heat, about 95°C (200°F)
Stir in the palm sugar until it dissolves, then the fish sauce a little at a time. Taste and adjust: it should be rich and nutty first, then sweet, then salty, with a mild chili warmth behind it. Add a touch more sugar if it tastes sharp, a touch more fish sauce if it tastes flat.
Add the fish sauce in two goes — you can always add more, but you cannot take it out.
Done when: The curry tastes balanced: nutty, sweet and salty in that order.
2 Mins Low heat, about 95°C (200°F)
Stir in the torn lime leaves and half the sliced chili, then take the pan off the heat. Spoon the curry into bowls over the jasmine rice, and top with the Thai basil and the remaining chili. Serve at once while the basil is still bright.
The basil goes in off the heat so it stays green and fragrant instead of wilting black.
Done when: The curry is glossy with red oil on top, fragrant with lime leaf, and the basil is bright green.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the curry over steamed jasmine rice so the thick sauce runs into the grains, top with basil and chili, and serve immediately while the sauce is glossy and hot.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
840
kcal / serving
Protein
41g
Complete AA
Carbs
71g
Complex
Fats
45g
Healthy
| Energy | 840 kcal |
| Protein | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71 g |
| Fat | 45 g |
| Fibre | 3.9 g |
| Sugar | 9.8 g |
| Sodium | 934 mg |
| Energy | 185 kcal |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.5 g |
| Fat | 9.8 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Sugar | 2.2 g |
| Sodium | 205 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin A and C (chili, basil), vitamin K (basil, lime leaf), B vitamins and niacin (chicken), iron (chicken, peanuts).
High in Protein
About 41 g of protein per serving from the chicken, so this is a filling dinner that keeps you going for hours.
Aromatic Herbs and Spices
Galangal, lemongrass, makrut lime leaf and basil bring fragrance and fresh green notes to a rich, creamy curry.
Mild, Approachable Heat
Panang is the gentlest of the Thai curries — warm and nutty rather than fiery — so it suits people who find green curry too hot.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Jasmine rice absorbs the thick sauce and balances its richness — panang is made to be eaten with rice, not on its own.
Vegetables
Cool Cucumber Salad
Crisp cucumber with a little vinegar cools the chili warmth and cuts through the coconut richness.
Soups
Clear Vegetable Soup
A light, clear soup on the side keeps the meal from feeling too heavy after such a rich curry.
Drinks
Thai Iced Tea or Water
Sweet Thai iced tea is the classic match, but plain cold water works just as well with the mild heat.
Complete menu
Serve the panang curry with steamed jasmine rice and a cool cucumber salad — the rice soaks up the thick sauce and the cucumber cools the chili heat.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Boiling the Curry Hard
A hard boil splits coconut milk into grainy curds and oil, and toughens the chicken. Keep it at a gentle simmer. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
Extra Peanuts on a Peanut-Allergy Table
This curry contains peanut butter and panang paste often contains ground peanuts — do not serve it to anyone with a peanut allergy, and do not try to make it safe by leaving the peanuts out, as the paste itself may contain them. This is general guidance, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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