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      Home » Curries

      Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

      Published: Jun 27, 2022 · Modified: Aug 10, 2023 by Suwanee · This post may contain affiliate links.

      Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

      Homemade Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple is one of the simplest and easiest recipes to assemble in less than 30 minutes. The recipe uses minimal ingredients but yet the flavors are so addictive it will be your new favorite Thai curry to whip up for a tasty and easy meal!

      This recipe uses my Authentic homemade Thai red curry paste, but you can also use a store-bought paste. And if you are a fan of red curry, try my very popular Authentic Thai red curry recipe or Thai fish curry recipe with cod. Lots of curry goodness is going on today!  

      a spoonful of pineapple curry over a bowl of curry

      Want more Thai curries? Try these popular recipes; Thai vegetable red curry with vermicelli noodles, authentic homemade Thai red curry paste, Thai red curry with chicken and kabocha squash, Authentic Thai red curry with chicken, and Thai Choo Chee salmon recipe. 

      Jump to:
      • What is a Thai Pineapple Curry?
      • Why This Recipe Works
      • What Goes Into Making Thai Pineapple Curry
      • How To Make Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple
      • Kitchen Notes for Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple
      • More Thai recipes you'll love
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Related Thai Recipes You'll Love
      • Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple

      What is a Thai Pineapple Curry?

      Pineapple curry is a Thai red curry dish that uses fresh pineapple, tomatoes stewed in coconut milk, seasoned with fish sauce and sugar, and topped off with the signature Thai basil to tie it back together. What makes this Thai curry unique is the use of fresh pineapple as a natural sweetener with a tangy taste with a flavor profile that is difficult to stop eating. 

      Why This Recipe Works

      • This recipe is so fast to put together. It's simply perfect for a quick meal on a busy night.
      • Thai pineapple curry keeps well as leftovers and even in the freezer. You can make a double batch and freeze it in small containers for later use.
      • The curry is light and not at all heavy. It can be served by itself without any sides and is perfectly fulfilling.
      • It's healthy! Just substitute brown sugar for monk fruit sugar, agave, or honey.
      • You can add vegetables to the curry if you want a more healthy crunch to the dish.
      • Did I mention how simple and fast it is? Bonus points here!

      What Goes Into Making Thai Pineapple Curry

      Below are the ingredients notes for making Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple. Not All ingredients are listed, but these are worth a note to help you be successful in the kitchen. 

      ingredients for pineapple curry
      • Red curry paste. Store-bought or homemade. Use more paste and add more fish sauce if homemade.
      • Coconut milk. Use full-fat coconut milk with no sugar added. If you have coconut cream, use half the amount requested and add water for the other half.
      • Pineapple. Do your best to use fresh pineapples, but if you can't, use canned but drain the liquid before use.
      • Chicken. You can easily substitute pork, beef, duck seafood, tofu, or tempeh. Use what you have. It will be delicious! Use less cooking time if using seafood, tofu, or vegetables. 
      • Protein. Use any of your favorite proteins for this recipe. If you use seafood or tofu, the cooking time will be less-about 2 minutes only. 
      • Sugar. Use light or dark brown sugar. Good substitutes are palm sugar, honey, and agave. Play with the measurement at the end l little bit. White sugar is also fine as a substitute but uses less than all the other sugar as this one is super sweet. 
      • Fish sauce. Stay conservative with the fish sauce, as some brands are saltier than others. You can add more at the end too.
      • Thai basil. I hope you love Thai basil as much as I do. (: Feel free to add a little extra if you are obsessed like me! More on top, too, for garnish.(: Sub-Italian basil if you need to. Add a little extra; the flavors aren’t as strong as the Thai basil. 

      How To Make Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

      STEP 1. Add  ¾ can of coconut milk and curry paste on medium-high meat and stir. Break up the curry paste until bubbles form and the sauce thickens, 2 minutes.  

      STEP 2. Add fish sauce and sugar, stir, and cook for 1 more minute.

      STEP 3. Add the chicken, water, and coconut milk and cook for 4-6 minutes. 

      STEP 4. Add pineapple and tomatoes and cook until soft, 2 minutes. 

      STEP 5. Remove the curry from the stove, let it cool, then add the basil. Serve hot with jasmine rice and garnish with more basil and hot peppers if desired!

      Kitchen Notes for Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

      • Using fresh pineapple is always best. Read here on how to cut a pineapple.
      • Homemade paste usually requires more paste. You can add it at the end if there are not enough flavors or heat. Make your paste using this authentic homemade Thai red curry paste. 
      • The color of homemade curry paste will not be as red as a store-bought paste because of the fewer red chilis used. 
      • Great vegetable options to add to the dish are pea pods, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, banana peppers, and jalapenos for extra heat. 
      • Coconut milk separation. This is where you’ll get the flavors for the curry when the coconut milk is cooked down to where the oil is separate from the water, making the coconut milk even tastier. If the separation doesn’t happen, no worries; keep on going. Your curry will still taste great. Some coconut milk brands add emulsifiers so the milk won’t separate from the water, and look for another brand with pure coconut milk and water only. 
      pineapple curry in a green bowl

      More Thai recipes you'll love

      • Thai vegetarian yellow curry, 
      • Thai pineapple curry with chicken,
      • Thai yellow curry with pork belly,
      • Authentic Thai red curry with chicken, and 
      • Choo Chee Salmon with creamy Thai curry sauce.
      • Learn how to cut a pineapple with this step-by-step guide. For tasty pineapple recipes, check out these delicious recipes. Pineapple fried rice with shrimp, Thai pineapple curry, Thai sweet and sour chicken with pineapple, and pineapple habanero salsa (with a secret ingredient!)

      Frequently Asked Questions

      What does Pineapple Curry Taste Like?

