Burmese Chicken Curry

By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: November 24, 2019

Last Updated: May 22nd, 2024↣36 Comments on Burmese Chicken Curry↣

This Burmese Chicken Curry has an abundance of colour, fragrance and flavour. Juicy, tender chicken is bathed in a lemongrass infused sauce that covers every delicious South East Asian base. It’s one of my all-time favourite curries and I’m sure it’ll be one of yours soon too.

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A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with fork and spoon

Before we begin, I am compelled to announce that this Burmese Chicken Curry is my absolute favourite South East Asian curry to make at home. Packed with all the wonderful characteristics of Burmese cuisine, a fragrant hit of sweet, sour, salt and spice in every delicious spoonful.

I first discovered this curry in one of my most treasured (and most dog-eared) cookbooks The Ultimate Curry Bible from Indian TV chef Madhur Jaffrey. An unassuming recipe from a country whose food I knew little about.

I've been cooking variations on her recipe for many years and must have made this dish 500+ times. It truly is one of my most favourite dishes ever.

This recipe is simple to follow and easy to prepare - the only tech you need is a stick blender - and you'll be good to go. You'll be pleased to know that it's also a healthy curry. Not a lot of fat, no calorie rich coconut cream - just honest, wholesome ingredients. It feels lighter and brighter than some curries of India or Malaysia, so a great option if you're craving something lighter.

What's ahead?

Discover the fragrance of Burmese Cuisine

The cuisine of Burma/Myannmar is influenced by its neighbours, China, India and Thailand. This curry definitely has an Indian and Thai influence, but with a unique personality of its own. The aromas of ginger, lemongrass and umami fish sauce scents the air whenever it's on the stove.

Because of its geographical position, you can expect some of the most delicious, light, bright and flavourful curries, salads, noodles and rice dishes in the World.

This curry is a wonderful example of the fragrance of the region with lemongrass, ginger and fish sauce taking centre stage.

A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with fork and spoon

Why it works

It's fragrance - There is no other curry that I cook regularly that creates the same level of excitement in the household. Its distinctive lemongrass aromatics fill the house and EVERYONE knows what's in store!

It's easy - If this curry took 2 days to cook, I would still make it every week, but it's much less effort than that. You'll have this one the table in no time at all.

Stuff you'll need

As curries go, this one is pretty light on ingredients, each one working hard to bring its personality to the table. Here are a run down of flavours for the Burmese curry.

  • Chicken thighs - thigh meat has more flavour and stays super-juicy when cooked in a sauce. Breast meat will dry out, so avoid. You can use legs if you like, just remove the skin.
  • Fresh - Onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and tomatoes make up the fragrance to the sauce.
  • Spices - Chilli powder, paprika, turmeric and a mild or hot Indian curry powder is all you need for ALL that flavour and colour.
  • Fish sauce - The special flavour comes from fish sauce, a South East Asian staple, with its salty umami flavour. It's essential!
  • Garnishes - You don't NEED to garnish, but I like to add a little cilantro, red chilli and thinly sliced fresh ginger to extend all that lovely Burmese personality.
The Ingredients for Burmese Chicken Curry, including chicken thighs, fish sauce, lemongrass, ginger, spices and more.

Step by Step

Here you'll see just how easy things are to make this splendid curry. The only kit you'll need is some kind of food processor to blend the onions, garlic, ginger and some spices into a paste. I use a stick blender as it makes less mess to wash up.

  1. Step 1 - Coat the chicken with the curry powder, turmeric and a little salt and set it aside.
  2. Step 2 - Blend the onion, garlic, ginger, paprika and chilli powder into a thick paste.
  3. Step 3 - Fry that paste in a little peanut oil until the raw fragrance has gone and the onion mix is pretty thick.
  4. Step 4 - Add the chicken and stir fry for a minute or two until the pan is hot again.
  5. Step 5 - Add the tomatoes and again, cook until the pan is nice and hot again.
  6. Step 6 - Pour in some water and then a couple of tablespoons of fish sauce. Lastly, bash the end of the lemongrass stalk to split it a little and throw that into the sauce too.
Mixing spices into chicken thigh chunks for a Burmese chicken curry
Making a spice paste for a Burmese chicken curry
Frying a spice paste for a Burmese chicken curry
Adding chicken pieces to the spice paste for a Burmese chicken curry
Adding tomato to a spice paste with chicken for a Burmese chicken curry
Adding aromatic lemongrass and fish sauce for a Burmese chicken curry

All that remains is the cook the sauce for 30 minutes or so until the chicken is fully cooked. The sauce should be rich and cream and not too watery.

If it's a little thin just up the heat on the stove and let it bubble a little furiously for 5-10 minutes to reduce.

