⏱ Prep: 15 min 🔥Cook: 20 min 👤Serves: 4 🌶Heat: Adjustable
Thai green curry is the fragrant, fiery, herbaceous curry that gets its colour and heat from fresh green chilies rather than dried red ones, and the dish that converts anyone who thinks they don’t like curry. Green curry paste fried in coconut cream until the oil separates and the aroma blooms, simmered with chicken, Thai eggplant and kaffir lime leaves in coconut milk, finished off the heat with fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice and a generous handful of Thai basil. Thirty minutes. Better than the takeout you’ve been ordering for years.
Ingredients
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, do not shake the can. Scoop the thick cream from the top separately, it is used first to fry the paste.
- 3–4 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, store-bought is completely standard, Mae Ploy or Maesri are the most widely available and reliable brands. Start with 3 tablespoons and add more after tasting.
- 1 lb (450g) boneless chicken thighs, sliced into bite-sized strips
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 4–5 Thai eggplants, quartered. Substitute: 1 Japanese or 1 small globe eggplant, diced.
- 5 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen, available at Asian grocery stores. Bruise by twisting, then tear into a few pieces, torn leaves release more fragrance than whole ones.
- 1–2 red chilies, sliced, for colour and extra heat
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves, regular basil works but Thai basil is worth seeking out for its anise note
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Step by step
- Fry the curry paste. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the thick coconut cream scooped from the top of the can. Add the curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes until fragrant and you see small pockets of oil bubbling at the surface.Frying the paste in coconut cream until the oil separates is what releases the full aroma of the curry paste, this step builds the entire flavour base. Do not rush it.
- Add the chicken. Add the sliced chicken to the pot and stir to coat in the paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk and the chicken broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer with the aromatics. Add the bruised, torn kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 7 minutes until the chicken is nearly cooked through. Add the eggplant and sliced chilies. Continue simmering 5–7 minutes until the eggplant is just tender, do not overcook it to mush.
- Season. Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar. Taste, the curry should be salty, a little sweet, and clearly spicy. Adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness or sugar for sweetness.
- Finish off the heat. Remove from heat. Stir in the Thai basil leaves and lime juice. The basil will wilt slightly from the residual heat. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice.Do not keep simmering once the basil and lime juice go in, the sauce darkens and the basil loses its bright flavour. Serve right away.
Why green not red
Thai green curry gets its colour and grassy heat from fresh green chilies, lemongrass and fresh herbs blended into the paste, while red curry uses dried red chilies. Green curry paste tends to be hotter and more herbaceous; red curry is generally milder and earthier. Same coconut milk base, completely different character.
Make it your own
Claire’s note
This curry is endlessly adaptable. No chicken: use shrimp, tofu or thinly sliced beef, add shrimp and tofu later since they cook fast. No Thai eggplant: bell pepper, zucchini, snow peas or broccoli all work, add quick-cooking vegetables in the last 3–4 minutes. Too spicy: serve extra coconut milk on the side to mellow individual bowls. Not spicy enough: add more curry paste or fresh sliced chili. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently over low heat, add a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
Serve with
Thai green curry is served over steamed jasmine rice, with extra fish sauce, sliced chilies in vinegar, and lime wedges on the table for everyone to adjust to taste. For more, the Asian recipes collection have it all.
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Thai Green Curry
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
A fragrant, fiery Thai green curry made with fresh chilies, coconut milk, and a mix of herbs and spices.
Ingredients
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 3–4 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 1 lb (450g) boneless chicken thighs, sliced into bite-sized strips
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 4–5 Thai eggplants, quartered
- 5 kaffir lime leaves, bruised and torn
- 1–2 red chilies, sliced
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Instructions
- Fry the curry paste. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the thick coconut cream scooped from the top of the can. Add the curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4–5 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chicken. Stir to coat in the paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk and chicken broth. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer with the aromatics. Add the bruised, torn kaffir lime leaves. Simmer for 7 minutes. Add the eggplant and sliced chilies, simmering for an additional 5–7 minutes.
- Season. Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Finish off the heat. Remove from heat and stir in the Thai basil leaves and lime juice. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
This curry is endlessly adaptable; substitute chicken with shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced beef. Adjust spice levels by varying the amount of curry paste or serving extra coconut milk on the side.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
