Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

Reflecting on 2024, I thought it was one of the toughest years I could remember. However, 2025 has already proven to be even more challenging, with events that have pushed me to my limits and affected both me and my loved ones deeply. Life can be cruel, and deeply unfair. To my dear folks – as if battling Dementia wasn’t challenging enough, my mother breaking her hip and having to recover for several weeks in an overstretched NHS ward has made this period incredibly testing. 2025 has been incredibly stressful, painful (both physically and emotionally), heart-wrenching, and utterly exhausting. I never thought I could get an infection at the dentist, which resulted in three weeks of severe pain, inflammation, and the concerning necessity of opioids for relief.
If I could identify the one true nugget of joy this year (aside from Marlini, of course!) – it is having brought brothers Aslan and Max (our Siberian cats) into our lives. They have injected so much fun, energy, entertainment, and unconditional love. We never need to wait for our alarm clock, either!
So, preamble over, time to focus on what this blog is intended to provide – really tasty dishes which are so simple to make at home, using the freshest of ingredients. My Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple has become one of our absolute favourites. Ideal for a weeknight dinner, as it takes just 45 minutes to prepare from scratch.

I’ve started making this Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple almost every week, and it’s always a delight to share it with Marlini. Each time I prepare it, the result varies a bit—often due to the heat—but the taste has never disappointed.
When I first made Thai curry a few years ago, I went as far as to make the paste from scratch, thinking this is the only way it should be done. I am still happy to recommend my Thai Green Curry with Prawn, Squid, and Butternut Squash – but have moved on. I really thought that buying a ready-made paste was both a cheat and inherently bad for you.
Two things steered me onto a different course. First, Marlini set me straight by educating me that it was normal to buy ready-made pastes. Secondly, We finally made it to Thailand (thankfully before Covid struck) and I got to experience some truly delicious food and learnt that buying pastes is a way of life in the Thai kitchen – either from supermarkets or more local offerings. This trip was also an opportunity for me to catch up with Kay (an old university friend) and for Marlini to meet up with her university friend, Thiraporn and family. I will never forget the kindness, hospitality, and food which was out of this world. Two things were confirmed on this trip – 1. I am terrible at acclimatising to humidity. 2. Where chilli and heat is concerned, my tongue (and sadly other body parts) are not flame resistant.

My tolerance to chilli has definitely improved over the years (I have Marlini to thank for being my oriental food Sensei) – even so, I know my limits. There is one certainty where hot and spicy food is concerned… If it hurts going in, it sure as hell hurts going out!’. That, I am afraid, will never change.

Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple Recipe Development

I estimate that I’ve made different versions of this recipe, along with our other favourite, Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Aubergine, around 40–50 times in the past three years. As usual, I experiment until I believe I’ve found the perfect balance of flavours, texture, and, of course, heat!

Equally, I would also add that there are some essential ingredients for this dish (I started off with the Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, chicken and pineapple) then began to enhance it. Please do not be deterred if you do not have all the ingredients listed below – having the core ingredients alone will produce a very satisfying dish. Starting the recipe by sautéing grated garlic and ginger, followed by mixing in Thai red curry paste and adding a splash of coconut milk, creates a wonderfully aromatic foundation for the dish. The reason for adding smoked salt is for the simple reason – we love it! I am the first to acknowledge that it is not an authentic Thai flavour, but just adds a slightly different edge to the flavour. Nam Pla Fish sauce (and only a dash is required), is umami-rich and adds a deep and savoury taste. Please don’t be put off that it is made by fermenting anchovies and is very pungent on its own – the flavour mellows out when combined with other ingredients.
For me, the real game changer was incorporating Thai basil. Before, I relied on coriander, which is still a very good substitute. Thankfully, Thai basil is becoming increasingly easier to find in the UK. Unlike its European counterpart, the flavour is slightly spicy with an anise-like flavour. It is more robust too in texture. In this recipe, it all goes in (purple stems and all), and soften during cooking.
Next, you can choose between light or full-fat coconut milk. Both options yield excellent results, but the full-fat version will be creamier, thicker, and up to three times more calorific, depending on the brand.

