Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 45 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Curries are an essential part of Thai cuisine. While there are red, yellow, and green Thai curries, among others, green curry is perhaps the most famous and sought-after. This thick and creamy coconut milk based curry is beautifully vibrant thanks to the addition of Thai basil, cilantro, and makrut lime leaves. A perfect balance of salty, spicy, sweet, and sour, this aromatic Thai green curry is a revelation served with jasmine rice.

The Key Ingredients You Need to Make Thai Green Curry

Colorful, fragrant, and powered by an army of fresh flavors, this green curry relies on some vital ingredients to achieve the classic depth of flavor. Here are some of the most important ingredients you'll need to make it.

Chicken: Although green curry is usually made with chicken or beef, there are also versions with fish dumplings and others that replace the animal protein for extra firm tofu. You can use boneless chicken breast or thigh meat—or a combination—in this recipe. For a perfect dish, be mindful of cutting the chicken into smaller pieces so the meat cooks thoroughly and soaks up the flavors.
Homemade Curry Paste: Our recipe starts with a homemade curry paste made in the food processor with an assortment of fresh and dried herbs, lemongrass, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and coconut milk. Each ingredients plays an important role in creating a final dish with a deep, rich flavor, so try to find them all if you can.
Coconut Milk: Coconut milk is used in both the curry paste and the final dish and it gives green curry its signature creaminess and richness. Always use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and texture.
Makrut Lime Leaves: Wonderfully aromatic, bright, and citrusy makrut lime leaves are essential to the beautiful flavor of this curry. You can find fresh, frozen, or dried makrut lime leaves in Thai and Vietnamese grocery stores. Frozen leaves will last for more than a year in your freezer, so if you keep them on hand you can whip this curry up anytime.
Thai Basil: A handful of fresh Thai basil leaves added just before serving brings a wonderful sweet anise-like flavor to the curry.

The Secret to Good Thai Green Curry: Balancing the 4 S’s

Green curry showcases the perfect balance of the four s's: sweet, savory, sour, and salty. Here are a few notes on how to achieve perfection:

Add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of fish sauce if the curry is not salty or flavorful enough.
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar at a time for a sweeter curry.
Add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice if the dish is too salty.
Add an additional 1/4 cup of coconut milk if the curry is too spicy for your taste. Using more or less coconut milk also changes the consistency of the sauce.

Keep seasoning, tasting, and tweaking the flavor until the curry tastes bright and vibrant.

Can I Use Packaged Curry Paste?

Store-bought curry paste is convenient when you're pressed for time, but doesn't pack the same punch as freshly made paste. It is, however, a decent shortcut for achieving a tasty curry. To improve on the flavors of the jarred paste, we recommend blending it with fresh garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Start with a clove of garlic, a teaspoon of grated ginger, and a teaspoon of lemongrass. Taste test and add fish sauce, if you have, or salt, to achieve a better balance of flavors.

«I always thought making Thai curry from scratch would be really time-consuming, but this recipe proves otherwise, and the results were far more fresh and flavorful than the stuff from the jar. I found the basil and makrut lime leaves were essential to the fresh, complex, super-aromatic success of the finished dish.» —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Green Curry Paste:

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and chopped
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 loosely packed cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup chopped shallot or red onion
1 green Thai chile, chopped, or to taste
1 teaspoon shrimp paste, or 1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 can coconut milk

For the Chicken Curry:

2 teaspoons neutral oil
3/4 can coconut milk
1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
1 handful green beans, trimmed, or 1 small zucchini, or other vegetable of choice
1 red or green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
4 makrut lime leaves, or 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 generous handful fresh Thai basil, or sweet basil, optional

For Serving:

4 cups cooked jasmine rice

Steps to Make It

Make the Green Curry Paste

Gather the ingredients.
Place 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and chopped, 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, 4 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 loosely-packed cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems, 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1/4 cup chopped shallot or red onion, 1 green Thai chile, chopped, 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, 2 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 can coconut milk in a food processor. Process until all ingredients are blended and have a smooth consistency. Taste. If you'd like it spicier, add more green chiles. Reserve.

Make the Chicken Curry

Gather the ingredients.
Place a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons neutral oil and swirl around to coat the pan. Add the green curry paste. Briefly sauté the mixture to release the fragrance, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add the remaining 3/4 can coconut milk to the wok. Stir well to combine.
Add 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-size pieces, stirring to incorporate. When the curry sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Add 1 handful green beans, trimmed, 1 red or green bell pepper, coarsely chopped, and 4 makrut lime leaves to the wok. Stir well to incorporate. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, either adding more fish sauce for salt or more lime juice if the sauce is too salty for your taste.
If using, add 1 generous handful fresh Thai basil to the pan and stir well. Serve with the Thai jasmine rice on the side. Enjoy.

Vegan Green Curry

If you want to make this tasty dish vegan-friendly, simply skip the shrimp paste and fish sauce and use salt or tamari for flavor instead. In lieu of the chicken, use a cubed block of pressed extra firm tofu and add it at the same time you'd have added the chicken. Another option is to use 1 1/2 pints of halved white mushrooms, as their meaty texture make them an ideal replacement for meat.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	695
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g	37%
Saturated Fat 21g	103%
Cholesterol 111mg	37%
Sodium 537mg	23%
Total Carbohydrate 62g	23%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 48g
Vitamin C 55mg	275%
Calcium 104mg	8%
Iron 9mg	51%
Potassium 961mg	20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.