Thai Chicken Pineapple Curry

Imagine you open a can of coconut milk, toss in some red curry paste, throw in juicy chicken and sweet pineapple chunks, and thirty minutes later you’re eating something that tastes like it came from an actual Thai restaurant. That is precisely what’s happening with this recipe. No passport required. No complicated techniques. Just one pan, bold flavours, and an embarrassingly easy process.

Thai chicken pineapple curry is one of those dishes that hits every single flavour note simultaneously — creamy, sweet, spicy, salty, and with that unmistakable fragrant depth that makes Thai food so craveable. The pineapple isn’t just a quirky addition; it melts into the coconut curry sauce and adds a tropical sweetness that balances the heat beautifully.

So if you’re standing in your kitchen wondering what to cook tonight and you want something that tastes genuinely special without requiring the effort of something genuinely special — this is your answer. Grab that coconut milk and let’s go.

What Makes This Recipe Awesome

Where to even begin? This curry earns its place on the weekly rotation for so many reasons:

• One pan. Thirty minutes. Restaurant-quality result. Everything happens in a single skillet or wok. There’s minimal cleanup and maximum flavour — the kind of ratio that should be legally required of all weeknight meals.
• The pineapple is the secret weapon. It sounds unconventional. It tastes transcendent. The pineapple caramelizes slightly in the hot curry sauce and releases a natural sweetness that makes every bite complex and balanced. Don’t skip it. Don’t substitute it. Trust the fruit.
• Coconut milk does all the heavy flavour lifting. Full-fat coconut milk creates a sauce so rich and creamy you’ll want to drink it from the bowl. Which is not something we’re judging. We’re doing it too.
• Completely customizable heat level. One tablespoon of red curry paste = mild and fragrant. Two tablespoons = warmly spiced. Three tablespoons = genuinely exciting. You control the temperature entirely.
• Works with almost any protein. Chicken is the star here, but shrimp, tofu, or chickpeas all play beautifully in this sauce. The curry doesn’t care what protein you bring — it just makes it taste incredible.
• Meal prep gold. The flavour deepens overnight. Make a big batch, refrigerate it, and eat it even better the next day for lunch while everyone around you eats sad sandwiches.
• It’s idiot-proof. Literally sauté, add curry paste, pour in coconut milk, add chicken and pineapple, simmer. That’s it. Even the most kitchen-averse person cannot mess this up.

IMO, the combination of coconut milk + red curry paste + pineapple is one of the greatest flavour triangles in all of Thai cooking. Bold claim. Stand by it.

Shopping List — Ingredients

Enough for 4 generous servings. Serve over jasmine rice and nobody leaves the table hungry.

For the Curry:

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs — 1.5 lbs (680g), cut into 1-inch chunks. Thighs stay juicy and tender in the curry sauce. Breasts work but require more careful timing to avoid drying out. Thighs are the forgiving, flavour-forward choice.
• Fresh pineapple — 2 cups, cut into chunks. Fresh is dramatically better than canned here. It holds its shape, has more flavour, and doesn’t bring excess syrup into the sauce. That said, if canned pineapple in juice (not syrup) is your only option, drain it well and no one has to know.
• Red curry paste — 2 to 3 tablespoons. Mae Ploy and Maesri are excellent brands, widely available, and genuinely authentic in flavour. Start with 2 tablespoons and taste before adding more. Curry paste varies wildly in heat level between brands.
• Full-fat coconut milk — 1 can (400ml / 13.5 oz). Full-fat, not light. The fat is where all the creaminess lives. Light coconut milk makes a thin, watery sauce that has no business being called a curry.
• Fish sauce — 2 tablespoons. The umami backbone of the dish. Don’t taste it straight from the bottle and judge it — in the curry it adds a savoury depth that makes everything taste more complex. If you’re vegetarian, swap for soy sauce or tamari.
• Brown sugar or palm sugar — 1 tablespoon. Balances the heat and salt. Palm sugar is more traditional and has a slightly more complex, caramel-like flavour. Brown sugar works perfectly as a substitute.
• Fresh garlic — 4 cloves, minced. Garlic is foundational. Please use fresh, not powder — the aromatic base of this curry depends on it.
• Fresh ginger — 1 tablespoon, grated. Bright, warm, and slightly spicy. Grate it fresh for the best flavour. Squeeze tubes of ginger paste work in a pinch.
• Kaffir lime leaves — 4 to 5 leaves (optional but wonderful). These fragrant leaves give Thai curry its distinctive floral, citrusy aroma. Found at Asian grocery stores, often frozen. Use them if you can find them — they elevate the whole dish.
• Lemongrass stalk — 1, bruised (optional). Smash the white base with the back of your knife and add it whole to the curry while it simmers. Remove before serving. Adds an incredible fragrant depth.
• Red bell pepper — 1, sliced. Adds colour, sweetness, and a little crunch. Completely optional but makes the dish look stunning.
• Neutral oil — 1 tablespoon. For sautéing the aromatics. Vegetable, coconut, or avocado oil all work.

