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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Curry

    Thai Yellow Curry

    Published: Feb 21, 2019 · Modified: Jun 5, 2020 by Dannii · This post may contain affiliate links · 46 Comments

    442 shares
    • 135
    Jump to Recipe
    Diet: Gluten Free / Low Fat

    This fresh and vibrant Thai Yellow Curry is bursting with flavour and has lots of added vegetables - a much healthier alternative to ordering Thai food, and cheaper too. Chunks of chicken and crunchy vegetables all mixed in to a creamy yellow Thai sauce make for a healthy and comforting curry.

    Thai yellow curry in a metal bowl next to a red chilli and some mushrooms

    Most of us have heard of Thai red and green curries, but their cousin, the Thai yellow curry, does not get much love and I, for one, am trying to change that. In my opinion it is the BEST Thai curry.

    It's a little more filling as it usually has potatoes in it and the addition of turmeric just takes it to another level.

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • Step by step
    • Yellow curry paste
    • What to serve with this?
    • FAQs
    • Extra tips
    • More Thai recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Ready in just 30 minutes
    • A different Thai recipe to try
    • Easy to adapt with different ingredients

    Ingredients needed

    Two raw chicken breasts, a plate of spices, potatoes, onions, baby corn, coconut milk, chilli and green beans on a wooden surface
    • For the paste:
    • 1 small red chilli
    • 1 tablespoon curry powder
    • A thumb sized piece of ginger
    • 1 teaspoon turmeric
    • A large shallot
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 3 kafir lime leaves
    • 1 lemongrass stalk
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 0.5tsp each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds and salt
    • For the curry:
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 chicken breasts, cut in to small pieces
    • 8 (350g) new potatoes (quartered)
    • 12 baby corn (140g)
    • 2 handfuls (100g) green beans
    • 10 button mushrooms (100g)
    • 0.5 small onion, diced
    • 325ml coconut milk
    • 150ml vegetable stock
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

    Step by step

    One: Add the coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a wok or heavy frying pan over a low heat and dry fry for 60 seconds. Add to a pestle and mortar and smash until it is a fine powder.

    A frying pan with cumin seeds and coriander seeds

    Two: For all the other paste ingredients, make sure it is all chopped up very small and then add it to the pestle and mortar.

    A pestle and mortar with seeds, spices, ginger, garlic, shallot and red chili

    Three: Pound for around 10 minutes until it is a paste.

    A mortar bowl containing a yellow curry paste

    Four: Put the potatoes to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 6 minutes.

    A saucepan containing baby potatoes cut in half

    Five: Add the oil to a large wok over a low heat and add the shallot and cook for 60 seconds.

    A large silver wok with chopped shallots

    Six: Put the curry paste in the pan.

    A large silver wok with chopped shallots and yellow curry pasta

    Seven: Add 3 tablespoon of the coconut milk and stir.

    A large silver wok with chopped shallots, yellow curry paste and coconut milk

    Eight: Put the small chicken chunks in the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

    A large silver wok with chopped shallots, yellow curry paste, coconut milk and diced chicken

    Nine: Add the vegetables and stir.

    A large silver wok with chopped vegetables, diced chicken all in a yellow curry sauce

    Ten: Put the rest of the ingredients in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

    Thai yellow curry cooking in a large silver wok

    Yellow curry paste

    I know you can buy curry pastes, but it will never compare to the taste of a curry paste made from scratch. Sure, it is a little bit of effort and you will feel like your arms are going to fall off after about 5 minutes of pounding the pestle and mortar.

    But it is so worth it. Plus, you can see it as your arm workout for the day.

    This Thai Yellow Curry Paste is made with fresh and vibrant ingredients like ginger, lemongrass, chilli and turmeric and it gives the curry so much more flavour. You also just make as much as you need, so you don't have a jar of curry paste in the fridge to forget about.

    Yellow curry paste in a stone mortar

    What to serve with this?

    Putting potato in to curries is a new one for me, but it makes the curry much more filling. Because of the potatoes, I wouldn't serve this with any rice, but some naan bread to soak up all the juices would good.

    Alternatively, serve it up with our Carrot and Coriander Salad for an extra veggie boost.

    Vegetable curry in a blue and red dish

    FAQs

    Is Thai curry healthy?

    Thai curry can be a really healthy and nutritious meal, especially when you make everything from scratch and pack it full of vegetables. Also, with the inclusion of garlic, turmeric and galangal, there are lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties too.
    Of course it's important to watch your portion sizes, but avoid using too much cream and adding any sugar and you can definitely have yourself a healthy and grease free curry.