A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with fork and spoon

Pro Tips to make your life easier

  • Use a stick blender - I find them great when making simple pastes like this one. They create way less washing up and are quicker, giving more control of the texture of the paste.
  • Substitutions - I often use canned tomatoes or passata instead of fresh tomatoes. Use about 3/4 cup. I'll also sometimes make this curry with pork, a cut with a little fat like shoulder, cut into small pieces. You may need to cook for a little longer, say 45-60 minutes.
  • Add vegetables - I regularly add vegetables to this curry - my favourites are trimmed French Beans, which I'll add about 10 minutes before the sauce is cooked. You can also add raw potato chunks at the same time as the chicken.
Bowls of Burmese chicken curry with rice

Serving and storing suggestions

  • Garnishes - It's not essential to garnish this curry too much, but I can't help myself, so will often add some extra flavour on top. Fresh chilli, ginger and cilantro are my favourite, but in the past I've also piled up a little mound of beansprouts and a couple of times have topped with Crispy Fried Noodles, A Burmese favourite.
  • Rice or noodles - Burmese chicken curry is so good served with Jasmine rice and it's how I serve it 99% of the time, but it's just as delicious over some freshly cooked egg or rice noodles.
  • Storage fridge - This curry will stay fresh in the fridge (getting better by the day) for 5-6 days. Make sure it's in an airtight container.
  • Storage freezer - It'll freeze in airtight containers, in single portions and stay good for 3+ months. Cook from frozen in the microwave until piping hot. Remember to stir regularly to avoid burning. Alternatively, defrost completely and reheat in a pan until piping hot.
A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with rice

Ready to get cooking?

So, all the evidence has been presented! Will this curry become a favourite of yours too? I'm confident it will - I've introduced it to so many friends and family over the years and they all still talk about and request it. Many have incorporated it into their own curry repertoire too. I hope you enjoy all the flavour!

A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with rice

Any Questions? (FAQ)

Have a question about this Burmese Chicken Curry? Let me know in the comments.

What is Burmese Curry Called?

In Burma/Myanmar it's called 'see-pyan', and uses a combination of ground dried spices and fresh aromatics to create its unique fresh, fragrant flavour.

Is Burmese food similar to Thai?

Burmese food differs a little from the flavour of Thai food in that it uses more dried spices in combination with fresh aromatics to create the unique flavours. It shares more similarities to Malaysian and Singaporean food which also has a combination of Indian and South East Asian ingredients.

More delicious Chicken curry recipes

If you liked this recipe, you'll be sure to enjoy more of my favourite chicken curry recipes from all around Asia.

 

A bowl of Burmese chicken curry with fork and spoon

Burmese Chicken Curry

Rate this recipe

4.61 from 33 votes
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Recipe by Lee
Course Main Course
Cuisine Burmese, South East Asian
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings (adjustable) 4
Calories (per serving) | 443

Video Recipe

Ingredients

Garnishes

  • 1 bunch cilantro (optional)
  • 1 red chilli (cut into thin pieces) (optional)
  • 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled and cut into very thin batons) (optional)

Instructions

  • Sprinkle curry powder, salt and turmeric over the chicken and set aside. In a blender or food processor mix onions, garlic, paprika, chilli powder and ginger into a thick paste.
  • Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the paste over a medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and turn up the heat stirring for another few minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir for a further 5 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water (enough to cover the chicken), the lemongrass and fish sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
  • Turn down the heat to low, partially cover the pan and very gently simmer for at least 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.
  • Remove the lid and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes to reduce the sauce. Fish out the lemongrass - check for seasoning and serve!

Serving

  • Garnish the curry with the cilantro, chilli and ginger and serve hot with lots of fluffy Jasmine rice.

Notes

  • Use a stick blender - I find them great when making simple pastes like this one. They create way less washing up and are quicker, giving more control of the texture of the paste.
  • Substitutions - I often use canned tomatoes or passata instead of fresh tomatoes. Use about 3/4 cup. I'll also sometimes make this curry with pork, a cut with a little fat like shoulder, cut into small pieces. You may need to cook for a little longer, say 45-60 minutes.
  • Add vegetables - I regularly add vegetables to this curry - my favourites are trimmed French Beans, which I'll add about 10 minutes before the sauce is cooked. You can also add raw potato chunks at the same time as the chicken.
  • Serving - Serve over lots of fluffy jasmine rice or some freshly cooked egg or rice noodles.
  • Storage fridge - This curry will stay fresh in the fridge (getting better by the day) for 5-6 days. Make sure it's in an airtight container.
  • Storage freezer - It'll freeze in airtight containers, in single portions and stay good for 3+ months. Cook from frozen in the microwave until piping hot. Remember to stir regularly to avoid burning. Alternatively, defrost completely and reheat in a pan until piping hot. 

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal (22%) | Carbohydrates: 11g (4%) | Protein: 46g (92%) | Fat: 24g (37%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) | Cholesterol: 215mg (72%) | Sodium: 1214mg (53%) | Potassium: 875mg (25%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 4g (4%) | Vitamin A: 1207IU (24%) | Vitamin C: 13mg (16%) | Calcium: 53mg (5%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)
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