Green Thai Curry Recipe

I finally cracked how to make an Authentic Thai Green Curry at home using everyday ingredients, and I’m sharing the little-known tricks that keep it true to tradition.

I had the first bite of this Authentic Thai Green Curry and it changed what I thought about takeout. I love how Thai Green Curry Chicken can be bright and sneaky at the same time, creamy yet full of little surprised pops of heat.

I used boneless skinless chicken thighs and full fat coconut milk to get that rich mouthfeel, but there is something else about the aroma that keeps pulling me back. I can’t explain it really, it’s like every spoonful hides a tiny secret.

It’s not perfect every time, I mess up the balance sometimes, but when it hits right, you wont stop thinking about it.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs: Rich source of protein and iron, juicy when cooked, adds hearty body to curry.
• Green curry paste: Spicy aromatic blend giving depth, mainly herbs and chilies, boosts savory flavor.
• Coconut milk: Creamy coconut fat gives richness and slight sweetness, adds silkiness and calories.
• Fish sauce: Salty umami punch from fermented fish, enhances savory, use sparingly.
• Kaffir lime leaves: Fragrant citrus notes, brightens the curry with perfume and subtle tang.
• Thai basil: Peppery sweet herb, adds freshness and aroma, stir in at the end.
• Palm sugar: Natural sweetener, balances heat and salt, caramel like flavor, not overly processed.
• Thai eggplant: Slightly bitter, spongy texture soaks up curry, adds vegetable heft.
• Bird’s eye chilies: Tiny but fierce chilies, deliver sharp heat and fruity aroma, adjust to taste.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp green curry paste (store bought or homemade)
• 1 can (14 oz / 400 ml) full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken stock or water
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves torn
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 to 10 small Thai eggplants halved or 1 small globe eggplant cubed
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 6 Thai bird’s eye chilies (optional)
• 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Jasmine rice for serving (optional)

How to Make this

1. Prep everything first: thinly slice 1 lb chicken thighs, halve 8 to 10 small Thai eggplants or cube 1 small globe eggplant, thinly slice 1 red bell pepper and 2 shallots, tear 3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves, pick about 1 cup Thai basil leaves, juice 1 tbsp lime, and if using chop or leave whole up to 6 bird’s eye chilies. Open 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk and give it a quick stir or scoop out the thicker cream if you like richer sauce.

2. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the shallots and fry until soft and just starting to brown, about 2 minutes, dont burn them.

3. Push shallots to one side, add 3 tbsp green curry paste and fry it briefly in the oil and the coconut cream you scooped out if using, about 1 minute, until fragrant and the oils start to separate. This blooming step really wakes up the paste.

4. Pour in the rest of the can of coconut milk and 1/2 cup chicken stock or water, stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Add the sliced chicken and the eggplant to the simmering coconut mixture, then stir in 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar, and the torn kaffir lime leaves. Simmer gently 8 to 10 minutes until chicken is cooked and eggplant is tender but not mushy.

6. With about 2 to 3 minutes left, add the red bell pepper and the Thai bird’s eye chilies if using so they stay bright and slightly crisp. Taste and adjust: add a little more fish sauce if it needs salt, or a pinch more sugar if too sharp.

7. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves and 1 tbsp lime juice. Let the residual heat wilt the basil, dont overcook it or the flavor will fade.

8. Do a final taste and remove any kaffir lime leaf stems. If the curry is too thick add a splash more stock, if too thin simmer a minute to reduce, simple as that.

9. Serve the green curry hot over jasmine rice and garnish with extra basil or sliced chilies if you want more heat. Enjoy, and remember leftovers taste even better the next day.

Equipment Needed

1. Large skillet or wok for simmering the curry
2. Cutting board
3. Sharp chef’s knife for slicing chicken and veg
4. Measuring spoons and a 1/2 cup measuring cup for the coconut milk, stock and seasonings
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula for stirring
6. Tongs or a slotted spoon to move the chicken and eggplant
7. Can opener for the coconut milk
8. Medium prep bowls to hold sliced ingredients and herbs
9. Rice pot or rice cooker for jasmine rice (optional)

FAQ

Green Thai Curry Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken thighs: swap for thinly sliced chicken breast, firm tofu cubed for a vegetarian option, or peeled shrimp if you want a faster cook time. If using shrimp, cut cook time way down.
• Green curry paste: no jarred paste? Blitz cilantro, green chiles, shallot, garlic, lemongrass and a little shrimp paste or miso in a blender. In a pinch red curry paste will work but the flavor changes.
• Full fat coconut milk: use light coconut milk plus a splash of coconut cream to keep it rich, or dilute coconut cream with water to approximate a can.
• Fish sauce: substitute soy sauce or tamari plus a squeeze of lime for that salty umami, or use a vegetarian fish sauce if you have one.

Pro Tips

1) Bloom the paste in the coconut cream for real flavor. Scoop the thick cream from the top and fry it with the curry paste until oil separates, don’t rush this or the paste will taste flat. If you like it richer add a little extra cream at the end, not in the beginning.

2) Keep the eggplant firm, not mush. Cut bigger chunks or give globe eggplant a quick high heat sear first so it holds shape, and add it early enough to soften but not fall apart. If your eggplants go soggy try less simmer time or a quick roast under high heat instead.

3) Season slowly and taste often. Add fish sauce a little at a time cause its salty, use sugar to round acidity, then finish with lime juice to brighten. Tastes change as it cools, so tweak at the end, dont dump a ton of anything all at once.

4) Protect the fresh aromatics. Add Thai basil and sliced peppers off heat or in the last 2 minutes so they stay bright and fragrant. If you want more basil punch, bruise the leaves or briefly fry a few leaves in oil first, it’ll release more aroma.