For Serving:

• Jasmine rice — 2 cups cooked. The only acceptable companion for this curry. That fragrant, slightly sticky jasmine rice is built for soaking up Thai curry sauce. Don’t bring regular long-grain to this dinner.
• Fresh Thai basil or regular basil — large handful. Stir in at the very end, off the heat. The heat wilts it gently and releases its fragrance throughout the dish. Game-changing finish.
• Fresh lime wedges — for serving. A squeeze of fresh lime over the finished curry is mandatory. Non-negotiable. It brightens every single flavour in the bowl.
• Thinly sliced red chilli — for garnish (optional). For colour and extra heat. Also makes your bowl look extremely professional with minimal effort.

Pro tip: Make the rice before you start the curry. The whole dish comes together so fast that you want the rice already waiting. Curry waits for no one.

Step-by-Step Instructions

One pan. Thirty minutes. Let’s do this:

1. Start your jasmine rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook according to package instructions. Time it so it finishes when the curry does. While the rice cooks, prep all your curry ingredients — this goes fast.
2. Build the aromatic base. Heat the oil in a large skillet, wok, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and lemongrass (if using). Sauté for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and just starting to colour. Don’t walk away — garlic burns fast and bitter garlic is a tragedy.
3. Bloom the curry paste. Add the red curry paste directly to the pan. Stir it into the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This step — blooming the paste in hot oil — unlocks the fat-soluble aromatics and deepens the entire flavour profile. Don’t skip it, don’t rush it.
4. Add the coconut milk. Pour in the full can of coconut milk and stir well to combine with the curry paste. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, and kaffir lime leaves (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — not a rolling boil. Stir and taste the sauce at this point. Adjust fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, and curry paste for heat if needed.
5. Cook the chicken. Add the chicken pieces to the simmering sauce in a single layer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining. The sauce will thicken slightly as the chicken releases its juices.
6. Add the pineapple and bell pepper. Stir in the pineapple chunks and sliced bell pepper. Simmer for a further 3 to 4 minutes until the pineapple is warmed through and starting to soften at the edges. Don’t overcook the pineapple — you want it tender but still holding its shape.
7. Finish with fresh basil and a taste check. Remove the pan from heat. Discard the lemongrass stalk and kaffir lime leaves if used. Stir in the fresh basil and let it wilt in the residual heat for 30 seconds. Taste one final time and adjust seasoning. A squeeze of lime at this stage is also excellent.
8. Serve over jasmine rice and garnish. Ladle the curry generously over rice. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top, scatter sliced red chilli if using, and add an extra sprig of basil for presentation. Serve immediately while the sauce is hot and the rice is fresh.

Batch tip: This curry scales effortlessly. Double the recipe for a crowd and serve in a big pot in the center of the table with rice alongside. It looks spectacular and feeds 8 without double the effort.

Health Benefits

A curry that tastes this indulgent and also has a genuinely strong nutritional profile? Yes, that’s what’s happening here:

Chicken Thighs: A great source of complete protein — essential for muscle repair, immune function, and keeping you full and satisfied. Chicken thighs also contain more zinc and iron than breasts, making them nutritionally denser per serving. The higher fat content contributes to a more satisfying meal that prevents overeating later.

