Delicious Thai green curry is a classic Thai cuisine like red curry, massaman curry, pad Thai noodle, pad ka prao, water spinach stir fry and mango sticky rice. This Thai green curry recipe is tasty, simple and flavorful like Thai restaurants. Let's learn how to make this delicious Thai green curry chicken dish at home with detailed step by step photo instructions and a video!
Love Asian foods? Check out these Thai sweet chili sauce, Thai chicken pizza, Japanese curry, scramble eggs & shrimp, spicy lemon garlic shrimp and claypot rice recipes.
What is Thai green curry?
Thai curry in Thai cuisine is made from curry paste. There are different types and colors of Thai curry such as yellow, red, green and massaman curry. In general, yellow curry is mild. Red curry is medium hot and green curry is the hottest. Thai curry is a little different from Japanese curry. Thai curries are bold, complex flavors that blend spicy, sour, creamy and sweet tastes because of the herbs and seasonings. However, Japanese curry is mild, sweet, and savory.
In addition, Thai green curry is made from green chilies, other herbs, coconut milk, vegetables and meat. The combination of the spicy green curry paste and coconut milk make this dish very flavorful. Besides, Thai green curry chicken is one of my favorite Thai foods and it goes great with jasmine rice.
What does Thai green curry taste like?
Thai Green Curry is known for its distinct and vibrant flavor because of its harmonious blend of spicy, aromatic and slightly sweet flavors. Also, Thai green curry tastes moderately to fairly spicy because of the fresh green chilies in the paste. The spiciness depends on how much green curry paste you use. Besides, green curry features a strong aroma of herbs such as lemongrass, basil and kaffir lime leaves. These herbs contribute to the curry's refreshing and fragrant quality.
In addition, Thai curry is often made with coconut milk which adds a rich and creamy texture to the dish. The creaminess helps balance out the spiciness and brings a smooth mouthfeel. Thai green curry has subtle hints of sweetness because of palm sugar or brown sugar to balance out the sweet, savory, creamy and spicy flavors.
What makes green curry green?
Thai green curry gets its vibrant green color mainly from the use of fresh green chilies from the paste and basil herbs. The combination of these ingredients creates a distinctive green that gives the curry its name and visual green color.
What are the ingredients in green curry?
The basic ingredients are green curry paste, coconut milk, meat and vegetables. In this Thai green chicken curry recipe, I used store bought green curry paste. However, you can make your own green curry paste if you want. It is hard for me to find all the ingredients for the paste in my area, so store bought paste works great for us.
Also, I used coconut milk, chicken thighs, kaffir lime leaves, bamboo shoots, Thai eggplant and red bell peppers. Besides, I added basil paste which gives green color and aroma to the curry.
What are kaffir leaves?
Kaffir leaves are lime leaves. It is the most frequently used part of the plant, fresh, dried, or frozen. The leaves are widely used in Thai cuisine or Southeast Asia.
What are Thai eggplants?
Thai eggplants are usually in green-white color. Also, they are golf ball sized eggplants and commonly used in Thai & Cambodian cuisine.
Can this green curry recipe be made vegetarian?
Yes, you can substitute the meat with tofu and fish sauce with salt to your taste.
Is it ok to make my own green curry paste?
Yes, sure you can. The common ingredients used in Thai green curry pastes are: shrimp paste, green chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and coriander root. There are some fresh items that are hard to find in my area. Therefore, I like to use a store bought green curry paste instead of making it from scratch.
What is the purpose of Thai basil paste?
The purpose of Thai basil paste is to give more flavor and green color to the curry. Moreover, it is best to use mortar & pestle grinding the basil leaves because it will be fine and like a paste.
Cooking tips for how to make Thai green curry:
- I used store bought green curry paste because it is easy and convenient, so I don't need to make the curry paste from scratch.
- You can use other vegetables to make this Thai green chicken curry recipe. For example, some people like to add baby corn, mushrooms, bell peppers etc.
- Always taste the spiciness before adding more green curry paste.
- The best is to use a mortar & pestle grinding the Thai basil leaves. If you don’t, you can use a chopper.
- Recommend using Aroy-D coconut milk because it’s thicker and creamer.
FAQS:
Yes, if you use chicken breast, don’t overcook it. Personally, I like chicken thighs because they have a better texture.
Usually people use pork, beef and shrimp. Some even use tofu and vegetables to make a vegan dish.
The best is to use Thai eggplants. If not you can regular or Chinese eggplants, or not add eggplants at all.
