If you want a Thai curry that tastes fresh, fragrant, and comforting without a long ingredient list, this easy Thai green curry chicken recipe is a good place to start. Tender chicken simmers in a coconut milk curry with green curry paste, Thai basil, and vegetables, and the whole dish comes together in about 35 minutes.
It is a practical weeknight curry: the sauce is built in one pan, the chicken cooks quickly, and most of the work is chopping and measuring before you turn on the heat. Serve it with jasmine rice, which soaks up the sauce beautifully.
What makes it work is balance. Coconut milk gives the curry its creamy body, green curry paste brings heat and herbal flavor, fish sauce adds salt and depth, and a little sugar rounds the edges. Lime juice at the end keeps it bright rather than heavy.
What is Thai green curry?
Thai green curry, known in Thai as gaeng keow wan, is a coconut-based curry coloured green by fresh green chilies and herbs in the curry paste. Unlike a long-simmered stew, it is usually cooked fairly quickly: the paste is fried in coconut cream, coconut milk is added, then chicken and vegetables simmer just until tender.
The flavor is quite different from red or yellow Thai curries: green curry tends to taste fresher and more herbal, with a clear chili warmth, while coconut milk keeps it smooth. Heat varies a lot by brand of paste, so taste as you go. This version stays close to the classic home-cooked idea — chicken, coconut milk, green curry paste, Thai basil, and a few vegetables.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A one-pan weeknight curry. The sauce, chicken, and vegetables all cook in the same pan, in about 35 minutes.
- Creamy without being heavy. Coconut milk gives body, while lime juice and Thai basil keep the flavor fresh at the end.
- Easy to adjust. You can make it milder or hotter, add more vegetables, or swap the protein using the variations below.
- Perfect with jasmine rice. The sauce is made to be spooned over rice, so nothing goes to waste.
Ingredients you’ll need
Exact quantities are also given in the recipe card at the end of this article.
- Chicken: 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin strips or bite-sized pieces. Thighs stay juicier.
- Coconut milk: 1 can (13.5 fl oz / 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk. Do not shake it first if you can help it — the thick cream at the top is useful for frying the paste.
- Green curry paste: 3 tablespoons green curry paste. Brands vary in heat, so start here and add more only after tasting.
- Vegetables: 1 red bell pepper, sliced; 1 cup (about 150 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into short lengths; and 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced, if you like.
- Aromatics and flavourings: 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon neutral oil if needed, 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (optional, if your paste is mild), and 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve.
- Thai basil: 1 cup (about 20 g) Thai basil leaves, loosely packed. Sweet basil is the closest substitute, though the flavor will be a little less anise-like.
- To serve: Steamed jasmine rice.
Substitutions in brief
Fish sauce can be replaced with light soy sauce, though the flavor will be less distinctly Thai. For a dairy-free curry, this recipe is already dairy-free as written, since coconut milk contains no dairy. Check that your green curry paste is gluten-free if needed, as some brands contain wheat or shrimp paste.
How to make Thai green curry chicken
Step 1: Prepare the chicken and vegetables
Cut the chicken into thin strips or bite-sized pieces, and slice the vegetables. Measure the curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice, and keep everything beside the stove.
Step 2: Fry the curry paste in coconut cream
Spoon the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk can into a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. If there is very little cream, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil. Add the green curry paste and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Do not let the paste burn.
Step 3: Add the remaining coconut milk
Pour in the rest of the coconut milk, scraping up any paste from the bottom of the pan. Stir until smooth, then bring to a gentle simmer. Do not boil hard, as very high heat can make coconut milk split and look grainy.
Step 4: Simmer the chicken
Add the chicken, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) throughout, with no pink meat. If the pieces are thick, give them a little longer and check the largest piece with a thermometer or by cutting it open.
Step 5: Add the vegetables
Add the bell pepper, green beans, and zucchini if using. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the vegetables are tender-crisp and the chicken is fully cooked. Taste the sauce now: add more fish sauce for salt, a pinch more sugar if it tastes sharp, or a little more curry paste if you want more heat — but stir any extra paste in well and simmer for another minute.
Step 6: Finish with basil and lime
Turn off the heat. Stir in the Thai basil leaves until just wilted, then add the lime juice. Taste once more and adjust lime or fish sauce to your liking. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice, with lime wedges on the side.
Tips for the best Thai green curry chicken
- Fry the paste first. Stirring the paste in hot coconut cream before adding the rest of the milk gives a much deeper flavor than simply stirring it into cold milk.
- Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil can split coconut milk. If the sauce looks grainy, lower the heat and stir gently — the flavor is usually still fine.
- Cut chicken evenly. Thin, even pieces cook at the same rate, so you do not end up with some pieces dry and others undercooked.
- Taste before serving. Curry pastes differ a lot in salt and heat. Season at the end, after the chicken and vegetables have cooked, rather than adding extra fish sauce at the start.
- Do not overcook the vegetables. Add them near the end so they stay bright and slightly crisp.
- If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. If it is too thick, stir in a splash of water or coconut milk.
Substitutions and variations
- Less spicy: Use 2 tablespoons of green curry paste instead of 3, and add a little extra coconut milk. Remove the seeds from any fresh chilies if you add them.
- Extra spicy: Add an extra tablespoon of curry paste, or a sliced fresh green chili with the vegetables. Taste as you go.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with 14 oz (400 g) extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed, or extra vegetables and chickpeas. Use a vegetarian green curry paste and soy sauce instead of fish sauce, and check the label, as many traditional pastes contain shrimp paste.
- Gluten-free: Use a certified gluten-free green curry paste and check the fish sauce label.
- Different vegetables: Eggplant (eggplant), bamboo shoots, mushrooms, baby corn, or broccoli all work well. Keep the total amount roughly the same so the sauce stays creamy.
- Different protein: Thinly sliced pork or chicken thighs work well. Shrimp need only 3 to 4 minutes — add them near the end and cook just until pink and opaque.
What to serve with Thai green curry chicken
Serve it with steamed jasmine rice, which is the classic pairing and soaks up the coconut milk curry. A simple cucumber salad, or sliced cucumber with a squeeze of lime, makes a cool contrast to the warm, creamy curry.
For a contrasting Thai dish another night, try Chicken Pad Thai, which is sweet and tangy rather than herbal and creamy. Korean Beef Bulgogi offers a cross-cuisine contrast, as a marinated, caramelized meat dish. For another quick weeknight chicken dinner, try Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl.
Storage, freezing, and reheating
- Refrigerate: Cool leftovers within 2 hours and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cooked Thai green curry chicken can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the vegetables will soften and the coconut sauce may look slightly grainy after thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, until steaming hot throughout. Do not boil hard, and do not reheat more than once.
Final thoughts
Thai green curry chicken earns its place as a weeknight favorite because it is fast, fragrant, and forgiving. Once you have made it once, you will know how hot your favorite paste is and which vegetables your household prefers.
If you make it, leave a rating and tell us how you adjusted the heat — and try Chicken Pad Thai next for a completely different Thai flavor.
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