This easy Thai Red Curry Chicken Sandwich is an exercise in smushing together tasty things and getting a delicious, satisfying meal at the end of it.
I don’t always like to spend hours in the kitchen, particularly on a Friday or Saturday. I want things that are quick, simple and tasty. I don’t want to eat just for the sake of eating and the food I’m making has to fit in with my day. It needs to be ready to go or happy to take no harm from lingering in the fridge a little longer. It’s got to be quick and relatively fuss free. Massive, colourful, tasty and fresh sandwiches are one of my favourite ways to feed us at the weekend.
Food purists should look away now – my tongue and belly are in agreement: Authenticity isn’t the name of the game. Things that make me happy to eat them win out every time. I love a plate full of colour, texture and flavour! Something like this Thai Chicken Sandwich genuinely makes me so happy to sit down and eat. It’s been on my meal planning rotation for years!
The chicken breasts sit overnight in a super tasty marinade of coconut milk, store bought Thai red curry paste, sliced red chilli and dried kaffir lime leaves. Naturally you’re welcome to use a home-made curry paste but it’s not always easy to get the things you’d need and I like the fuss free nature of using ready made.
Can’t get the dried lime leaves? Don’t worry about it! They’re not essential. I just use every opportunity I can to inhale the gorgeous scent that comes from the bag whenever I have an excuse to open it. Call it my own personal addiction. I like the extra flavour from fresh chilli too, though again it’s optional. Fancy upping the salinity of the dish? Add a dash or two of nam pla – fish sauce. What you include is entirely down to you!
All you really need is the curry paste and coconut milk. The only point I’ll be fussy on is the coconut milk itself. You need something with a good cream content – fat reduced coconut milk won’t give that gorgeous thick coating that sticks to the chicken. Using coconut cream itself works too, by the way.
Grilled Thai Red Curry Chicken Sandwich, on Ciabatta with Home-made Sweet Pickled Red Onion, Carrot, Yellow Pepper and Coriander
This sandwich takes a little bit of prep work, but not much. Ten minutes at the most. It’s super easy and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing your dinner tomorrow will take barely any effort. Tasty, juicy chicken sits on top of crisp, fresh veggie bits and gets wrapped up in warm, soft and crusty bread. Delicious!
Thai Red Curry Chicken Sandwich
There’s a little bit of low-effort prep work for this sandwich but it’s completely worth it. Juicy, flavourful chicken infused with red Thai curry flavours, surrounded by fresh and crisp textures. Amazing weekend food.
Course: Main Course
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Sweet Pickled Red Onion
- 1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar (125 ml)
- 1/4 Cup Sugar (50 g)
- 1/4 Cup Water (65 ml)
- 1 Mild, Medium Red Onion
Thai Red Curry Marinade
- 2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste (Add to taste)
- 165 ml Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 1 Red Chilli, deseeded (Optional)
- 2 Dried Kaffir Lime Leaves (Optional)
- 1 dash Nam Pla (Optional)
Finishing the Sandwich
- 1 large Part Baked Ciabatta
- 1 Carrot, skin removed, grated
- 1 Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper, washed, dried, deseeded, sliced
- 1 Lime, cut into wedges (To serve)
- Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce (To serve)
- Fresh Coriander Leaf, washed and dried (To serve)
Instructions
The Night Before: Sweet Pickled Onion
- Peel the red onions, place on their side and slice into thin rings. Put these in a coverable dish or jar. Note: If you intend to keep these for longer than a couple of days, ensure the jar is sterilised first.
- In a saucepan or microwavable bowl, mix the rice vinegar, water and sugar. Heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Pour the warm liquid over the onions, cover and place in the fridge until required.
The Night Before: Marinade the Chicken
- Choose a dish which will snugly fit the two chicken breasts and can easily be covered.
- Put the curry paste into the dish and add the coconut milk a little at a time, blending the paste thoroughly into the liquid. Optional: Add the sliced red chilli, kaffir lime leaves and nam pla, if using.
- Carefully score the chicken breasts on both sides. Place into the marinade mixture and ensure both breasts are fully coated. Cover the dish and place in the fridge overnight.
Assembling the Sandwich
- Pre-heat the grill portion of your oven to its highest temperature.
- Line your grill tray with tinfoil, placing the metal rack on top carefully so as not to pierce the foil underneath. This will save you some annoying washing up!
- Place the chicken breasts on the metal rack, removing any chilli or lime leaf pieces. Spoon a little extra marinade over the top to ensure it’s fully coated. Put the chicken under the pre-heated grill for about 9 minutes, until the sauce is starting to char. Don’t be tempted to mess with it, you’ll knock the sauce off!
- Turn the chicken breasts over and spoon over any remaining marinade to fully coat the chicken. Put the chicken back under the grill for a further 9 minutes, or until fully cooked.
- Once cooked, place a loose tinfoil cover over the chicken and allow to rest for at least five minutes. Once rested, squeeze a wedge of lime over the top and carve the meat into slices.
- Cook the part baked ciabatta according to manufacturers instructions. Slice in half to create two even sized portions, then slice each in half lengthways to split.
- Top the ciabatta sandwich base with grated carrot and sliced pepper, add the sliced chicken breast, a few slices of sweet pickled onion, a drizzle of Thai sweet chilli sauce and a sprinkling of fresh coriander leaf. Enjoy!
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