Green Curry Chicken
Creamy coconut green curry with chicken, Thai eggplant, and basil — aromatic and gently fiery.
About This Recipe
This classic Thai green curry is a fragrant, comforting dish that brings the vibrant flavors of Southeast Asian cuisine straight to your kitchen. Characterized by its aromatic herb profile and rich, creamy base, this gluten-free and dairy-free curry is surprisingly easy to prepare at home, taking only about thirty-five minutes from start to finish. It is a perfect weeknight meal that tastes as complex and satisfying as a restaurant favorite.
The success of this preparation lies in the traditional technique of frying the green curry paste in a small amount of thick coconut cream before adding the liquid. This crucial step blooms the paste, releasing its essential oils and creating a deeply aromatic foundation. Simmering tender chicken thigh and Thai eggplant directly in the coconut milk allows them to absorb these rich flavors, while kaffir lime leaves infuse the broth with a bright, citrusy lift.
For the best results, be sure to gently bruise the kaffir lime leaves before adding them to the pot to release their maximum aroma. If you prefer a bit of texture and color variation, you can easily substitute or add other quick-cooking vegetables like bamboo shoots or bell peppers to the simmer.
To complete the meal, stir in fresh Thai basil just before serving to preserve its peppery brightness. Serve the curry piping hot alongside plenty of steamed jasmine rice, which acts as the perfect vehicle to soak up the savory, coconut-rich sauce. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a delicious lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken thigh
- 3 tbsp Green curry paste
- 400 ml Coconut milk
- 150 g Thai eggplant
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 cup Thai basil
- 4 leaves Kaffir lime leaves
Instructions
- 1
Fry the curry paste in a little thick coconut cream until fragrant.
3 min
- 2
Add chicken and coat in the paste.
4 min
- 3
Pour in coconut milk and simmer with eggplant and lime leaves.
12 min
- 4
Season with fish sauce and a little sugar to balance.
1 min
- 5
Stir through Thai basil and serve with jasmine rice.
1 min
Nutrition Facts
460
kcal
Calories
28
g
Protein
12
g
Carbs
34
g
Fat
3
g
Fiber
940
mg
Sodium
Rate This Recipe
Beverage Pairings
Thai food balances sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter, so drinks lean cool and fragrant. Sweet, creamy Thai iced tea and off-dry Riesling tame chilli, while an aromatic wheat beer or crisp lager refreshes against lemongrass, lime and fish sauce.
Wine, Beer & Spirits
Its gentle sweetness balances chilli, lime and fish-sauce funk. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve well chilled (8°C).
Soft, aromatic and lightly sweet — it calms heat and flatters lemongrass and basil. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve cool (5°C) in a tall weizen glass.
A saline, citrus white built for seafood. A crisp, mineral profile is a natural match for seafood.
Serve well chilled (8–10°C).
Aromatic and off-dry — a fragrant match for green and red curries. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve chilled (8–10°C).
Zesty acidity lifts delicate fish. A crisp, mineral profile is a natural match for seafood.
Serve well chilled (8–10°C).
Non-Alcoholic
Sweet and creamy, it soothes chilli heat — the classic Thai table drink. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve over ice.
Light and faintly sweet, it echoes coconut curries and cools the palate. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve cold, ideally over ice.
A cooling yogurt drink to soothe the spice. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve cold.
Tangy and fizzy — a refreshing, alcohol-free cooler. A little sweetness tempers the chilli heat.
Serve over ice.
Light and palate-cleansing — a safe, refreshing choice.
Steep at 75–80°C for 2 minutes.
Tips & Guidance
- 1Fry the green curry paste in the thick cream layer from the top of the coconut milk can (not the watery liquid) for 2–3 minutes before adding anything else. This step "cracks" the coconut cream and releases the aromatic oils in the paste, producing a more fragrant curry.
- 2Use Thai eggplant (small, round, green) if available — they hold their shape and add a pleasant bitterness that balances the richness of the coconut milk. Larger eggplant varieties turn mushy.
- 3Finish with Thai basil (not Italian basil) stirred in off the heat at the very end. Thai basil has a distinctive anise-like flavor that is essential to the authentic taste profile.
Homemade paste is superior but labor-intensive. If using store-bought, Mae Ploy and Maesri are reliable brands.
Add seafood in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Shrimp curls when overcooked — remove from heat as soon as it turns pink.
Both are milder than Thai eggplant but absorb the curry flavors well. Add in the last 8–10 minutes.
- Adding all the coconut milk at once. Reserve a quarter of the thin coconut milk to adjust consistency at the end. Green curry should be creamy but not thick like a stew.
- Cooking bamboo shoots too long — they become overly soft and lose their characteristic crunch. Add canned bamboo shoots (rinsed) in the last 5 minutes.
- Over-sweetening with palm sugar. Thai curries balance sweet, salty (fish sauce), and spicy. Add palm sugar in small increments, tasting after each addition.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Green curry reheats well but the basil darkens — add fresh basil when reheating. The flavors develop overnight, often making day-two curry taste better. Store rice separately. Freezes adequately for 2 months but the vegetables soften.
- Green Curry Noodle Soup — thin leftover curry with chicken broth, add rice noodles, and top with bean sprouts, lime, and cilantro.
- Green Curry Fried Rice — stir-fry cold rice in a wok, add spoonfuls of green curry, and toss with a fried egg and Thai basil.
- Green Curry Pot Pie — pour leftover curry into ramekins, top with puff pastry rounds, and bake until golden and bubbling.
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