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Thai

Thai green curry with chicken

Non-vegetarian

แกงเขียวหวานไก่ · kaeng khiao wan kai

Chicken and Thai aubergines simmered in coconut milk with a fresh, fragrant green chilli paste pounded from lemongrass, galangal, coriander and shrimp paste, finished with basil and lime leaves.

Thai green curry with chicken is a Thai curry from Thailand, ready in about 55 minutes and made with green chilli, coconut milk and chicken thigh. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

Start cooking
Close-up of Thai green curry with rice on a ceramic tray, garnished with chili.
Photo: Shameel mukkath / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
30 min
Cook
25 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
679

Ingredients

4 servings

For the curry paste

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Pound the dry spices to a powder in a mortar, then add the salt, chillies, lemongrass (opens in a new tab), galangal (opens in a new tab), coriander stems, shallots (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab) a little at a time, pounding to a smooth, damp paste. Work in the shrimp paste (opens in a new tab) last.

    A small food processor with a splash of water also works, though the paste is less fragrant.

    Spices being ground in a mortar and pestle
    How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Spoon the thick cream from the top of one can of coconut milk (opens in a new tab) into a wok (opens in a new tab) with the oil. Simmer until it bubbles and the oil starts to separate, then fry about 4 tablespoons of the paste in it until fragrant.

    • 5 min
    • medium heat
    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the chicken and stir to coat in the paste, then pour in the rest of the coconut milk (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the aubergine (opens in a new tab), fish sauce (opens in a new tab), palm sugar (opens in a new tab) and lime leaves. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the aubergine is tender.

    • 12 min
    • medium-low heat

    Food safety: Cook chicken until no pink remains and juices run clear (74 °C in the centre).

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Taste and adjust with fish sauce (opens in a new tab) or sugar. Take the wok (opens in a new tab) off the stove, stir in the basil (opens in a new tab) until just wilted, scatter over red chilli and serve with jasmine rice (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Thailand · Well documentedA central Thai curry.Also popular in United Kingdom, Australia, United StatesMore food from Thailand
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
spicy (chilli heat), aromatic / warmly spiced, creamy, herby
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
With the listed swaps: Pescatarian, Flexitarian-friendlyWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead
Cook more with
Green chilli · Coconut milk · Chicken thigh · Shallot · Garlic · Lemongrass
Techniques
Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Fishfrom fish sauce
  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom shrimp paste, fish sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

679 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 487 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 20%
  • Carbohydrate 13%
  • Fat 67%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy679 kcal139 kcal
Protein36.3 g7.4 g
Carbohydrate22.4 g4.6 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars3.2 g0.7 g
Fibre——
Fat52.7 g10.8 g
Saturated fat39.8 g8.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol141 mg29 mg
Sodium1575 mg323 mg
Salt equivalent3.9 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1227 mg
Calcium
103 mg
Iron
9.9 mg
Magnesium
176 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
46 µg
Vitamin C
45 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
1 µg
Folate (DFE)
75 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: fresh red chilli, long-grain white rice.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves.
  • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
  • Shrimp paste: Fish sauce (FDC 174531) at 1.5× as a stand-in salted fermented seafood condiment; protein is understated.
  • Jaggery / palm sugar: Brown sugar (FDC 168833) used as a stand-in for unrefined cane jaggery and palm sugar.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The paste makes more than one curry needs — freeze the rest in small portions.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the coconut milk hard after the chicken goes in can make it split and the meat tough.

Serve with

  • Serve with jasmine rice or thin rice noodles (khanom jeen).

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days; leftover paste freezes for 3 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently on the stove; add basil fresh.

Variations

  • Green curry with fish balls: Swap the chicken for fish balls and add pea aubergines.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 3, 4, 5

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

  • Curry paste

    Thai green curry paste

    This recipe makes it as part of the method (217 g for 4 servings). The full masala recipe explains each step in detail.

    Make Thai green curry paste

Reviews & corrections

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