Instructions for how to make Thai green curry chicken:
Basil paste:
1. To make the basil paste, put one cup of Thai basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a chopper for a few seconds.
2. Chop the Thai basil leaves until they are small and fine. (The best is to use a mortar & pestle grinding the Thai basil leaves.)
Preparation:
3. After that, wash and cut ½ of the red bell pepper into strips.
4. Next, wash and cut 4 small Thai eggplants (4 oz).
5. Cut 2 pieces of chicken thighs (12 oz) into strips.
Cooking:
6. Turn on medium small fire, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into the non-stick pan. Add 1 tablespoon of green curry paste and the basil paste from step 1 & 2. Then, stir fry them a little bit.
7. The following, add the chicken thighs and stir fry them a little bit.
8. After, add the Thai eggplants and stir fry a little bit.
9. Add 1 small can (8oz) of bamboo shoots and stir fry a little bit.
10. The next step, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. (Add fish sauce to your taste.) Stir fry them.
11. Pour a can (14 fl oz) of coconut milk into the curry. Mix them well.
12. Then, add 6 kaffir lime leaves. Stir them and let it simmer for a minute or 2.
13. Lastly, add the red bell pepper and stir them a little bit.
14. Thai green chicken curry is the best to serve with jasmine rice.
Enjoy this delicious Thai green chicken curry recipe! Also, check out these kung pao chicken, crab stir fry, Asian shave ice, gobo roots soup, siu mai and baby bok choy stir fry recipes.
You May Also Like These Recipes:
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Thai Green Curry Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Pan
- 1 Chopper or mortar & pestle
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Green curry paste (Add more or less to your taste)
- 2 pieces Chicken thighs (Boneless and skinless, 12 oz)
- ½ Red bell pepper (Medium size)
- 4 Thai eggplants (Small, 4oz)
- 1 can Bamboo shoots (Small, 8oz)
- 6 Kaffir lime leaves
- 1 can Coconut milk (14 fl oz)
- ½ tablespoon Vegetable oil (Stir fry the paste)
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Fish sauce (Add fish sauce to your taste)
Basil paste:
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Instructions
- To make the basil paste, put one cup of Thai basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a chopper for a few seconds.
- Chop the Thai basil leaves until they are small and fine. (The best is to use a mortar & pestle grinding the Thai basil leaves.)
- After that, wash and cut ½ of red bell pepper into strips.
- Next, wash and cut 4 small Thai eggplants (4 oz).
- Cut 2 pieces of chicken thighs (12 oz) into strips.
- Turn on medium small fire, pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into the non-stick pan. Add 1 tablespoon of green curry paste and the basil paste from step 1 & 2. Then, stir fry them a little bit.
- The following, add the chicken thighs and stir fry them a little bit.
- After, add the Thai eggplants and stir fry a little bit.
- Add 1 small can (8oz) of bamboo shoots and stir fry a little bit.
- The next step, add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. (Add fish sauce to your taste.) Stir fry them.
- Pour a can (14 fl oz) of coconut milk into the curry. Mix them well.
- Then, add 6 kaffir lime leaves. Stir them and let it simmer for a minute or 2.
- Lastly, add the red bell pepper and stir them a little bit.
- Thai green chicken curry is the best to serve with jasmine rice.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make green curry chicken:
- I used store bought green curry paste because it is easy and convenient, so I don't need to make the curry paste from scratch.
- You can use other vegetables to make this Thai green chicken curry recipe. For example, some people like to add baby corn, mushrooms, bell peppers etc.
- Always taste the spiciness before adding more green curry paste.
- The best to use a mortar & pestle grinding the Thai basil leaves. If you don’t, you can use a chopper.
- Recommend using Aroy-D coconut milk because it’s thicker and creamer.
Traci
This was very good! I had to order dried Kaffir leaves and the Thai basil from Am@zon because there are no Asian stores near me. This was very good and taste a lot like a local restaurant where we go. I hadn’t ever bought Japanese eggplants and couldn’t find them so I used purple slim eggplants, they look like a purple zucchini. Soaked them in salted milk then rinsed them and grilled them lightly before adding them in. The process is supposed to remove bitterness. I’m so happy to be able to make this myself. Thank you!
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment!
lesley
Outstanding I used jumbo shrimp instead of chicken otherwise followed. Great flavor! I keep kaffir leaves in freezer they have that flavor the curry must have.
I doubled because we love leftover curry. I make sticky rice to go with my curries.
Tracy O.
Thank you for your comment!