green curry recipe

Thai green curry recipe – Vegetarian or green curry chicken

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It was just a few years ago when I discovered green curry. All my life I only knew about yellow curry and thought it was the only type of curry. When I visited my friend in Berlin, she cooked green curry chicken for dinner and that’s when I fell in love with the flavor. What is interesting is that the flavor is totally different from yellow curry. For instance, my hubby doesn’t like yellow curry but he likes to eat green curry chicken.

If you like spicy food, Thai food or you simply want to try new flavors, this green curry recipe should be your starting point. It is so easy and quick to make, even on weekdays when you are limited with time.

Basically, you just need to stir fry the chicken (if you are eating meat), then add vegetables and finally cook the curry paste with coconut milk.

What does green curry taste like?

Green curry is less spicy than red curry and it is somewhat sweeter and has less earthy flavor than red and yellow curry. In Thailand, green curry paste is spicier than the one you can find in the States. Cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, basil, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and of course green chilli peppers- these are ingredients of green curry paste.

Store bought or homemade ?

Homemade green curry paste takes more effort and time to make, because you need to find all the ingredients. I always use store bought curry because I believe cooking Thai and Chinese food should be quick and simple. Some people add additional flavors to the store bought green curry, such as: lemongrass paste, fresh garlic and ginger. I find green curry pretty spicy and full of flavors, so I don’t add additional spices. Store bought curry paste already has all these ingredients, it is just a matter of your personal taste, whether you want to add stronger flavors.

Green curry chicken or vegetarian?

This green curry recipe can include meat and vegetables, tempeh or tofu and vegetables, or vegetables only.

The choice of meat: chicken is definitely the best choice for curry dishes but why not try turkey as well? Pork is also used in Thai food.

What vegetables to put in green curry? I like dishes that are easy to customize and use different ingredients every other time. When preparing Thai green curry you can use different combinations of veggies: carrots, mushrooms, red peppers, peas, onions, broccoli, spring onions etc.

Maybe your veggie combination won’t be an authentic Thai version but it will still have that Thai flavor thanks to green curry and coconut milk.

Thai green curry ingredients

Curry paste – this is of course the main ingredient of the recipe. If you find curry paste strong in flavor, you can add more coconut milk. As green curry is very spicy, I wouldn’t recommend you add additional spices before tasting the dish. Just a bit of salt and pepper is enough when cooking the meat.

Coconut milk – many green curry recipes use chicken or vegetable broth in addition to coconut milk and curry paste. I cook veggies and meat in the curry paste and coconut milk so the sauce absorbs all the flavors.

Chicken (optional) – for this recipe you can use either boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast. Instead of chicken, you can also use turkey, pork or don’t add meat at all. Tofu is also an option.

Vegetables – my usual combination is onions, carrots, peas, red peppers and mushrooms. Any type of vegetable you put will be great.

Rice (or noodles) – I prefer plain white rice, but you can use rice noodles instead. As the sauce is rather liquid than thick, rice better absorbs it than noodles so your every bite will be saucy.

How to make green curry

thai green curry

Cook the rice or noodles separately. If you use rice noodles for this dish, follow the packaging instructions. As for the rice, I always cook rice by following the rule of 2:1 ratio (water:rice). When the water is absorbed, I remove the pot from the heat and cover the rice with a kitchen cloth to rest for a few times. As a result, the rice won’t be sticky.

Stir fry the chicken, or other meat of your choice. You can add some salt and pepper to the meat and stir fry it at medium heat. Instead of meat, you can also prepare tempeh or tofu. If you are not sure how to cook tofu for Thai dish, my suggestion is to simply pan fry it with some sesame oil, soya sauce, cornstarch and pepper.

Sauté vegetables. You can add vegetables to the meat or prepare them separately. If you are preparing them separately, you can use the same pan for it.

Cook curry paste and coconut milk. In a heated pan, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes, then add coconut milk. Again, you can use the same pan you used to cook chicken and veggies. After 3 minutes or so, when the sauce is cooked a bit, add all the veggies and chicken and cook everything together for five more minutes.

green curry

How to store green curry

Serve rice separately from green curry chicken because it will be safer to store it like that. Keep them in the fridge for a few days. I don’t recommend keeping the curry for more than two days. Generally, Thai, Indian and Chinese food are the best to eat the same day. 

Green Curry Thai Recipe – Chicken or Vegetarian

This Thai green curry with chicken and vegetables is so easy to make, even for beginners. You can make green curry with or without meat, and with your choice of vegetables. A very customizable recipe!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Keyword: chicken, curry, green curry, rice
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 395kcal

Ingredients

  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 110 g green curry paste
  • 300 g chicken breasts or thighs (optional)
  • 1 yellow onion (chopped in slices)
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 small red pepper
  • 1 cup of peas
  • 1 ½ cup of chopped mushrooms
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 4 cups water

Instructions

  • Cook the rice until water is totally absorbed. Remove the pot from the stove and cover it with a kitchen cloth. For two cups of rice you need four cups of water.
  • Chop the chicken in small cubes, add some salt and pepper and stir fry it in a pan until it is cooked enough, but not overcooked.
  • Meanwhile, prepare all the veggies, chop them in bigger, thinner slices, like sticks. Remove the fried chicken and sauté the veggies in a same pan.
  • Remove the veggies when they are soft enough but not overcooked. Fry green curry paste in the same pan for a minute or so, then add coconut milk and cook the sauce for 3 min. Add veggies and meat. Cook everything together for at least five minutes at medium heat.

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