Fresh Pineapple: Rich in bromelain, a powerful proteolytic enzyme with well-documented anti-inflammatory properties. Bromelain also supports protein digestion — particularly fitting in a chicken curry — and has been shown to reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Pineapple additionally provides vitamin C, manganese, and B vitamins in meaningful quantities.

Coconut Milk: Contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a form of fat the body processes differently from long-chain fats — converting them more readily to energy rather than storing them. MCTs are also associated with improved satiety and brain function. The lauric acid in coconut milk has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Red Curry Paste: A concentrated blend of red chillies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and spices — each bringing its own nutritional contribution. Capsaicin in red chillies boosts metabolism and has been linked to reduced inflammation. Lemongrass and galangal both have antimicrobial and digestive benefits. This paste is doing serious nutritional work beneath all that flavour.

Fresh Garlic and Ginger: Among the most evidence-backed functional foods available. Garlic’s allicin content supports immune function, cardiovascular health, and has antimicrobial properties. Fresh ginger contains gingerols and shogaols — compounds with potent anti-inflammatory and nausea-reducing effects. Together they form an aromatic base that’s also an immune system boost.

Kaffir Lime Leaves: Used primarily for flavour, but these leaves contain volatile oils with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. They’ve been used in traditional Thai medicine for digestive support and oral health. A small addition with a surprisingly meaningful health profile.

Fish Sauce: Beyond its irreplaceable umami flavour, fish sauce provides iodine — a mineral essential for thyroid health that many people don’t get enough of. It also contributes trace amounts of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Use it judiciously and it adds flavour and nutrition simultaneously.

Avoid These Mistakes

Thai curry is forgiving, but a few common errors can quietly undermine an otherwise great dish:

• Using light coconut milk. We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: light coconut milk makes a thin, watery curry that tastes like a pale imitation of the real thing. The richness and creaminess of this dish come entirely from the fat in full-fat coconut milk. Use the full-fat version. Always.
• Not blooming the curry paste. Stirring curry paste directly into liquid without cooking it in oil first is the single most common Thai curry mistake. Blooming the paste in hot oil for 60 to 90 seconds before adding liquid wakes up the fat-soluble aromatics and creates a depth of flavour you simply cannot achieve any other way.
• Boiling instead of simmering. A rolling boil breaks down the coconut milk, causing it to split into an oily, grainy mess instead of a smooth, creamy sauce. Once the coconut milk is in, keep it at a gentle simmer — small bubbles, not a volcanic eruption.
• Adding the pineapple too early. Pineapple that cooks for too long breaks down into soft, mushy pieces that lose all their texture and become almost invisible in the sauce. Add it in the last 3 to 4 minutes only — you want it warm, slightly softened, and still holding its shape.
• Not tasting and adjusting. Thai cuisine balances four elements: sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. Taste the curry before serving and ask yourself what it needs. More fish sauce for salt? More sugar to balance heat? A squeeze of lime for brightness? More curry paste for heat? Taste and adjust — that’s the step that separates good curry from great curry.
• Skipping the fresh basil finish. Dried basil is not a substitute here. Fresh Thai basil stirred in at the end adds a fragrant, slightly anise-like note that changes the character of the whole dish. Regular fresh basil is a perfectly acceptable substitute. Dried basil in this context is just a disappointment.
• Using chicken breasts and overcooking them. If you use chicken breasts, they cook faster and dry out more quickly than thighs. Cut them into smaller pieces and check doneness at 6 to 7 minutes. Dry, rubbery chicken in a beautiful curry sauce is a genuine tragedy that is entirely avoidable.

