Creamy Coconut Thai Green Chicken Curry
This fragrant and flavorful Thai green curry is made with creamy coconut milk, fresh ginger, garlic and green curry paste then finished with lime juice, cilantro and fish sauce! Serve over a bowl of steamed rice for a simple yet satisfying dinner thats equally delicious as leftovers the next day!
My love and appreciation for Thai food runs deep. Living in Los Angeles we are so lucky to be just a few miles away from the bustling cultural enclave of Thai Town. Thai Town is home to some of my favorite restaurants in the city (hi Ruen Pair!) and the most incredible grocery stores stocked to the brim with fruits and vegetables from all over South East Asia, hundreds of varieties of fresh and dried noodles, fresh curry pastes and many, many more specialty ingredients.
Even if you can’t pop over to the Thai market you can still make this Thai Green Chicken Curry! The brand Thai Kitchen makes a green curry paste that is available in most super markets. You can also order one of my favorite brands Mae Ploy on Amazon. You can even make your own from scratch if you’re feeling ambitious. Check out this recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you need to make this recipe: chicken, thighs are best flavor-wise but breast will also work, coconut milk, green curry paste, shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice. For serving: rice, cilantro, and Serrano chilis or jalapeños–if you like things spicy!
Recipe Step by Step:
Step 1. Saute the Aromatics
The only real challenge in this recipe is gathering up all of the ingredient. Once you have your ingredients ready, making the curry is very straight forward. Begin by sautéing the shallot, garlic, ginger and curry paste in a bit of coconut oil just until they start to soften and you can really smell the aroma of the curry paste.
Step 3. Simmer
Next add in the coconut milk, chicken, brown sugar and lemongrass. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
Step 3. Serve
Finish off the curry with fish sauce and lime juice. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro, lime wedges and sliced chilis.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes! You can very easily switch up the protein in this curry. Shrimp or even a hearty white fish would be delicious. If you’d like to make this recipe vegetarian you can swap out the chicken for veggies and/or tofu.
If you’re lucky enough to live near a Thai/Asian supermarket check there first! The brand Thai Kitchen makes a green curry paste that is available in most super markets. You can also order one of my favorite brands Mae Ploy on Amazon. You can even make your own from scratch if you’re feeling ambitious. Check out this recipe!
Check Out More Delicious Recipes:
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Creamy Coconut Thai Green Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or any neutral oil
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated or minced
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1/4 c green curry paste see notes
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into quarters
- 1/2 stalk lemon grass about a 4-inch piece
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- juice from one lime
For Serving
- 1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 serrano chili or jalapeño optional
- lime wedges
- steamed jasmine rice
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium heat then add the coconut oil, shallot, ginger, garlic and green curry paste. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the shallot and garlic have softened and the aromas from the curry paste intensify.
- Next, pour in the coconut milk followed by the chicken. Cut the lemongrass in half lengthwise then add that to the pot along with the brown sugar. Bring the sauce up to a boil then turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- To serve, remove the lid from the pot and stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Discard the lemongrass stalks. Divide the curry between bowls, serve with steamed rice, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- Chicken: As written, chicken thighs are the main protein in this recipe but you could easily swap chicken out for shrimp, veggies or tofu.
- Green Curry Paste: Green curry paste can be pretty spicy. If that’s appealing to you, lay it on! If you prefer a more mild curry then star with just 2 tbsp of curry paste. You can always add more later on.
- Lemon Grass: If you can’t find lemon grass feel free to omit it from the recipe.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: I alway suggest full fat coconut milk over the low fat variety. That being said, if you want to lighten up this recipe you could substitute one of the two cans of coconut milk for chicken broth instead.
- Leftover chicken curry can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat over low heat in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water to loosen up the sauce as needed.
- Freezing Instructions: Cool, then freeze in airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in fridge then reheat in microwave, or on the stove top until piping, stir well.
This is the second best Thai dish I’ve had in my life – the first of which I had at a restaurant. This is my go-to dish when I go out to dinner for Thai food and this surpassed what I’ve gotten in restaurants. Excellent flavors.
Wow! Thank you so much, Holly. Glad you loved it.
We’ve added this to the regular rotation. The curry paste makes for a great and complex flavor payoff for something that comes together super quickly and without a ton of chopping. I’ve been adding some slices of red bell pepper to the sauté step and wilting in a little spinach at the very end. So delicious!
Hello,
What size cans for the coconut milk?
Thanks!
Meg
13.5 oz