Pad Prik King - Thai Red Curry Stir Fry with Chicken
User Reviews
5
22 reviews
Excellent
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Servings
3
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Thai
Pad Prik King - Thai Red Curry Stir Fry with Chicken
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Pad Prik King is a Thai stir-fry featuring bite-sized chicken pieces cooked with red curry paste, long beans, and fragrant makrut lime leaves. Seasoned with fish sauce and palm sugar, this dish balances savory, spicy, and aromatic notes. Salted duck egg can be added for richness and additional texture.
Description
This recipe uses chicken, marinated briefly with fish sauce, then stir-fried in oil with red curry paste to build a bold, spicy base. Long beans add a tender-crisp vegetable element while makrut lime leaves impart a distinct citrus fragrance. Palm sugar tempers the heat with a touch of sweetness, and adjusting fish sauce controls the saltiness.
The optional salted duck egg, sliced and served alongside or incorporated in the stir-fry, offers a creamy, savory contrast. The dish is traditionally served with jasmine rice, complementing its rich, bold flavors.
Choosing a quality red curry paste influences intensity; some brands require increasing the amount for full flavor. Cooking chicken in batches prevents overcrowding, allowing a good sear. The recipe highlights the balance between spicy, sweet, and umami elements that define Pad Prik King.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces (if using breast, make sure it's at least 1 cm thick, or thigh
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce for marinating chicken
- 1 Duck Egg optional, but recommended (see note 3, cooked, salted
- 3 tablespoon neutral flavored oil
- 3 tablespoon red curry paste or more if you like it spicier (see note 1)
- 2 tablespoon palm sugar finely chopped, packed, or sub light brown sugar
- 1-3 teaspoon fish sauce for the stir fry (see note 2)
- ½ cup chicken stock unsalted, or water
- 1 ½ cup long beans cut into 1.5” pieces
- 7 makrut lime leaves 5 torn into chunks, 2 finely julienned
- jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- Toss the chicken with 2 teaspoon of fish sauce. Let chicken marinate while you prep other ingredients, about 15 minutes.
- If using, cut the salted duck eggs right through the shell in half, then use a spoon to scoop the halves out. From here you have two options: you can cut each half into chunks and toss them into the stir-fry, or cut the halves into wedges and serve on the side and let people take as much as they want.
- In a wok or a large skillet, add just enough of the oil to coat the bottom and heat over high heat until the pan is very hot. Add about half of the chicken and spread it into a single layer, being sure not to crowd the pan. Let the chicken sear without stirring until browned, about 1 minute. Once browned, stir the chicken briefly just to cook the surface of the other side, and then remove from the pan, leaving any excess oil behind—the chicken is not supposed to be fully cooked at this point. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Let the pan cool a bit, then with the heat OFF, add a little more oil as needed just so you have at least a tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add the curry paste and stir the curry paste in the oil until it's loosened, then turn the heat on to medium. Cook the curry paste, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until aromatic.
- Stir in the palm sugar, fish sauce, and deglaze with ¼ cup of the chicken stock or water. Keep stirring until the sugar is mostly dissolved, deglazing with more stock/water as needed if it starts to stick to the pan.
- Add the torn makrut lime leaves and let them infuse into the sauce for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- If the sauce looks thick, add a little more stock or water to get it into an pourable consistency. Add the chicken back in and toss just to coat in the sauce. Add the long beans and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is no longer pooling and the curry paste is coating the chicken and the beans. If you want to add the salted duck egg chunks into the stir-fry, toss them in at this point and stir just to mix.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. Garnish with finely julienned makrut lime leaves and if you didn't mix the duck eggs in, place the eggs wedges on the side. Serve with jasmine rice. and enjoy!
Notes
- Use reputable Thai red curry pastes like Maeploy, Aroy-D, or Namjai for more robust flavor.
- Some curry pastes are saltier; adjust fish sauce accordingly, starting with 1 teaspoon and adding more if needed.
- Salted duck eggs are available at Asian supermarkets; ensure you select cooked, not raw, versions.
- You can serve the salted duck egg mixed into the stir-fry or sliced on the side for self-serving.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
22 reviews
Excellent
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