Thai Green Curry features a complex blend of spicy heat, salty, subtly sweet, and bright flavors that blend beautifully in a coconut milk-based sauce. Chicken makes it filling, and serving it with jasmine rice makes it a hearty meal.
When I visited Thailand a few years ago, I had the best green curry on the face of the planet (mind-blowingly good) at the resort where we stayed in Thailand.
Late one afternoon, we took a private cooking class on the beach at the resort. We made green curry (and a few other things), and then got to enjoy dinner at sunset at a table next to the ocean. After the class, they gave me a little recipe booklet with all the recipes we made in it, and told me to have fun. They knew me well, lol!
I got the recipe booklet home and the first chance I had, dove into making the curry. Ever since then, Thai green curry has been one of my favorites. Not only because of the wonderful memories it evokes, but also because it’s a lovely balance of fresh, bright flavors, spicy heat, and rich creaminess.
Thai green curry is magic.
Why This Recipe Works
- We start by frying the green curry paste in coconut oil. This helps the flavors blend and makes the sauce intensely aromatic.
- It’s pretty easy! Don’t be intimidated to make this recipe. Yes, Thai green curry is spicy (it’s actually spicier than Thai red curry and Thai yellow curry!). But this dish features a very balanced flavor profile. Full-fat coconut milk adds rich creaminess and tames the spice level a bit, and additionally, coconut sugar balances it. Plus chicken and vegetables soak up some of the spicy flavor. And serving this dish with jasmine rice mellows it even more.
- You can easily swap out the protein in this recipe for whatever you like. Or keep it vegan by using vegetable stock or water instead of chicken broth, omitting the chicken, and using vegan green curry paste and vegan fish sauce.
Authentic Thai Green Curry with Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- Virgin coconut oil
- Thai green curry paste
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs (or boneless skinless chicken breasts)
- Garlic
- Galangal (or ginger)
- Chicken broth (or water)
- Thai eggplant
- Canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- Makrut (formerly known as kaffir) lime leaves
- Coconut sugar (or light brown sugar)
- Fish sauce
- Sea salt
- Sliced bamboo shoots
- Red Thai chile peppers
- Fresh lime juice
- Fresh Thai basil leaves
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Fry the Curry Paste:
Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the green curry paste and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. (Try not to breathe the fumes; it’s hot!)
Step 2: Sear the Chicken:
Add the chicken in an even layer, and cook 2 minutes without stirring. Stir in the garlic and galangal, and cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly.
Step 3: Simmer:
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the eggplant, coconut milk, lime leaves, coconut sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Bring it back up to a simmer, turn the heat down so it’s simmering gently, and cover the skillet with the lid ajar (or just drape a piece of foil over the top). Let it simmer until the eggplant is tender, about 8 minutes.
Step 4: Finishing Touches:
Remove from the heat and stir in the bamboo shoots, red chile peppers, lime juice, and basil leaves.
Serve along with jasmine rice with any garnishes you like.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips for Success
Thai Green Curry Paste
You can use homemade or store-bought. Homemade is of course preferred for the best flavor. If you aren’t allergic to shellfish, Maesri Thai Green Curry Paste is a highly-recommended option (and you can get it on Amazon!). However, if you’re allergic to shellfish, a good vegan choice is Mekhala Green Curry Paste (which is also available on Amazon).
Thai Eggplant
This eggplant is green and white-colored, and about the size of a golf ball. You can look for it in the fresh produce area of Asian grocery stores. However, if you can’t find Thai eggplant, you can substitute with other types of eggplant, such as Japanese eggplant (thinly sliced) or baby eggplant (sometimes also called Indian eggplant).
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Now called makrut limes, these can sometimes be difficult to find, even at Asian markets. I went to 3 local Asian grocery stores in my area when I wanted to make this dish and I still couldn’t find these leaves! Instead, I used 3 strips of peel from regular limes.
Bamboo Shoots
Look for these fresh in the fresh produce area of an Asian grocery store. If you buy them fresh, you can cut them into slices, half-moons, or strips. Alternatively, you can find canned bamboo shoots in the canned goods aisle (or find canned bamboo shoots on Amazon).
Red Thai Chile Peppers
These are mostly just for a little pop of red color in green curry! However, they also add spicy heat. If you want to add a pop of color without adding more spicy heat, you can use 1/4 of a red bell pepper cut into thin slices instead.
Thai Green Curry FAQs
Which Thai Curry is the Spiciest?
You found it; Thai green curry is the spiciest of the Thai curries!
A main difference between green and red curry is that green curry uses green Thai chile peppers and red curry uses red Thai chile peppers. These peppers start out green and as they mature, they turn red and their flavor mellows a bit.
