Looking for the best homemade Ca Ri Ga Vietnamese Chicken Curry recipe?
Our quick & easy traditional Vietnamese curry stew features tender chicken thighs, shallots, garlic, ginger, curry powder, lemongrass, fish sauce, potatoes, carrots, coconut milk, scallions and cilantro.
We know you’ll love this comforting and creamy Vietnamese Curry recipe so much that you’ll want to double the recipe to enjoy leftovers all week long!
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What Is Ca Ri Ga?
Ca Ri Ga translates to Vietnamese Chicken Curry.
The traditional Vietnamese curry is considered one of the Southeast Asian countries most popular comfort foods.
Traditional Vietnamese Curry sauce ingredients typically include fish sauce, coconut milk, Indian curry powder, potatoes, carrots, lemongrass, scallions, cilantro, shallots, ginger and garlic.
Our Ca Ri Ga recipe features bone-in skin-on chicken thighs as the bone and skin adds flavour the the Vietnamese Curry sauce.
Travel to Vietnam by Cooking Vietnamese Curry at Home
I love traveling through Asia.
My first visit to Asia had me living in South Korea for a year as a teacher and it’s where I was first introduced to fermented vegetables like kimchi.
After my contract ended in Seoul I travelled throughout southeast Asia for 6 months, visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
I spent over a month traveling by bus through Vietnam. I started in the south, spending a few days in Saigon before exploring the floating markets in the nearby Mekong Delta. I then took a series of night buses north making stops in Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, Halong Bay and Hanoi.
What I found most fascinating is Vietnam’s distinct regional food cultures. Much like the regional cuisines found in France, Germany, Italy or Spain, each town in Vietnam had its own local speciality.
Where To Eat Vietnamese Chicken Curry
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Vietnamese restaurant that serves a traditional Ca Ri Ga.
Haven’t traveled to Vietnam before? It may be helpful to first sample Vietnamese Chicken Curry at a local restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can assess the ideal spiciness level of the curry sauce, perfect chicken to vegetable ratio and spiciness level.
In Toronto, popular Vietnamese restaurants that may serve their own unique Vietnamese Curry recipe include Pinky’s Ca Phe, Pho Phuong, Pho Vistro, Anh Dao, Pho Hung, Pho Asia 21 or The Golden Turtle.
My Family Loves Vietnamese Curry
I love cooking Vietnamese food for my family!
I knew my family would love this healthy Vietnamese curry recipe as we’re always looking for creative ways to travel with our taste buds while cooking in the kitchen.
My parents are more familiar with curry dishes from Thailand and India so I was thrilled to introduce them to this creamy coconut milk infused Vietnamese Chicken Curry recipe.
It’s also a great way to incorporate healthy vegetables into your diet such as carrots, potatoes, garlic, ginger, shallots and lemongrass.
If you’re hosting friends or family for a dinner party this Vietnamese Curry recipe is an excellent main course or side dish to be served with rice or noodles.
We suggest doubling the recipe as Ca Ri Ga leftovers make for an easy and healthy lunch or dinner to enjoy the rest of the week.
Ca Ri Ga Health Benefits
Our homemade Vietnamese Curry recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Chicken is high in protein and provides B vitamins such as niacin, which helps your body access the energy in foods.
Shallots are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
Ginger contains at least 14 phytochemicals, many of which have impressive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has a good source of copper, which supports your bones, blood and nervous system.
Potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Studies have linked potatoes to a variety of impressive health benefits, including improved blood sugar control, reduced heart disease risk and higher immunity.
An excellent source of vitamin A and the phytochemical beta-carotene, carrots help keep your eyes and bones healthy, and may help protect against several types of cancer.
Coconut is rich in fibre and may also offer a number of benefits including improved heart healthy and digestion. It is high in calories and sautéed fat so be sure to eat in moderation.
A good source of bone-strengthening vitamin K, cilantro is also rich in antioxidants that help protect the eyes from damage by free radicals.
