Vietnamese cuisine is known for its bright, bold flavous, fresh herbs, and comforting textures. One dish that perfectly embodies all of these qualities is Vietnamese chicken curry—a deeply aromatic, lightly spiced, and creamy coconut-based curry that warms you from the inside out. If you're looking for a delicious twist on traditional curry dishes, Vietnamese chicken curry (or cà ri gà in Vietnamese) is a must-try.
In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of Vietnamese chicken curry—its origins, ingredients, cooking techniques, and of course, how to make the best homemade version right in your kitchen.
What is Vietnamese Chicken Curry
Unlike its Indian or Thai counterparts, Vietnamese chicken curry strikes a unique balance between subtle spice and rich creaminess. It’s often made with bone-in chicken, carrots, potatoes, and sometimes taro, all slowly simmered in a golden coconut milk broth infused with lemongrass, curry powder, garlic, and shallots. Here I’m giving you another play on the curry but feel free to experiment with other ingredients. I did.
While it shares the concept of a spiced stew with Indian curries, Vietnamese chicken curry is typically lighter and more brothy, perfect for dipping with crusty French baguettes—a legacy of French colonial influence in Vietnam. It's also commonly served over steamed rice or with rice noodles.
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What is the history of Vietnamese Chicken Curry
Just in case you were wondering like I was how Vietnamese chicken curry came to be… The roots of Vietnamese chicken curry are a reflection of Vietnam’s rich history and culinary influences.
During the French colonial period, Vietnamese cooks were introduced to European ingredients like potatoes and French baguettes. These new ingredients were blended with traditional Southeast Asian herbs and spices to create dishes like this Vietamese Chicken Curry or cà ri gà.
At the same time, Vietnam’s close cultural ties with India and neighboring Southeast Asian countries brought curry spices into the Vietnamese kitchen. The result? A dish that is unmistakably Vietnamese yet globally inspired.
Ingredients
Get all your ingredients together before you start. I forgot the condensed milk in this photo and had to go find it. The measures for each ingredient are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Boneless chicken thighs
- Madras curry powder
- Lemongrass stalks
- Fish sauce
- Condense milk
- Salt
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Red onion
- Vegetable or coconut oil
- Sweet potatoes, cut into chunks small chunks
- Coconut milk
- Water
- Chinese chicken stock
- Red Finger Chillies (optional)
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by step photos
This is an easy recipe. Even the ingredients are easily sourced at your local supermarket. Check out my step by step photos. All ingredient measure are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Step 1: In a bowl, combine the chicken with lemongrass, red onion, garlic, fish sauce, curry powder and condense milk. Mix the ingredients together. Cover and marinated for at least an hour (preferably overnight for best flavour)
- Step 2: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Step 3: When the onion is turning soft, add the lemongrass and chilli and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Step 4: Add the marinated chicken and stir well to combine with the aromatic ingredients in the pan. Fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly until the chicken is beginning to turn a golden brown.
- Step 5: Then stir in about 3 tbsp water or chicken stock and cook it down slowly over a medium heat. In the mean time coat the sweet potato with oil and place it in an air fryer or oven set to 200°C/400°F for 5 to 10 minutes. You only need to give the sweet potato a bit of a char on the exterior so that it doesn’t fall apart in the curry.
- Step 6: Add the sweet potato to the chicken and stir in the water or and Chinese chicken stock.
- Step 7: Bring to a boil and add in the coconut milk.
- Step 8: Cover and let the curry simmer over a low to medium heat for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce for a savoury flavour or condense milk for a sweeter flavour, if needed.
- Step 9: When you are happy with the flavour, serve with a hot baguettes and garnish with chilies for extra kick (optional). You could also serve it over steamed rice or vermicelli noodles.
Variations
Vietnamese chicken curry is highly adaptable. Here are a few popular variations:
Vegetarian Version: Substitute tofu or mushrooms for chicken and use soy sauce instead of fish sauce. You could also use more sweet potato as I did in this recipe and leave the chicken out.
Spicier Curry: Add fresh chilies or chilli oil.
Richer Curry: Add more coconut milk or a splash more condensed milk for creaminess.
Equipment
A large pot: This is usually a one pot meal so you really only need one good pot. In my recipe, I use roasted sweet potatoes but you could just add them raw and let them cook through.
A roasting tray: For roasting the sweet potatoes cubes.
Storage and Reheating
This curry stores beautifully. Here's how to handle leftovers:
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or coconut milk if it’s too thick.
Top Tip
Don’t skip the lemongrass. It’s key to the dish’s signature aroma. Fresh lemongrass is best if you have to use the jarred stuff, that will work too.
FAQ
Yes! In fact, just like most curries, this curry is even better the next day as the flavours develop. So you could cook it a day or two before serving and then just heat it up to serve. You can also roast the sweet potatoes and brown the meat ahead of time if that is more convenient.
Although I used boneless chicken thighs, you could cook chicken pieces on the bone for more flavour. It’s just more difficult to eat but definitely worth the effort. I use chicken thighs because they have more flavour but you could use chicken breast too if you like. Just be a bit careful with breasts as they can become stringy if cooked too long.
It is usually quite mild. Like many Vietnamese recipes, fresh chopped red chillies can be added to taste if you want to spice it up some.
Related
Looking for more Vietnamese recipes like this? Try these!
Pairing
Vietnamese chicken curry is often served simply with baguettes. You might also like to serve it with one of these:
Vietnamese Chicken Curry
If you’re looking for a curry that is unique and also delicious, this Vietnamese chicken curry could be for you. You can make it mild or spicy by adding more red chillies. You can make it in less than an hour.
Ingredients
- FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs.) boneless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 3 tbsp Madras curry powder
- 2 lemongrass stalks *white part only), finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp condense milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb sized piece ginger, minced
- Half red onion, minced or grated
- FOR THE CURRY
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil
- Half red onion, finely chopped
- 2 lemongrass stalks (cut into thirds)
- 2 sweet potatoes, cut into chunks small chunks
- 400ml (16oz) thick coconut milk
- 1 liter (4 cups) water
- 1 cube or 1 tbsp Chinese chicken stock
- 1 tbsp condense milk (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (adjust to taste)
- Garnish: sliced chili (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the chicken with lemongrass, red onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, curry powder and condense milk. Mix the ingredients together. Cover and marinated for at least an hour (preferably overnight for best flavour)
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes. When the onion is turning soft, add the lemongrass and chilli and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the marinated chicken and stir well to combine with the aromatic ingredients in the pan. Fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly until the chicken is beginning to turn a golden brown. Then stir in about 3 tbsp water or chicken stock and cook it down.
- In the mean time coat the sweet potato with oil and place it in an air fryer or oven set to 200°C/400°F for 5 to 10 minutes. You only need to give the sweet potato a bit of a char on the exterior so that it doesn’t fall apart in the curry.
- Add the sweet potato to the chicken and stir in the water or and Chinese chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add in the coconut milk. Cover and let the curry simmer over a low to medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Taste and adjust with more fish sauce for a savoury flavour or condense milk for a sweeter flavour, if needed.
- Once finished, serve with a hot baguette and garnish with chilies for extra kick (optional). You could also serve it over steamed rice or vermicelli noodles.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 503Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 2393mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 22g
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