    Can Thai curry be made in advance?

    This curry is so easy to make that it is best made fresh, but you can make the paste ahead of time. Crush up all the paste ingredients and then put in the air tight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Can Thai curry be frozen?

    It can! Let the curry cool to room temperature, then portion out into a suitable freezer container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    How to reheat Thai curry

    If frozen, allow the curry to defrost fully. To reheat, simply microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat in a saucepan on the hob (stove top) over a low heat. Add a splash of water and heat until reheated thoroughly. 

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • If you are not a fan of chicken, you could use king prawns or tofu instead. Or flake in some cooked salmon chunks before serving.
    • Keep this curry vegetarian by swapping the meat for extra vegetables.
    • Love your curry super spicy? Use another red chilli when making the paste.
    • You can make the paste ahead of time and keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    More Thai recipes

    • Vegetable Thai Green Curry
    • Chicken Pad Thai
    • 10 Minute Thai Noodle Soup
    • Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry

    If you’ve tried this Thai yellow curry recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Thai Yellow Curry in a metal bowl surrounded by a striped towel

    Thai Yellow Curry

    This fresh and vibrant Thai Yellow Curry is bursting with flavour and has lots of added vegetables - a much healthier alternative to ordering Thai food, and cheaper too.
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    the words low fat in a white circle.
    Low Fat
    5 from 34 votes
    Author: Dannii
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Lunch, Main Course
    Cuisine: Thai
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a fish.
    Fish
    An illustration of a cow's head.
    Meat
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 440kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    UK Metric Measures - US Customary Measures

    Curry paste:

    • 3 Red chillies - small
    • 1 Shallots - large
    • 1 Garlic clove
    • 1 tablespoon Galangal
    • 3 Kaffir lime leaves
    • 1 stalk Lemongrass
    • 1 teaspoon Fresh coriander (cilantro)
    • 1 tablespoon Curry powder
    • 1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
    • 0.5 teaspoon Coriander seeds
    • 0.5 teaspoon Cumin seeds
    • 0.5 teaspoon Sea salt

    Other ingredients:

    • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
    • 200 g Chicken breast - cut in to very small chunks
    • 8 Charlotte potatoes - quartered then boiled until cooked
    • 12 Baby corn - halved
    • 2 handful Green beans - halved
    • 16 Button mushrooms - halved
    • 0.5 Onion - diced
    • 325 ml Light coconut milk
    • 250 ml Water
    • 1 Vegetable stock cube
    • 2 tablespoon Fish sauce

    Instructions

    • Make the paste by adding the coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a wok over a low heat and dry fry for 60 seconds. Add to a pestle and mortar and smash until it is a fine powder.
    • For all the other paste ingredients, make sure it is all chopped up very, very, VERY small and then add it to the pestle and mortar and pound for around 10 minutes until it is a paste.
    • Add the oil to a large wok over a low heat and add the curry paste and cook for 60 seconds.
    • Add 3 tablespoon of the coconut milk and stir.
    • Add the small chicken chunks and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and add the potato and onion.
    • Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Notes

    • If you are not a fan of chicken, you could use king prawns or tofu instead. Or flake in some cooked salmon chunks before serving.
    • Keep this curry vegetarian by swapping the meat for extra vegetables.
    • Love your curry super spicy? Use another red chilli when making the paste.
    • You can make the paste ahead of time and keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 1446mg | Potassium: 1669mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 91.7mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4.2mg
    DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nathan Wyper

      February 21, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious I love Thai spices they always pack great flavours, Definitely my next curry to try!

      Reply
    2. Danielle Wolter

      February 21, 2019 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      i am so in love with thai curry. i actually used to hate yellow curry until i had it made from scratch. its' delicious. so many great flavors. can't wait to try this!

      Reply
    3. Annie @ Annie's Noms

      February 21, 2019 at 11:27 am

      I love Thai curries, but have never had a yellow curry before! I'm going to have to make this soon as it looks wonderful and so delicious!

      Reply
    4. Veena Azmanov

      February 21, 2019 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      Love the Thai curry paste to this healthy dish. Full of nutrition and health. Love the flavor of coconut Milk too. Looks delicious and a total meal option too.

      Reply
    5. Adrianne

      February 21, 2019 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      You had me at 'turmeric'. Yum!! What a great yellow curry. I love the veggies and I am a big fan of yellow curry as I think red and green get all the love. Cheers!

      Reply
    6. kushi

      September 30, 2015 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      I love Thai food and this recipe looks so perfect, delicious !

      Reply
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