Massaman curry (แกงมัสมั่นไก่) is a rich and relatively mild Thai curry made with coconut milk, potatoes, peanuts and warm spices such as cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cloves and cardamom.
This chicken Massaman curry recipe uses a curry paste reinforced with dry spices, with a balance of sweetness, saltiness and tamarind acidity for a fragrant sauce and tender chicken.
At the table with Portail Asie
Chicken Massaman Curry
Make Thai Massaman curry with chicken, coconut milk, potatoes, peanuts, tamarind and warm spices.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cooking time
- 60 min
- Total time
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice level
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Thailand
- Dish type
- Curry
Last checked: September 2, 2026
About this recipe
Version: Close to traditional
Massaman curry differs from many other Thai curries through its prominent use of dry spices such as cinnamon, cumin, coriander, cloves and cardamom, combined with coconut milk, tamarind, potatoes and peanuts.
Do not substitute: Plain red curry paste used by itself does not produce a true Massaman flavor profile. The dry spices are essential to the identity of the dish.
Ingredients
Adjust servings to suit your needs.
For the Massaman curry paste
- 75 g Thai red curry pastegood quality
- 1 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp Ground cloves
- ¼ tsp Ground green cardamom
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Fermented shrimp pasteoptional if the curry paste already contains enough
For the Massaman curry
- 1 kg Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticksexcess skin and fat removed
- 500 ml Coconut milkfull-fat
- 3 tbsp Palm sugarfinely chopped, or use brown sugar
- 2 to 3 tbsp Tamarind pasteadjust depending on acidity
- 2 to 3 tbsp Fish sauceadjust at the end
- 2 Bay leavesoptional
- 300 g Waxy potatoescut into roughly 2.5 cm pieces
- ½ Large yellow or white onioncut into thick slices
- 35 g Unsalted roasted peanuts
- Cooked jasmine ricefor serving
Preparation steps
Dry-toast the cumin and coriander seeds until very fragrant. Let them cool slightly, then grind them with the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Mix the ground spices with the red curry paste and, if using, the fermented shrimp paste. The mixture should form a smooth and highly aromatic curry paste.
Pour about 120 ml of the coconut milk into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the Massaman curry paste and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens and becomes very fragrant.
Add the remaining coconut milk, palm sugar, about half of the tamarind and half of the fish sauce. Add the bay leaves if using, then stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add the chicken. Add a little water if necessary so the pieces are almost submerged. Partially cover and simmer very gently for about 35 minutes.
Add the potatoes, onion and about half of the peanuts. Continue cooking for 10–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender without falling apart and the chicken is fully cooked.
Taste the sauce and adjust with the remaining fish sauce and tamarind. The curry should be rich, slightly sweet and salty, with just enough acidity to balance the coconut milk without tasting distinctly sour.
Serve hot with jasmine rice and sprinkle with the remaining roasted peanuts.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The sauce becomes too thick or too salty
Probable cause: The curry reduced too much during cooking.
Solution: Add a little hot water or coconut milk and continue cooking at a very gentle simmer.
The potatoes fall apart in the sauce
Probable cause: They were added too early or the potato variety is too floury.
Solution: Use waxy potatoes and add them only during the final 10–15 minutes of cooking.
The curry is too sour
Probable cause: Too much tamarind was added at the beginning.
Solution: Add the tamarind gradually and taste before adding more. If needed, soften the acidity with a little coconut milk and palm sugar.
Portail Asie tips
Massaman curry should simmer gently: a strong boil will reduce the sauce too quickly and can dry out the chicken. Cook the curry paste for several minutes in part of the coconut milk to develop the spices. Add only part of the tamarind and fish sauce at first, then adjust near the end. The sauce should be rich and aromatic, with acidity balancing the coconut milk rather than dominating the dish.
Substitutions and alternatives
- Massaman curry paste
- A good ready-made Massaman curry paste can replace the red curry paste and spice mixture. If using only red curry paste, add the listed dry spices to reproduce the characteristic Massaman profile.
- Palm sugar
- Replace it with brown sugar or white sugar and adjust gradually to taste.
- Tamarind paste
- If unavailable, a small amount of mild vinegar can provide acidity, but tamarind gives a rounder and more characteristic flavor.
- Waxy potatoes
- Use a variety that holds its shape during cooking. Avoid very floury potatoes, which can break apart in the sauce.
- Chicken
- Beef is also traditionally used for Massaman curry, but requires a much longer cooking time. Pork is generally avoided because of the dish’s Muslim origins.
Watch the preparation
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Order this dish in Thailand
Thai name:แกงมัสมั่นไก่
Say it simply:Gaeng Massaman Gai
Show this:แกงมัสมั่นไก่ 1 ที่
Meaning:One chicken Massaman curry.
Where to find the ingredients
Red or Massaman curry paste, coconut milk, palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste and shrimp paste are generally available in Asian grocery stores. Choose tamarind intended for Thai cooking and adjust the amount according to its concentration. Dry spices, potatoes, onions and peanuts are widely available in regular supermarkets.