Vietnamese Curry Cooking Tips
This easy Ca Ri Ga recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using a large dutch oven to prepare Vietnamese Chicken Curry stew.
- We’ve used bone-in skin-on chicken thighs to add flavour to the curry. You could substitute with drumsticks, wings, legs or a broken down whole chicken.
- We’ve used shallots in this recipe but you could substitute for red onion, white onion or Spanish cooking onions.
- We’ve used coconut cream in this recipe but you could substitute for coconut milk to enjoy a lower calorie and thinner curry sauce.
- If you want to add some spicy heat to the dish feel free to add one or two Thai red chilies.
- We’ve used white sugar in this recipe as it’s likely in your pantry but we always prefer traditional Palm Sugar.
- Vietnamese Curry is our favourite recipes to cook when trying to use up leftover vegetables sitting in the back of our fridge. You can get creative in what vegetables you incorporate into this dish. Beyond the vegetables listed in our recipe you might also want to incorporate bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, long beans or eggplant.
- We suggest doubling the recipe so you can enjoy leftovers later in week. The dish keeps in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
What To Serve with Ca Ri Ga
We love serving this healthy authentic Vietnamese Curry recipe as the main course at a Southeast Asian inspired dinner party.
If you’re hosting a large Vietnamese feast or potluck you might want to serve Ca Ri Ga with other dishes from Vietnam like Bun Cha Vietnamese Noodle Bowl, Vietnamese Grilled Pork “Bun Thit Nuong”, Goi Xoai Vietnamese Mango Salad, Goi Ga Vietnamese Salad, Shrimp & Pork Vietnamese Egg Rolls, and Vietnamese Crepe Bánh Xèo.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe, Blueberry Cream Cheese Earl Grey Ice Cream, Swedish Ricotta Oatmeal Rhubarb Bars, Baileys Banoffee Cake, Flaky Swedish Rhubarb Cherry Pie, Skittles Sugar Cookies and Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies.
You May Also Enjoy These Asian Recipes….
- Filipino Spicy Coconut Chicken Wing Stew
- Laos Papaya Salad Tum Mak Hoong
- Spicy Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup
- Chinese Wonton Egg Drop Soup
- Chinese Ginger Garlic Soup Recipe for Colds
- Green Onion Cake Cong You Bing
- Vegan Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Osaka Okonomiyaki Japanese Cabbage Pancake
- Buchimgae Buchu-Jeon Korean Chive Pancake
- Spicy Gukbap Korean Rice & Beef Soup
- Spicy Pork Bibimbap
- Baked Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings
- Thai Red Curry Prawn Burger
- Thai Pork Rib Soup with Vermicelli Noodles
- Egg Tofu Soup with Pork Meatballs
- Grabong Northern Thai Pumpkin Fritter
- Gai Pad Med Mamuang Thai Cashew Chicken
- Nam Tok Authentic Thai “Waterfall Beef” Salad
- Thai Pork & Beef Mince Curry Khua Kling
How To Make Best Vietnamese Chicken Curry Recipe
Vietnamese Chicken Curry
Equipment
- French knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 lb Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Thighs
- 3 tbsp Canola Oil
- 3 Medium Shallots chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger minced
- 2 tbsp Curry Powder
- 3 Lemongrass Stalks chopped
- 1 L Water
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp White Sugar
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- 3 Medium Potatoes cut inch 1 inch pieces
- 2 Large Carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch whisked into 2 tablespoons of water
- 1/2 cup Coconut Cream
- 2 Scallions thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear all sides of the chicken until the skin is crisp and browned. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger to the pot and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits. Add the curry powder and lemongrass and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the water, fish sauce, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, chicken, potatoes and carrots. Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are perfectly tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the coconut cream and cornstarch slurry and allow the curry to cook for another minute for the sauce to thicken.
- Top with scallions and cilantro and serve with rice noodles or steamed rice.
Nutrition
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