Chicken Curry Pasta
This Chicken Curry Pasta recipe was created in response to reader requests over the years. You asked, and after a lot of testing, here’s another recipe using the incredible sauce in my popular Red Thai Curry Gnocchi.
Why You Will Love This Curry Chicken Pasta Recipe
- THE SAUCE! This dish uses the same incredible, flavorful sauce (with a tiny tweak) as one of the most popular recipes on this website.
- Allergen-friendly! This curry pasta dish is dairy-free, egg-free and easily gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta (like I did in the photos you see here) and gluten-free soy sauce.
- Fast! It takes less than 30 minutes to make!
- What to do with Red Thai Curry Paste you see in stores? THIS! (read labels; not all are dairy-free)
- Easy! Made with a handful of ingredients, this curry pasta comes together quickly and can be served as is or with a side of vegetables or Homemade French Bread.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitution Options:
- Chicken. 1/2 pound cubed boneless skinless chicken breast (or chicken thighs if you prefer). You can also substitute with 1 cup of rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken.
- Pasta. I prefer to use penne pasta for this dish, but you can use any kind of pasta. Select a gluten-free option to easily make this curry pasta both dairy-free and gluten-free.
- Coconut milk. Use full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Red Thai curry paste. I recommend the Thai Kitchen brand. Unfortunately, the Trader Joe’s version has dairy in it. Reminder: always read labels!
- Olive Oil. For sauteeing the garlic, onion and chicken.
- Cornstach. To thicken the sauce. You can use flour or another thickener.
- Soy sauce. Use gluten-free soy sauce to make it g-f. Use coconut aminos to make it soy-free.
- Sugar. Just a teaspoon!
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
- Thai basil and scallions. To garnish (optional). If you can’t find Thai basil, you can use regular basil.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Large skillet
- Pot (to boil the pasta)
- Sharp knife or kitchen scissors (to cube the kitchen)
Instructions: How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta Curry
See the printable recipe card at the end of this post for more detailed instructions.
STEP 1: Sautee onions, garlic and cubed chicken in a large skillet; add 1/2 cup of water then cover and poach for 10 minutes or until the chicken is done.
STEP 2: Cook the pasta
STEP 3: When the chicken is done, add the red thai curry paste, coconut milk, soy sauce and sugar. Then add cornstarch to thicken the sauce a bit.
STEP 4: Add the cooked pasta and mix well. Then garnish and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chicken curry go with pasta?
Yes! The curry sauce is the star, and it pairs well with chicken and pasta, as long as you don’t use so much pasta (or chicken) that you lose the sauce ratio.
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of cubed chicken breasts?
Yes. You can use about 1 cup of cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken) instead of the 1/2 pound of cubed chicken called for in this recipe.
Is it ok to use more chicken and/or more pasta than called for?
Yes … but, I highly recommend doubling the recipe if you want to do that. You really need more of the creamy curry sauce if you want to use more meat or pasta.
Can I use curry powder instead of red curry paste?
No. Curry paste is a concentrated mixture with fresh ingredients like chili peppers and garlic, and a lot of flavor. Curry powder is a dry powder and isn’t close to being the same.
Can I make this curry pasta recipe gluten-free? What about soy-free?
Yes. It’s easy to make this gluten-free by using a gluten-free pasta of your choice and gluten-free soy sauce. If you want to make it soy-free, just use coconut aminos instead of the 1 tsp of soy sauce.
What if I want to make this Thai curry recipe vegan?
Yes. If you want to make this vegan, you can simply omit the chicken or substitute the chicken for mushrooms or another vegetable(s) of choice.
What can I serve with this creamy chicken curry pasta?
You can pair this with a side vegetable, salad and/or bread, such as:
Looking for More Pasta or Curry Recipes?
Try these:
- Red Thai Curry Gnocchi
- Red Thai Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Almond Butter Coconut Curry Chicken
- Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Mushroom Cream Sauce
- Easy “Cheesy” Tomato Pasta Bowl
Chicken Curry Pasta
Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling pasta
- 1 large skillet
- 1 colandar to drain the pasta
- 1 sharp knife or kitchen scissors
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound chicken breast meat (cubed)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1/2 cup water (for poaching the chicken)
- 8 oz. penne pasta (or similar pasta)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp red thai curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk (regular, full fat) (about 13 1/2 oz; 400 ml)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- Thai basil to garnish (can use regular basil instead)
- scallions to garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil
- While you're waiting for the pot to boil, cut up 1/2 pound of chicken into small cubes, chop the onions and mince the 1 garlic clove. If you'll be using scallions to garnish, chop up a 1-3 Tbsp (as you prefer) and set aside.
- Then, in a large skillet on medium-high heat saute the onions, minced garlic and chicken in 2 Tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes
- Add 1/2 cup of water
- Bring to a simmer (just below boiling, where you see small, gentle bubbles rising to the surface, rather than a full rolling boil); reduce the heat to a medium-low setting and cook 10 additional minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and an internal temperature of 165 degres F is reached.
- Add your pasta to your boiling water and cook as instructed on the pasta packaging
- When the chicken is cooked, add the full can of coconut milk, 2 1/2 Tbsp of curry paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce and stir.
- Add 2 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch and whisk to blend well (this will thicken your sauce, but it will still be a bit thin).
- Drain your pasta when it's done.
- Add the pasta to your skillet, stir and make sure the pasta is coated. Turn the heat to low and let it sit together for a few minutes then stir and mix well again.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon into bowls, add fresh, chopped scallions and/or Thai basil … dig in and enjoy!
