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Thai food called “green curry chicken” is popular all over the world. The mix of herbs and spices makes the smell and taste irresistible, which is hard to get from takeout. Green curry chicken is easy to make at home with just a few simple ingredients. This step-by-step guide will show you how to make authentic-tasting green curry chicken using easy-to-find ingredients and simple techniques.
Overview of Green Curry Chicken
Green curry chicken is a hot curry made with Thai herbs, coconut milk, and green chilies. It has a sweet, salty, and spicy flavor profile. The coconut milk makes the sauce smooth, but the green curry paste gives it a lot of flavor. Most of the time, chicken is used, but you can also use beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu. Along with bell peppers, eggplant, bamboo shoots, and basil, the chicken is cooked in a lovely curry sauce. It is usually served with jasmine rice so that the tasty sauce can soak into the rice.
The different tastes in the curry paste give green curry chicken its depth. While store-bought paste works fine, making your own green curry paste from scratch lets you choose the spices and ingredients. It tastes good because it has fresh Thai herbs and spices like green chilies, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, and more.
Here are some tips for making excellent green curry chicken at home:
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For the best flavor, use real green curry paste. You can find jars of Thai curry paste at most grocery stores.
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Cook the ingredients in stages for the best texture. Sear the chicken first, then sauté the vegetables, and finally simmer everything in the sauce.
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Add vegetables like bell peppers, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil for color, crunch, and authentic flavor.
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Finish with fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice to properly balance the sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors.
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Serve with freshly steamed jasmine rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to make green curry chicken that tastes like it came from your favorite Thai restaurant.
Prep the Ingredients
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Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
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Vegetables – Onion, peppers, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, bamboo shoots, etc. Cut into bite-sized pieces
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Herbs – Chopped cilantro and Thai basil
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Flavorings – Green curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, coconut milk, chicken broth
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Aromatics – Minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced lemongrass
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Oil – For sautéing
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Rice – Jasmine rice, cooked
Cook the Chicken
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Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
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Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
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Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned.
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Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
Cook the Vegetables
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Add the onions to the same pan and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Stir in the green curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the vegetables and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
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Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
Simmer the Curry
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Return the chicken pieces to the pan along with any accumulated juices.
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Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
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Season to taste with fish sauce and brown sugar.
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Stir in the chopped Thai basil just before serving.
Finish and Serve
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Garnish with fresh cilantro.
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Serve immediately with freshly cooked jasmine rice.
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Enjoy this flavorful and aromatic green curry chicken!
Tips for Customizing Green Curry Chicken
Green curry chicken is highly customizable based on your preferences:
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Spice Level – For more heat, add extra green chili peppers or a Thai bird’s eye chili. For milder curry, use less curry paste.
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Protein – Switch out chicken for beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu.
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Vegetables – Use your favorites like peppers, carrots, green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.
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Herbs – Add basil, mint, or cilantro at the end for freshness.
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Sauce – Thin the sauce with extra broth for a soupier curry or reduce it for thicker gravy.
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Aromatics – Play with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and fresh ginger.
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Sweetness – Balance the heat with a little brown sugar or honey.
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Savoriness – Use more or less fish sauce depending on desired saltiness.
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Acidity – Brighten flavors with a squeeze of lime juice right before serving.
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Garnishes – Top with crispy fried shallots, crushed peanuts, chili flakes, or lime wedges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of curry paste do I use?
Look for green Thai curry paste that lists green chilies, lemongrass, and galangal as main ingredients. Avoid curry pastes made for Indian curries, as they have a very different flavor profile.
Can I make my own green curry paste?
Absolutely! Making your own paste allows you to control the flavor and spice level. Use green chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, lime zest, cilantro, and other Thai herbs.
Is chicken the best protein for green curry?
Chicken is traditional, but you can use any protein. Shrimp, tofu, pork, and beef all work well. Adjust cooking times as needed.
What veggies should I add?
Classic choices are bell peppers, bamboo shoots, eggplant, and Thai basil. But you can use any favorite vegetables you have on hand.
Should I add coconut milk?
Yes, coconut milk gives green curry its signature creamy texture. You can sub half the coconut milk for chicken or vegetable broth to thin the sauce if desired.
How spicy should green curry be?
Spice level is highly customizable. For medium heat, use 2 tablespoons curry paste for 2 cups coconut milk. For extra spicy, add more green chilies.
Make Restaurant-Quality Green Curry at Home
With these simple tips and step-by-step instructions, you can now make authentic green curry chicken with complex flavors using ingredients from your local supermarket. Adjust and customize it to suit your tastes. Serve this mouthwatering Thai curry with jasmine rice for a satisfying meal that will transport you to Thailand without ever leaving your kitchen. Enjoy!
Let The Good Thymes Roll
- 2 medium sized organic chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil (separated)
- One tablespoon of the Healthy On You® Let the Good Thymes Roll spice mix
- 6 small multicolored carrots, peeled
- 1 bunch broccolini
- Salt and Pepper
- lemon slices for garnish
- 1 14 oz can organic coconut milk
- 1 tbsp green curry paste
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock
- juice of one lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- Add salt and black pepper to the chicken along with the Let the Good Thymes Roll spice blend. Make sure to season both sides of the breasts, then set them aside.
- Steam the carrots and broccolini separately. They should be slightly crunchy when done. This could take 5 minutes for carrots and 2 minutes for broccolini. 5 minutes. Set both vegetables aside.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the coconut milk and bring to a low boil.
- Add the green curry paste and stir until it dissolves.
- Add the chicken stock, fish sauce and lemon juice. Cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of the olive oil.
- When the pan is hot enough and the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken that has been seasoned. Let each side cook for 5 to 7 minutes. To get the chicken to 165 ºF, cook it for longer if the pieces are thicker.
- Take it out of the pan and turn down the heat when it’s done cooking.
- Add the last tablespoon of olive oil and the vegetables to the same pan. Sauté for two minutes, stirring them often so they don’t burn.
- Add two cups of the curry sauce that you have already made to the vegetables.
- Nestle the chicken back into the pan between the vegetables
- Garnish with lemon slices and voila!
Sunsational Roasted Curry Chicken
This bright yellow coconut curry sauce reminds me of the sun, so I call it “sunsational!” Seriously though…what’s better than a whole roasted chicken? Well, chicken that’s roasted in a coconut curry sauce with turmeric and ginger spices, for sure. Not to mention coconut milk, dried coconut, fish sauce, and fresh vegetables. Sounds “sunsational” and to me!.
On days when your body is feeling down and you just want to show it some love, this tasty and healthy vegan curry will get you back on track. Its a perfect detox meal because not only is it packed with nutrients,, but this meal can take you into the week with leftovers for lunch and even freezer meals if you double it. The cauliflower, chickpeas and Kabocha squash (Japanese pumpkin) are high in fiber, beta-carotene, iron and vitamin C. Plus, if you don’t add the brown rice, it’s a one-pot meal that only needs to be cleaned up once.