Pad Ped Gai is a Thai spicy stir-fried chicken curry. This version of the recipe hails from Southern Thailand and reflects the Malaysian influence in this region. Spiced, fried chicken cooks in a Thai red curry gravy for a fragrant curry you won’t soon forget.

Pad Ped Gai Thai spicy fried chicken curry

Special Thai curries for Ramadan

During the holy month of Ramadan, as the sun sets and people are about to break their fast, the light of the scorching sun of Southern Thailand is replaced by the light of the mosque’s minaret and the night market that magically appears on its side. After the prayer is done, a crowd of men, women, and children gather around the street stalls. They buy curries and rice to take home and indulge in traditional treats that are only prepared during this time of the year.

I myself remember walking around the streets of Hat Yai, experiencing this. As Hat Yai is located less than an hour away from the Thai-Malaysian border by car, it is home to a large Thai-Malay Muslim population.

As I was strolling around the Muslim neighborhood during twilight, I noticed street stalls turning on their light bulbs and arranging arrays of flavorful curries, cold drinks, and sweets. These reminded me a lot of the Ramadan sweets that are prepared in the Middle East.

I am a huge curry lover, and Khaogaeng (literally “Curry & Rice”) shops are one of my favourite things about Thailand.

I quickly noticed that there were two dishes that were served in every Khaogaeng stall around the city: Gaeng Massaman and Pad Ped. It was clear that both dishes are staples of the local cuisine, as I saw the amount of locals buying a portion to take home.

Pad Ped Gai Thai spicy fried chicken curry - served with rice

What is Pad Ped?

Pad Ped literally means “stir-fried chili” in Thai. It is a very general name for many dishes that are served all around Thailand.

In the central region, for instance, bite-sized pieces of chicken, frog, or fried catfish are stir-fried with red curry paste, Thai basil, and different vegetables.

However, the Pad Ped of Southern Thai Muslims is a different story, especially due to Malay influences on the cuisine.

Southern Thai Pad Ped Gai – Spicy chicken curry

First of all, Southern Thai Pad Ped Gai is more of a curry than a stir fry, as it will usually be served in a broth or gravy.

The chicken (the common choice of meat for this dish) or “gai” in Thai, is not cut into bite-size pieces. Thighs or drumsticks are served whole instead. The chicken is first seasoned and fried before being added to the dish, which is essentially a Malay cooking technique.

The flavor base of the dish is also quite different from other versions of Pad Ped in Thailand, due to healthy amounts of fresh turmeric and shrimp paste that are added to the Nam Prik Ped curry paste.

Interestingly enough, Malaysian cuisine features a dish that is shockingly similar to Pad Ped, called Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Padi. The main difference between the two dishes is the addition of coconut milk in the Malaysian one, while its Thai counterpart relies on chicken broth and frying oil as a source of fat.

For me, it is always fascinating to learn about dishes such as Pad Ped Gai, and through them learn about the daily life of a community. It is always exciting to observe how something that seems so normal and even basic to a local or native may seem so exotic from an outsider’s perspective.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Pad Ped Gai (Thai Spicy Fried Chicken Curry)

Name: Pad Ped Gai (Thai Spicy Fried Chicken Curry)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 shallot; 1 inch piece of fresh turmeric (or 1 Tbsp turmeric powder); 2 garlic cloves; 2 Kaffir lime leaves; 1/2 stalk lemongrass; 1 thumb sized piece of galangal; 1 spur chili (or equal amount of red bell pepper); 2 bird eye chilies (can be substituted with serrano chilies); 1/2 tsp of shrimp paste; 2-3 Tbsp of water (add only in the end if using mortar and pestle); 1 Tbsp of turmeric powder; 1 Tbsp of flour; 1/2 tsp of salt; 1 kg (roughly 2 ¼ lbs) chicken, drumsticks and/or thighs; 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided; 3-4 Tbsp curry paste from above (according to the desired amount of spiciness); 2 cups water, dived (more as needed); 5 Kaffir lime leaves; 1 stalk of lemongrass; 2 Tbsp flour (mixed with 2 Tbsp water); 300 g (2/3 lb) fresh green beans, cut in half; 3 Tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp tamarind pulp; Chopped cilantro, for garnish; Thai basil, for garnish (optional); Fried shallots, for garnish (optional); Cooked rice, for serving

Pad Ped Gai is a spicy stir-fried chicken curry. In this recipe from Southern Thailand, spiced, fried chicken cooks in a Thai red curry sauce.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Marinating Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the curry paste (mix all together in a blender or crush with mortar and pestle):

1 shallot
1 inch piece of fresh turmeric (or 1 Tbsp turmeric powder)
2 garlic cloves
2 Kaffir lime leaves
1/2 stalk lemongrass
1 thumb sized piece of galangal
1 spur chili (or equal amount of red bell pepper)
2 bird eye chilies (can be substituted with serrano chilies)
1/2 tsp of shrimp paste
2-3 Tbsp of water (add only in the end if using mortar and pestle)

For the curry

1 Tbsp of turmeric powder
1 Tbsp of flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1 kg (roughly 2 ¼ lbs) chicken, drumsticks and/or thighs
4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3-4 Tbsp curry paste from above (according to the desired amount of spiciness)
2 cups water, dived (more as needed)
5 Kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk of lemongrass
2 Tbsp flour (mixed with 2 Tbsp water)
300 g (2/3 lb) fresh green beans, cut in half
3 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp tamarind pulp
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Thai basil, for garnish (optional)
Fried shallots, for garnish (optional)
Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

For the curry paste

Mix all the curry paste ingredients together in a blender or crush into a paste with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

For the curry

Mix the turmeric powder, flour, and salt on a large plate.
Coat the chicken with the turmeric mixture and set the pieces aside to marinate (15-30 minutes). In the meantime, feel free to prepare the other ingredients.
After the meat has marinated, heat half of the oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the chicken, until golden. (You will cook the chicken through in a later step, so it only needs to be cooked to golden on the outside in this step.)
Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil in a different pan and fry the curry paste over low heat, until the oil separates from the paste.
Add 1 cup of water, Kaffir lime leaves, and lemon grass stalk to the curry paste and bring it to a boil.
Add the fried chicken and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add 1 cup of water or more, if necessary.
Add the flour and water paste to the pan and stir well.
Add the halved green beans, fish sauce, and tamarind pulp.
Cook for 5 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked to your liking.
Serve with recommended garnishes alongside a bowl of rice. Enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, We earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1/4 of recipe (without rice)
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 557

If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!

Oz is originally from central Israel, and is currently based in Amsterdam. Alongside being a jazz musician, he is a dedicated foodie and a professional chef. He has traveled the world since 2021, exploring some of his favourite cuisines such as Thai, Greek, Moroccan and much more! His favourite way to travel is going to food markets and venues, interacting with the local people and hearing their stories through food. He is inspired by the unbreakable bond between a culture and culinary traditions. By travelling and eating, he enjoys witnessing how food can influence and be influenced by history and cultural exchange.