What Does Thai Green Curry Taste Like?
It’s fresh and bright with the flavors of cilantro, lemongrass, lime, and galangal (which is similar to ginger). It has a spicy heat thanks to the green Thai chiles in the curry paste. There is saltiness from fish sauce and sweetness from coconut sugar. Rich and creamy coconut milk is the perfect vessel that marries all the flavors together.
What Vegetables Are in Thai Green Curry?
You can use any number of vegetables in this dish! Go with what you like or have on hand. I like to keep everything green or white in a green curry (except the pop of color from the red chiles!).
Here are a few different vegetables that go well in green curry:
- Thai eggplant
- Bamboo shoots
- Mushrooms
- Green beans
- Snap peas
- Zucchini
More Curry Recipes to Make
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xoxo, Faith
Authentic Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Kaeng Kiew Waan Kai)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste see Note
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced (or boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer)
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons freshly-grated galangal or ginger
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or water
- 8 ounces Thai eggplant stems trimmed and quartered
- 14 ounces canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 3 kaffir lime leaves see Note
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots see Note
- 3 red Thai chile peppers de-seeded and very thinly sliced (see Note)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- Prepared jasmine rice for serving
Garnish Ideas:
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the green curry paste and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. (Try not to breathe the fumes; it’s hot!)
- Add the chicken in an even layer, and cook 2 minutes without stirring. Stir in the garlic and galangal, and cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the eggplant, coconut milk, lime leaves, coconut sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Bring it back up to a simmer, turn the heat down so it’s simmering gently, and cover the skillet with the lid ajar (or just drape a piece of foil over the top). Let it simmer until the eggplant is tender, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the bamboo shoots, red chile peppers, lime juice, and basil leaves.
- Serve along with jasmine rice with any garnishes you like.
Faith’s Tips
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the jasmine rice for serving or the garnish ideas.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Thai Green Curry Paste: You can use homemade or store-bought. Homemade is of course preferred for the best flavor. If you aren’t allergic to shellfish, Maesri Thai Green Curry Paste is a highly-recommended option (and you can get it on Amazon!). However, if you’re allergic to shellfish, a good vegan choice is Mekhala Green Curry Paste (which is also available on Amazon).
- Thai Eggplant: This eggplant is green and white-colored, and about the size of a golf ball. You can look for it in the fresh produce area of Asian grocery stores. However, if you can’t find Thai eggplant, you can substitute with other types of eggplant, such as Japanese eggplant (thinly sliced) or baby eggplant (sometimes also called Indian eggplant).
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: Now called makrut limes, these can sometimes be difficult to find, even at Asian markets. I went to 3 local Asian grocery stores in my area when I wanted to make this dish and I still couldn’t find these leaves! Instead, I used 3 strips of peel from regular limes.
- Bamboo Shoots: Look for these fresh in the fresh produce area of an Asian grocery store. If you buy them fresh, you can cut them into slices, half-moons, or strips. Alternatively, you can find canned bamboo shoots in the canned goods aisle (or find canned bamboo shoots on Amazon).
- Red Thai Chile Peppers: These are mostly just for a little pop of red color in green curry! However, they also add spicy heat. If you want to add a pop of color without adding more spicy heat, you can use 1/4 of a red bell pepper cut into thin slices instead.
- Vegan Version: Use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken broth, omit the chicken, and use vegan green curry paste and vegan fish sauce.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on September 12, 2014. I updated it with more information on August 10, 2022.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Recipes like this one are something I’m always hungry for, can’t wait to make it!
I’m so glad that you had a positive experience with a food you normally dislike! And even better that you were able to recreate it at home. Looks delicious!
This will be a new flavor for my family, it looks great!
Yum! This looks great. I love green curry, although sometimes it borders on too spicy for me. That’s interesting about the cilantro root–I LOVE cilantro, and recently found out cilantro root is a key ingredient in the sauce for kratiem prik thai. ONE time at my local Whole Foods they were selling entire cilantro plants with the roots still attached, so I used them to make the dish (and loved it). I also read online that you can substitute the stems if you can’t find the roots, but that is probably a moot point if you don’t like cilantro :)
I love eating thai green curry’s but have never made my own from scratch before. You have definitely inspired me to do so now.. I definitely will be making the recipe and using prawns instead of chicken.
My husband falls in the cilantro tastes like soap camp. I’m so excited to try this!
I love this recipe. Such a perfect meal! Yum.
My husband is obsessed with green curry. Like you, I always thought I didn’t like it, but since we’ve been together I’ve been sneaking bigger and bigger bites of his green curry takeout. I’ve been looking for an authentic green curry recipe to make for him. This is perfect! Pinning now!
This is one of my favorite Thai curries. Delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa