Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai)

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai) sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Thai traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 51 minutes in a single soup pot, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 20 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. First, make the curry paste. Use a pestle and mortar to pound together the dried and fresh chillies, shrimp paste, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, lime zest, white pepper, coriander, cumin, nutmeg and peanuts, plus 1 tsp salt. You should have a rough paste. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a food processor along with 2-3 tbsp of coconut milk and pulse until you have a paste. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge. Will keep for up to two weeks.
2. Step 2. Add 2-3 tbsp of the thick part of the coconut milk into a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When the coconut milk starts bubbling, add 1-2 tbsp of the curry paste and stir well for about 1 min, until fragrant.
3. Step 3. Stir in the chicken and let it cook for about 3-4 mins until beginning to brown all over. Follow with the French beans and stir well.
4. Step 4. Season with the fish sauce and sugar, then add the rest of coconut milk. Mix well, add half the makrut lime leaves and simmer for 3-5 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Taste and add more sugar or fish sauce if necessary – it should be salty and nutty, and the sweetness should come through. Add the Thai basil leaves, give it a quick mix and take off the heat. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, garnished with the sliced chilli and the rest of the makrut lime leaves.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest soup pot you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with thai roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.