Skinnymixer’s Malaysian Chicken Curry (Nyonya-style) features in the Chef Specials of the cookbook SkinnyAsia 2.
Malaysian is one of my most-favourite cuisines! When I started developing this recipe I set up to do a new and improved Nyonya Chicken Curry recipe. This Malaysian Chicken Curry turned out better than I could’ve hoped and I absolutely adore the layers of flavours in this curry.
This rich Malaysian-inspired curry gets its incredible flavour from a homemade rempah, packed with dried chilli, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and toasted spices.Add creamy coconut milk, tender chicken, fresh curry leaves and makrut lime leaves and you’ve got one seriously fragrant curry.
What ingredients you will need
- Chicken Stock Concentrate
- chicken thigh
- brown sugar
- fish sauce or vegan fysh sauce
- olive oil
- roasted shrimp paste
- shredded coconut
- tin coconut milk
- 20 fresh curry leaves (leaves not sprigs)
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- lemongrass
- makrut lime leaves
- fresh lime juice
- shallot or brown onion
- coriander seeds
- cumin seeds
- dried long red chillies – if you have the Madame Wong dried chillies from Coles, use a lower chilli amount as they are extremely hot!
- ground white pepper
- sweet paprika
- turmeric powder
This page exists to help people find what cookbook the Malaysian Chicken Curry is in and also to provide a basic shopping list for when you are out and about and have forgotten your eBook or shopping list. (Handy I know!). Plus extra recipe information – tips, FAQs and videos.
What is Rempah?
Rempah is a fresh spice paste used as the flavour base for many Southeast Asian dishes.
For this curry, dried chillies are blended with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallot, toasted spices and optional shrimp paste.
The paste is then cooked before the chicken and remaining ingredients are added.
Don’t rush this stage. Cooking the rempah develops its flavour and takes it from a raw spice paste to the deeply aromatic base of your curry.
How Spicy is This Curry?
We’ve given you a range of 3–7 large dried red chillies so you can control the heat.
For a milder family curry, start with the lower amount and make sure you remove the seeds.
If you love chilli, work your way towards the higher amount.
Keep in mind that dried chillies can vary considerably in heat, so adjust according to the chillies you’re using and your family’s preference.
Preparing Dried Chillies
Remove the seeds, then soak the dried chillies in boiling water for 15 minutes.
This softens them so they blend more easily into the rempah.
Drain before using.
Roasted Shrimp Paste
The shrimp paste is optional, but we recommend it for the extra savoury depth it gives the curry.
Look for roasted shrimp paste at Asian grocers or in the Asian section of some supermarkets.
You only need a small amount, and don’t be put off by its strong smell straight from the packet! Once cooked into the rempah, it becomes part of the deeply savoury flavour of the curry.
Fresh Curry Leaves
Fresh curry leaves are wonderfully fragrant and very different from curry powder.
Look for them at Indian or Asian grocers and some larger supermarkets.
Any extras can be stored in the freezer, making them handy to keep on hand for future curries.
Makrut Lime Leaves
Makrut lime leaves add a beautiful citrus fragrance to the coconut curry.
Scrunch the leaves before adding them to help release their aromatic oils.
They’re added whole to flavour the curry rather than chopped through it, so you can remove them when serving.
Dietary & Recipe Variations
LOW CARB
Use compliant sweetener.
SUPER SKINNY
Halve the oil, omit the shredded coconut and use light coconut milk. Use thinly sliced chicken breast and add it towards the end as directed in SkinnyAsia 2.
PALEO
Use compliant sauces.
VEGETARIAN
Use Vegetable Stock Concentrate and vegetarian fish sauce. Replace the chicken with cauliflower and sweet potato and add pan-fried tofu when serving if desired.
LOW FODMAP
Omit the garlic, use spring onion greens instead of shallot and use garlic-infused olive oil and compliant Stock Concentrate.
HALVED / DOUBLED
Halve or double using the conventional method. Adjust the rempah cooking time as required and watch carefully to prevent it catching.
What to Serve with Malaysian Chicken Curry
Keep it simple with:
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Fresh coriander
- Lime wedges
- Extra fresh chilli if you like some heat
The creamy, fragrant sauce is definitely one you’ll want plenty of rice for!
Get the Recipe
The complete Malaysian Chicken Curry (Nyonya-style) recipe, including Thermo cooker and conventional methods and dietary variations, is available in SkinnyAsia 2.
From the Testing Team
- Angie G. – New favorite curry !! I made Super Skinny variation, used chicken breast, thinly sliced. The curry tasted absolutely delicious
A real flavour BomB !! Served with Golden Coconut Rice, great combination yum yum Used only 3 dried chillis and the curry wasn’t overly spicy, was just right 
- Sarah M. – Leftover curry sauce is also super delicious on rice, with a soft poached egg & drowned in the ultimate chilli crisp
- Nicole K. – This was yummy. I put all 7 dried chillies and didn’t deseed them. Enjoyed the spiciness!
- Mel C.- Another work dinner to make my colleagues jealous! A new complexity of flavours from an old favourite, I really like this new version. Did have to go and raid a neighbour’s garden because my tiny, sad curry tree is too small to take 20 leaves from at the moment, but I’m sure she won’t mind.
- Julie H. – Holy Dooley bloody delicious although its a tad too hot for us
the house smells amazing - Monique A.– Have just made the curry paste and OMG the smell already is insane!
- Veronica B. – Yum! I’ve never heard of this before, so first time cooking and tasting and holy shit balls it’s delicious sure to be a favourite
- Tanya H. – Made today using breast. I haven’t dished it up yet. Absolutely love the OG and this didn’t disappoint either. Loooove this curry. I used 3 dried chillies to keep it at medium heat for house of teenagers whose tolerances are different. But no deseeding ever happens in my kitchen, it’s a sacrilege
just use less chilli 
can’t wait to serve it and will post more photos - Amanda E.– Yum. I didn’t de-seed the chilli’s and put max in. It had a lovely heat.
Some other Thermomix Curry recipes you might love:
Want to know more about SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook?
SkinnyAsia 2 is a collection of Thermomix & Conventional cooking recipes. All of our cookbooks have a strong focus on Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg Free, Low Carb, Paleo, Vegetarian and Low FODMAP.
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken thigh
- Chicken Stock Concentrate
- brown sugar
- fish sauce
- olive oil
- roasted shrimp paste
- shredded coconut
- tin coconut milk
- fresh curry leaves
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- lemongrass
- makrut lime leaves
- fresh lime juice
- shallot or brown onion
- coriander seeds
- cumin seeds
- dried long red chillies
- ground white pepper
- sweet paprika
- turmeric powder
Instructions
- This recipe is exclusive to the SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook.
FAQs
Can I make Malaysian Chicken Curry less spicy?
Absolutely. Use the lower amount of dried chilli and remove the seeds before soaking. Because dried chillies vary in heat, starting with fewer is the safest option when cooking for people who prefer a mild curry.
Can I freeze fresh curry leaves and makrut lime leaves?
Yes. Both are handy ingredients to keep in the freezer, particularly when you can only buy them in larger packets. Freeze them well sealed and take out what you need for future curries.
Method Variations
For this recipe we have cooking methods for:
✔️ Thermo cooker
✔️ Conventional
✔️ Stove top
✔️ Slow cooker
This recipe can be also:
✔️ Halved
✔️ Doubled