Right before Christmas, Cuatro and I flew up to Pittsburgh to spend the week with my sister, niece and brand spanking new nephew. I was there to help her entertain my niece, so she could nap…
And to get some meals into her freezer…
And just be there for moral support while her husband was busy working strange shifts at the hospital…
And to help with the middle of the night burps…
I was in newborn heaven. But after a few days couped up inside (my blood is now way too warm to handle the Pitts winters!), I was itching to get out.
I suggested that I walk a couple blocks with the kids to a nearby local strip where there were a few restaurants and shops. She said that their favorite restaurant there was a Thai spot, so I looked up the menu, called in the order and proceeded to bundle poor Cuatro up so he could hard move. He looked like a Michelin boy! I think I might have scarred him for life…he’ll never live up north! lol
I loaded the two toddlers up in the stroller and we headed out for our grand adventure to picking up our Thai food…on foot.
I ordered a Chicken Pineapple Curry because it just looked downright delicious on the menu. And it did not disappoint. I might have been drinking the curried coconut milk right out of the take out bowl. Might have licked it. And definitely called my husband to tell him that we need to go out for Thai food more often.
Except, going out for Thai food gets expensive fast. Between the cost of the food and a sitter, I decided that we should just start making more Thai food at home.
Copycat Chicken Pineapple Curry Recipe
I always have my eyes peeled for deals on coconut milk…in fact, there was a $1.50 sale for the name brand at Sprouts last week and you better believe I grabbed a few cans! My ‘never pay more than’ price for a can of light coconut milk is $1.50, for your reference.
This meal is a bit of a splurge (over $5!), but it’s way cheaper than what it would have cost for 2 dinners at a Thai place. (The food for my sister and myself – 2 meals and lettuce wraps – was $40!)
Worth every delicious bite and memory made with her.
But also worth making at home when the Thai craving hits!
Here’s my version of the Pineapple Curry that I had from the restaurant that night…
You can almost taste it, can’t you?!
Enjoy!
Chicken Pineapple Curry
Ingredients
- 15 oz. canned coconut milk
- 15 oz. canned coconut cream not the pina colada kind 🙂
- 3 Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 15 oz. can pineapple chunks well drained
- 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced or sliced
- Cilantro and green onion optional garnish
- 1 1/2 cups brown, white or basmati rice
Instructions
- Cook the rice, as directed.
- In a large saucepan or skillet, whisk the coconut milk and coconut cream, curry paste, curry powder, ginger, garlic powder. If your coconut milk has separated in the can, it will become smooth again when it heats up.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks, bell pepper slices and pieces of chicken. Let cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the chicken to cook through and the flavors to mingle.
- Serve Chicken Pineapple Curry over rice with cilantro and green onion garnish.
Chrissy says
Hope you enjoyed your (cold!) visit to Pittsburgh! And congrats on your new family member! I’ve lived in Pittsburgh all my life (never heard it called “the Pitts” though) and wondered if you could share the name of the restaurant? Always looking for a fun new restaurant to check out if we can manage to get a babysitter!
Rochelle says
Do you mind sharing what brand red curry paste you used? They seem to vary quite a bit, and I’d love to be sure I end up with something kid friendly.
Michael says
Do you pre-cook your chicken first? It seems like a silly question, but you don’t mention cooked chicken, or indeed cooking the chicken. Which makes sense, maybe better to cook it in the sauce. But then 15 minutes seems very short for the chicken to cook through, so I just wanted to double check 🙂
Miranda says
I wonder if I missed an ingredient or step? I made this for dinner last night. This just tasted so bland to me and not spicy at all. I wouldn’t call it Thai.
Mags says
I had the same thought as the last poster. I wonder if there is something missing. I made this last night as directed and it had no flavor at all. I ended up tripling the curry paste, curry, powder, and garlic powder and adding red pepper flakes and a little garlic olive oil (whatever I had around 😉 ), and that spiced it up a little, but still not to “Thai” level. I feel like I’m missing something.
Nick says
I’m not much of a Indian food fan, but I love pineapple so I had to try this dish. My girlfriend and I absolutely love this dish, will be making it again and again!
Jen says
AMAZING!!!!! THANK YOU!!!! I’m so into Thai right now and I’ve it
Montana A says
I just made this and it was wonderful! I altered a few things. I added a small chopped yellow onion, sauteed in 1 tsp. olive oil right before making the sauce. I also used fresh ginger and added about 1/4 tsp. cinnamon alongside the other spices. My grocery only had red bell peppers, but that made the dish really cheery and red. I used A Taste of Thai brand red curry paste. I used 3 generous tablespoons resulting in a dish that was a little on the spicy side, but wonderful on a rainy evening. We served it with basmati rice and green salads!
Cristina Pandol says
Any idea how many calories this has?
cj says
It was really good but I added brown sugar and it brought out the flavors
Karen says
I made this recipe the other day because I thought it sounded interesting and quick. I had trouble finding the red curry paste but Publix had it. I put the 3 tbsp of it in my pot with the other ingredients and then I heard you say something about it being hot and cooling it down with sugar. I didn’t add any sugar and ate it like it was. My family couldn’t get enough of it! My picky eater son already wants me to make it again. This is the best recipe I have tried recently. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Heidi Brymer says
Thank you!!! My favorite Thai place in Denver had this & i ordered it everytime but haven’t found it many other thai places! This looks & sounds just like it!
Cathy Kilian says
This was the best!! I added carrots and pea pods. Great recipe! Thanks so much!!
Rhonda says
Excellent recipe! It was quick and easy to prepare and so so tasty! I like a bit of extra spice so I was generous with the seasonings. Will definitely make this again.