Thai Curry · thai cuisine

Creamy Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Name: Creamy Thai Green Curry with Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 500g chicken thigh, sliced; 3–4 tbsp green curry paste; 400ml coconut milk (do not shake; use thick cream first); 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn; 1 handful Thai basil; 1 red chilli, sliced; 100g eggplant or zucchini; handful green beans; 1–2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm sugar, splash water as needed

Split the coconut cream with the paste first. Then add stock — that order is non-negotiable for me.

By Hasnain Khan · Tested in a home kitchen · Updated 2026-08-10

⏱ 40 min 👤 4 servings 🔥 Medium ⭐ 4.9 / 5

Recipe card

Prep20 min

Cook40 min

Total60 min

Yield4 servings

Rating4.9 / 5

Calories420

CuisineThai

CourseThai Curry

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Why this recipe works

The breakthrough in my green curry was learning to "crack" the coconut cream. Thai cooks simmer the thick cream until the oil separates, then fry the paste in that oil until it smells vivid and spicy-sweet. That step wakes jarred paste up and makes homemade paste sing. Fish sauce for salt, a pinch of palm sugar for roundness, lime leaves for citrus perfume, Thai basil at the end — not Italian basil if you can help it.

Expert kitchen tips

Jar paste varies wildly in salt and heat — start with less and add.
Never boil hard after adding basil; heat bruises the perfume.
Leftover curry tastes deeper next day; loosen with coconut milk when reheating.

Ingredients

500g chicken thigh, sliced
3–4 tbsp green curry paste
400ml coconut milk (do not shake; use thick cream first)
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
1 handful Thai basil
1 red chilli, sliced; 100g eggplant or zucchini; handful green beans
1–2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm sugar, splash water as needed

Step-by-step method

Scoop thick coconut cream into a pot. Simmer on medium until oil separates, 3–5 minutes.
Add curry paste and fry in the coconut oil until fragrant and a shade darker, 2–3 minutes.
Add chicken and coat in paste. Pour remaining coconut milk and a splash of water. Add lime leaves and vegetables.
Simmer until chicken is cooked and vegetables tender, 10–12 minutes. Season with fish sauce and palm sugar.
Turn off heat, fold in Thai basil and chilli. Serve with jasmine rice.

💡 My tip from testing this at home: taste for balance — Thai curry should hit salty, spicy, a little sweet, and herbal. Adjust fish sauce and sugar at the end, not the beginning.

Estimated nutrition

About 420 calories per serving (based on 4 servings). Values are estimates for home cooks and vary by brands, oil used, and portion size — not lab-analysed.

Serving ideas & leftovers

Serve hot, taste for seasoning at the table, and store leftovers in an airtight container once cool. Most of these dishes reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stock, or the dish’s own sauce so the texture stays kind.

This recipe is original CookMe editorial content for home cooks. Nutrition varies by brands and portions. If you have allergies, check every label. CookMe may display ads via partners such as Mediavine; see our Privacy Policy and Advertising Disclosure.