      Thai pineapple curry is naturally sweet and tangy from fresh pineapple and tomatoes. When cooked with coconut milk, the taste compliments the spicy and salty taste of the red curry paste so wonderfully. Though some curries are known to be heavy and hearty, this pineapple curry dish has surprisingly light, refreshing, and creamy flavors that are great to have all year round. 

      What is Pineapple Curry Made of?

      Pineapple curry is made from Thai red curry paste using fresh pineapple, tomatoes, coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce and topped off with fresh Thai basil. 

      What gives Red Curry its Flavor?

      Thai red curry gets its bold flavors from the aromatics, herbs, and spices that are combined together into a paste. The paste is then used to make delicious Thai curries. 

      What is Thai Red Curry Made of?

      The herbs and spices typically used in Thai red curry paste are dried red chilis, shallot, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, cilantro root, coriander, cumin, and white peppercorn. These ingredients are used to make a smooth paste that is then used to make different Thai red curry dishes.

      pineapple curry with chicken in a green bowl

      Related Thai Recipes You'll Love

      • Sweet and sour chicken with pineapple
      • Authentic homemade Thai red curry paste
      • Authentic Thai red curry recipe.
      • Pineapple fried rice with shrimp
      • How to cut a pineapple
      • Easy Thai yellow curry with chicken
      • Red Thai curry with chicken and kabocha squash
      • Red curry green beans with shrimp
      • Pad Prik King recipe with pork belly

      ** Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and a review in the comments section further down the page. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram! **

      Print
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      pineapple curry in a green bowl with basil garnish

      Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple


      ★★★★★

      5 from 3 reviews

      • Author: Suwanee
      • Total Time: 20 minutes
      • Yield: 4 servings 1x
      • Diet: Gluten Free
      Print Recipe
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      Description

      Homemade Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple is one of the most simple and easy recipes to put together in less than 30 minutes. The recipe uses minimal ingredients but yet the flavors are so addictive it will be your new favorite Thai curry to whip up for a tasty and easy meal!


      Ingredients

      Scale

      ¼-½ cup Red curry paste

      1 can of coconut milk

      1 lb chicken

      ¼ cup water or stock

      1 cup pineapple, chopped bite-sized

      1 cup tomato, chopped 1 ½ inch thick

      1 ½ Tbsp brown sugar

      1 - ½ tablespoon fish sauce

      ½ cup tightly packed Thai basil


      Instructions

      1. add  ¾ can of coconut milk and curry paste on medium-high meat and stir, break up the curry paste until bubbles form and the sauce thickens. Coconut milk separation. 2 minutes
      2. Add fish sauce and sugar, stir and let it cook for 1 more minute
      3. Add the chicken, water, and the rest of the coconut milk and cook for 4-6 minutes. 
      4. Add pineapple and tomatoes and cook until soft, 2 minutes.
      5. Remove curry from the stove, let cool, then add the basil. Serve hot with jasmine rice and garnish with more basil and hot peppers if desired!

      Notes

      • Using fresh pineapple is always best. Read here on how to cut a pineapple.
      • Homemade paste usually requires more paste, can add at the end if there are not enough flavors or heat.
      • The color of homemade curry paste will not be as red as a store-bought paste because of the fewer red chilis used. 
      • Great vegetable options to add to the dish are pea pods, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, banana peppers, and jalapenos for the extra heat. 
      • Breaking of coconut milk separation. This is where you’ll get the flavors for the curry, when the coconut milk is cooked down to where the oil is separate from the water, making the coconut milk even tastier. If the separation doesn’t happen, no worries, just keep on going. Your curry will still taste great. Some coconut milk brands add emulsifiers so the milk won’t separate from the water and just look for another brand that has pure coconut milk and water only. 

      ** Thank you so much for visiting my blog! This is truly a passion for me. If you have enjoyed these recipes and appreciate the hard work I put into them, I would love it if you would share them with your friends! Your recommendation is the highest review I could hope for, and I’d so appreciate it! **

      • Prep Time: 10
      • Cook Time: 10
      • Category: curries
      • Method: stove top
      • Cuisine: Thai

      Keywords: Thai pineapple curry. Thai red curry with chicken and pineapple. Red curry and pineapple. Thai pineapple recipe.

      Did you make this recipe?

      Please rate and review this recipe in the comment section below so I can improve and make it a better experience for you!

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        Thai Vegetarian Yellow Curry Recipe
      • Thai fish curry recipe in a bowl.
        Easy Thai Red Curry Fish Recipe with Cod
      • Thai vegetarian red curry in 2 bowls on a table.
        Thai Red Curry Vermicelli Noodles With Vegetables 
      • Panang curry paste in a bowl with a spoon.
        The Best Authentic Thai Panang Curry Paste Recipe

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Suwanee

        July 26, 2023 at 1:38 pm

        Please do! I think you'll love it! Pineapples are in season right now, so they are excellent in the curry.

      2. Susan

        July 26, 2023 at 11:03 am

        My all time fave Thai dish! Thanks for the great tip about separating coconut milk - I had never heard of that! Really want to try this one soon ❤️

        ★★★★★

      3. Taylor

        July 25, 2023 at 12:57 am

        I’m a pineapple fan and this curry recipe is now my go to easy Thai curry night! Flavorful and delicious!

        ★★★★★

      4. Kim

        July 22, 2023 at 5:47 pm

        Wow! Flavor explosion! Thank you so much for this simple yet so delicious recipe!

        ★★★★★

      Leave a Reply

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      Hi there, I’m Suwanee! I'm the person behind this Thai food blog. I spent thirteen years of childhood in Thailand, where I was first introduced to the flavors of Thai cooking. You are in the right place if you: Love to cook Thai food. Come by often, and let's get cooking! Read More…

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