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Home » Wild Game » Pheasant, Grouse, Quail » Pheasant Curry

Pheasant Curry

By Hank Shaw on February 19, 2015, Updated January 22, 2021 - 21 Comments

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4.84 from 18 votes
A bowl of pheasant curry.
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Thai green pheasant curry
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

Thai curries are in many ways the ultimate 30-minute meal. Add coconut milk, a little water or stock, meat or fish of your choice, curry paste of your choice, whatever veggies you have around, some fresh herbs and bang! Done.

I am pretty sure most of you have had a Thai curry, but if you haven’t, they are lighter, brighter and to my mind more approachable than Indian curries. I find myself tiring of Indian curry, but I never tire of Thai ones.

There are lots of different kinds, but the basics are red, green and massaman, which is yellow. I tend to do green curry with fish, or with light-colored meats — in this case a pheasant curry.

I can hear some of you: You’re wondering why I’d rely on a store-bought curry paste. Well, for whatever reason, the premade curry pastes, especially Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste, stand up really well compared to the homemade stuff. I’ve done it by hand it it’s great, but not so much better that I feel the need to start from scratch every time.

My advice: Buy a selection of these curry pastes, a bottle of fish sauce and a few cans of coconut milk to keep around the house. They’ll all last for months (years, even!) and, armed with them, you can whip up something addicting and exotic in the time it takes to cook the rice you eat with this curry.

I have snow peas in this curry, but use whatever you want, so long as it’s green. Asparagus, regular peas, sugar snap peas, more herbs, bok choy, green beans — you get the point.

Serve your pheasant curry with long-grain rice and a lager beer.

A bowl of pheasant curry.
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4.84 from 18 votes

Pheasant Curry

I use pheasant here, but obviously chicken, any other white-meat poultry or rabbit would work here, as would pork. It's a super easy recipe to make if you have coconut milk and Thai green curry paste available, which is no longer so hard. Look for them in the "ethnic" sections of most supermarkets. I highly recommend buying Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste. The stuff is great and it lasts forever in the fridge; I've had some last more than a year.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 429kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, sliced thinly from root to tip
  • 1 tablespoon peanut or other vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • 1 15- ounce can of coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock (optional)
  • 3 citrus leaves (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce or 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons green curry paste
  • 1 pound skinless pheasant breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 to 4 serrano or jalapeno chiles, sliced thin
  • 1/2 pound snow peas
  • 1/3 cup chopped Thai basil or cilantro

Instructions

  • Heat the oil over high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Sear the onion over high heat, stirring it often, until it browns on the edges. Salt the onion as it cooks.
  • Pour in the coconut milk and the stock if using. Fill the coconut milk can halfway with water and pour that in, too. If you are not using stock, fill the can all the way up and pour the whole can into the pan. Add the citrus leaves if you're using them, as well as the fish sauce and the curry paste. Bring this to a boil, then simmer it for 15 minutes.
  • Add the pheasant breast and simmer gently 5 minutes, then add the chiles and snow peas and simmer another 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the basil or cilantro and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 864mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 6mg
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Filed Under: Asian, Featured, Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Recipe, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for StephanieStephanie says

    November 18, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    Absolutely delicious. I have made this with several variations on the green vegetable depending on what I have available and it has always been great.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for ErikErik says

    December 23, 2021 at 10:04 am

    This is a perfect, quick and easy dish, if you’re short on time and hungry. I followed the recipe, exactly and the results were excellent!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Tim HTim H says

    February 2, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    Quick, easy, and delicious recipe.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for FrankFrank says

    February 6, 2019 at 11:20 pm

    Solid quick and easy recipe. It’s hard to find recipes for shot up birds, this one works great.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for LisaZLisaZ says

    January 8, 2017 at 1:46 pm

    Thanks for your advice – I did end up brining them because I got over anxious – but I followed the rest of the recipe and it turned out delicious. Brining did make them a bit slimy in places though. Not sure what the situation was there but two days later everyone is still healthy so rinsing them off must have worked out fine.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for LisaZLisaZ says

    January 5, 2017 at 11:43 am

    well fingers are crossed! thanks!