Finally, a word about pineapple. While it may be very tempting to buy the canned variety, I strongly urge you to avoid it. Fresh pineapples are wonderfully inexpensive and, with a bit of practice, can be trimmed and prepared in just 2-3 minutes. You only need half a pineapple for this dish, leaving you with a delicious fruit that can be added to a fruit salad, pineapple rice, enjoyed on its own, or blended into a smoothie. Please store in an airtight container, refrigerate, and consume within 24 hours if possible.

I really hope you enjoy making this Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple as much as I do, and remember… when it comes to heat, it is easy to add, but difficult to remove. Depending on your tolerance, I’d recommend starting with ~ 2 x 25g scoops, and see how you get on.

Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

Richard Bewley

Fragrant Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Pineapple

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Thai

Servings 4 People

Equipment

• large non stick pan with lid
• rice cooker

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp organic sunflower oil
• 1 inch root ginger peeled and grated (or finely diced)
• 2 large garlic cloves peeled and grated (or finely diced)
• 50 g Thai Red curry paste * heaped
• 400 ml can light coconut milk
• 2 large Kaffir Lime leaves Fresh or Dried
• 500 g chicken breast cubed
• 1/2 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and diced into small cubes
• 1 dash Nam Pla Fish Sauce
• 25 g Thai Basil leaves fresh
• 1 tsp smoked sea salt
• 1 lime juiced
• 3 cups White Jasmine Rice rinsed

Instructions

 

• Measure, then rinse the Jasmine rice in a sieve. Allow to drain.
  3 cups White Jasmine Rice
• Peel and grate or finely chop the garlic and ginger.
  1 inch root ginger, 2 large garlic cloves
• Use a sharp knife to cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Use a knife to cut off the pineapple's outer skin from top to bottom until all knots are removed.
  1/2 fresh pineapple
• Cut the pineapple in half lengthways, then again, to produce four wedges. Core two wedges, slice horizontally, and dice. Store the remaining pineapple in an airtight container for future use in another recipe.
• Trim the chicken breast and cut it into bite-sized pieces on a separate cutting board.
  500 g chicken breast
• Add rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the rice cooker, stir, and start cooking.
  3 cups White Jasmine Rice
• Pour sunflower oil into a large non-stick saucepan and heat it over medium-high temperature.
  1 tbsp organic sunflower oil
• Add garlic and ginger, then cook for two minutes.
  1 inch root ginger, 2 large garlic cloves
• Add Thai Red curry paste to the ginger, and garlic. Cook for a minute. Add a dash of the coconut milk, mix, and increase heat.
  50 g Thai Red curry paste *, 400 ml can light coconut milk
• Add the cubed chicken to the mixture, coat evenly with the paste, and cook the chicken for three to four minutes, until there are no raw edges remaining.
  500 g chicken breast
• Add the smoked sea salt, Kaffir lime leaves, and Nam Pla Fish Sauce, and cook for one more minute.
  2 large Kaffir Lime leaves, 1 dash Nam Pla Fish Sauce, 1 tsp smoked sea salt
• Add the cubed fresh pineapple and Thai basil leaves (reserve a few for garnish) and mix thoroughly.
  1/2 fresh pineapple, 25 g Thai Basil leaves
• Add the remaining coconut milk and lime juice, then mix well.
  400 ml can light coconut milk, 1 lime
• Bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
• Serve hot, and garnish with a wedge of time and a shredded Thai basil leaves.

Notes

* In terms of Thai Red Curry paste, I currently use the Mae Ploy Brand. It is readily available for me in the UK – but always happy to try others.

• You can substitute ginger with fresh Galangal if available. As I can never find it fresh, fresh root ginger has become a regular and versatile substitute.
• If you cannot find fresh Thai basil, Coriander works well too (just not quite so good in our view).
• My rice cooker takes 36 minutes to cook white rice, which I use as a countdown for curry. If you do not have a rice cooker but enjoy rice and have the necessary space, it is highly recommended to obtain one. However, Jasmine rice can also be prepared in a standard pan with a lid.
• I have made this with both light and full fat Coconut milk, both work very well, but if you want the creamier version, ‘naughty’ is the direction of travel.