Variations You Can Try

The base recipe is exceptional. But once you’ve made it, here are some inspired directions to explore:

• Green Curry Version: Swap the red curry paste for green curry paste and reduce the amount slightly (green curry paste tends to be hotter). Add sliced Thai green aubergine, baby corn, and a handful of green beans for a classic green curry profile. The pineapple works brilliantly here too.
• Shrimp and Pineapple Curry: Replace the chicken with large raw shrimp (peeled and deveined). Shrimp cook in 2 to 3 minutes — add them right after the pineapple and watch for them to turn pink and curl. Beautiful, quick, and feels very elegant for a weeknight dish.
• Vegan / Plant-Based Version: Swap chicken for firm tofu (pressed and cubed), tempeh, or canned chickpeas. Replace fish sauce with soy sauce or vegan fish sauce. The pineapple’s sweetness and the coconut milk’s richness mean the vegan version is equally satisfying. A handful of sliced mushrooms also adds wonderful meatiness.
• Add Vegetables: Red curry and coconut milk play beautifully with a wide range of vegetables. Try adding baby spinach (stir in at the end), snap peas (add with the pineapple), sliced zucchini (add with chicken), or baby corn. More colour, more nutrition, more substance.
• Massaman-Style Pineapple Curry: Use massaman curry paste instead of red curry paste, add peeled potato cubes and a small cinnamon stick to the sauce. Massaman is warmer, more complex, and slightly sweeter than red curry — the pineapple takes on an almost dessert-like quality in this version. Outstanding.
• Make It a Soup: Add 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth to the finished curry to thin it into a deeply flavoured soup. Add rice noodles directly to the pot in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Finish with bean sprouts, fresh lime, and sliced spring onion. Basically a Thai noodle soup that lives on the border of curry and soup — and thrives there.

FYI — the shrimp version served over coconut jasmine rice is genuinely one of the most impressive-looking quick dinners you can put on a table. Make it for a dinner party and accept the compliments graciously.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use curry powder instead of red curry paste?

Technically yes, but they’re very different things and the result will be noticeably different. Red curry paste is a wet, fresh-tasting blend of chillies, lemongrass, galangal, and aromatics — it’s more complex and punchier than curry powder. Curry powder produces a more Indian-flavoured result that doesn’t quite capture the Thai character of this dish. If Thai red curry paste is unavailable, use it as a last resort but manage your expectations.

What do I do if my curry is too spicy?

A few fixes: add more coconut milk (opens a second can if needed) to dilute the heat. Add a little more sugar to balance. Add more pineapple chunks for sweetness. A squeeze of lime juice also helps tame heat by adding acidity that distracts from the spice. And next time — start with less curry paste and add gradually.

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely — and it’s actually even better the next day. The flavours meld and deepen beautifully overnight. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or coconut milk if the sauce has thickened too much. Add fresh basil just before serving.

What if I can’t find kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass?

The curry will still be excellent without them — the red curry paste already contains lemongrass and kaffir lime as components. To compensate, add a teaspoon of lime zest and a squeeze of lime juice to the sauce while it simmers. It approximates some of that fragrant citrus note. Whole kaffir lime leaves are also increasingly available frozen at Asian grocery stores — worth checking.

How do I prevent the coconut milk from splitting?

Two things cause coconut milk to split: high heat and boiling. Once you’ve added the coconut milk, reduce to a gentle simmer — small lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Stir regularly. If it does split slightly, don’t panic — it’ll still taste good, it just won’t look as silky. Stirring in a small splash of fresh coconut milk can help bring it back together.

Can I freeze this curry?

Yes, but with a caveat. The chicken and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. The pineapple gets quite soft after freezing and thawing — not unpleasant, but different in texture. For best results, freeze without the pineapple and add fresh pineapple when you reheat it. Label, date, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating gently on the stovetop.

Final Thoughts

This Thai chicken pineapple curry is the kind of recipe that quietly becomes a staple. The one you reach for when you want something genuinely impressive without putting in genuinely impressive effort. The one that makes your kitchen smell incredible for two hours after dinner. The one people eat a second bowl of while pretending they’re just finishing what’s left so it doesn’t go to waste.

One pan. Thirty minutes. A short, approachable ingredient list. And a result that genuinely tastes like something you’d pay a lot of money for at a good Thai restaurant. That is an extraordinary deal, and you should take it every single week.

Make it tonight. Make it for meal prep Sunday. Make it for guests who think you’re a better cook than you are. Make it for yourself on a Wednesday when you deserve something that feels special.