    Reply
  7. Avatar for LisaZLisaZ says

    January 5, 2017 at 10:05 am

    So here’s a fun dilemma – I decided we should hang the pheasants – problem is that hubby brought them home pre plucked. So we hung them in the fridge for a week and a half (they smell fine, the blood that pooled in the bags under them, not so much). Now they are a bit dried out – my questions is, do I try and cut that dried stuff off, brine them, or just cook them in something acidic to soften them up. I was going to try this recipe because I made a curry paste had a pheasant, etc etc. Just curious what your thoughts might be on this. Next time he will leave the feathers on though!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      January 5, 2017 at 11:16 am

      LisaZ: I think they’ll be fine stewed in a curry.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Steve EngelhardtSteve Engelhardt says

        December 11, 2022 at 5:07 pm

        Wow! Another great recipe-e! Thank you Hank! When all you hear is lip smacking and muttered grunts of “yum”, you can’t ask for any more!

        D

  8. Avatar for Mike KrallMike Krall says

    November 17, 2016 at 6:00 pm

    Wondering a thing, Hank. Neither of us are particularly heat sensitive. Made ours with Mae Ploy green curry paste (our long time favorite brand) and no jalapenos. With 2 Tbs., it was hot. Neither of us are particularly heat sensitive. Is the Tbs. possibly a misprint and it’s supposed to be tsp.?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 18, 2016 at 7:20 am

      Mike: Nope, that’s what I use. Mae Ploy is kinda hot, though.

      Reply
    • Avatar for Cole J KircherCole J Kircher says

      October 25, 2021 at 8:29 am

      Loved it. We added some bell peppers as well. Just enough heat but could add some stronger Chiles for more heat.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for Adam ReeverAdam Reever says

    October 5, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    Hey Hank,

    My wife and I have made this recipe twice in 1 week. It’s simple and delicious! The secondgo around we decided to make it over spaghetti squash, and it was awesome! Highly recommended!

    -Adam

    Reply
  10. Avatar for SaritaSarita says

    February 8, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    Sounds delicious. Does it freeze well.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      February 8, 2016 at 12:31 pm

      Sarita: I have no idea. I’ve never frozen it.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Chad PChad P says

        January 22, 2023 at 6:16 pm

        We loved it. The curry paste I used seemed pretty hot, so I ended leave out the additional peppers. Wife thought the pheasant came out dry, but my daughter and I think she’s may have smoked something before dinner. Kidding aside, great dish and comes together very quickly.

  11. Avatar for lolalola says

    March 3, 2015 at 4:11 pm

    Used chicken,shitakes, brocollini and rice noodles. Excellent and that green curry is hot!!!!!!

    Reply
  12. Avatar for SeattleDeeSeattleDee says

    February 20, 2015 at 9:54 pm

    I adapted this tonight using chicken thighs and several tablespoon of Panang curry sauce. Quick to prep, easy to cook and downright delicious. I see this one becoming a regular go-to weeknight dish.

    Reply
  13. Avatar for Perry PerkinsPerry Perkins says

    February 19, 2015 at 11:47 am

    Oh man, I LOVE Thai curry! Cannot wait to try this! Might not be able to wait for pheasant and have to give it a try with chicken first, lol. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  14. Avatar for Mad DogMad Dog says

    February 19, 2015 at 11:47 am

    I often cook an Indian style pheasant curry, but I hadn’t thought of doing Thai – food for thought next time!

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Rebecca @ Bring Back DeliciousRebecca @ Bring Back Delicious says

    February 19, 2015 at 5:55 am

    I’m glad to hear curry paste lasts so long in the fridge. Ours is probably approaching a year. Every time I open it, I get more and more worried that I’ll end up with a container of mold, but nope!

    I used to buy curry paste at the local regular grocery store. Man was that a mistake. Asian markets are so much cheaper!

    Where did you get the pheasant for this recipe? (And for most of your recipes in general?)

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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