Thai green curry
Fragrant, creamy Thai green curry with tender chicken, aubergine and courgette — vibrant herbs finish it bright and punchy.
This is the green curry you want when you crave something bright, fragrant and a little bit naughty. Making your own green curry paste keeps the flavours fresh and herbaceous — far punchier than shop-bought jars.
It’s a brilliant midweek meal since it comes together quickly once the paste is made. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a wedge of lime to keep things perky and saucy.
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 800 ml coconut milk — reserve roughly 200 ml to fry the paste, use the rest for the curry
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 300 g aubergine — cut into 3 cm pieces
- 200 g courgette — cut into half-moons about 1 cm thick
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml light brown sugar
- 15 ml lime juice — freshly squeezed
- 4 kaffir lime leaves — optional but recommended; tear roughly
- 15 g Thai basil leaves — reserve some for garnish
- 30 g fresh coriander — use stems and leaves; reserve a few sprigs to garnish
- 6 green chillies — remove some seeds for less heat
- 3 shallots — peeled
- 4 garlic cloves — peeled
- 2 stalks lemongrass — use the pale inner stalks, finely chopped
- 20 g fresh ginger — peeled
- 5 ml shrimp paste — optional; see substitutions
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml sea salt
Equipment
- blender or mortar and pestle
- large frying pan or wok
Instructions
Prepare everything first: cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cm). Cut the aubergine into 3 cm pieces and toss in a little salt if you like to draw out bitterness; slice the courgette into 1 cm half-moons. Peel and roughly chop shallots, garlic, ginger and the pale inner part of the lemongrass.
Make the green curry paste: in a blender or mortar and pestle combine green chillies, shallots, garlic cloves, lemongrass, fresh ginger, fresh coriander (including stems), shrimp paste, ground coriander, ground cumin and sea salt. Pound or blitz to a coarse, aromatic paste — add a teaspoon of water if needed to help it come together.
Heat a large frying pan or wok over a medium hob. Add the vegetable oil and 200 ml of the coconut milk, then add the green curry paste. Fry, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate from the paste.
Add the chicken thighs to the pan, toss to coat in the paste and fry for 3–4 minutes until the outside is sealed and slightly opaque.
Pour in the remaining coconut milk (approx. 600 ml) and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the aubergine and courgette, tuck in the kaffir lime leaves, then simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the fish sauce and light brown sugar, simmer for another 1–2 minutes so the seasoning balances and the sugar dissolves.
Take the pan off the heat. Stir through the lime juice and most of the Thai basil leaves and fresh coriander, saving a little to scatter on top as garnish.
Ladle the curry into warmed bowls, scatter the reserved herbs on top and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice or fragrant sticky rice.
Tips
- Cook the paste in some coconut milk until the oil separates — this step unlocks the paste’s aroma and is worth the small wait.
- If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds from half the green chillies before blending, or use fewer chillies.
- Make the paste ahead and refrigerate for up to 48 hours or freeze in ice-cube trays for quick future meals.
- If aubergine soaks up too much sauce, add a splash of water or extra coconut milk to loosen the curry before serving.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 days; reheat gently over a low hob so the coconut milk doesn’t split.
Substitutions
chicken thighs, boneless and skinless → chicken breast, cut into pieces (use the same weight)
Stays closeshrimp paste → 1 tsp good-quality miso paste
Noticeably differentcoconut milk → reduced-fat coconut milk (same volume)
Noticeably differentfresh coriander → a mix of coriander leaves and extra Thai basil if coriander unavailable
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 720
- Calories
- 30 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian or vegan?
Yes — replace the chicken with firm tofu or extra vegetables and swap the fish sauce and shrimp paste for soy sauce or tamari and miso respectively; the result will be tasty but slightly different.
How can I reduce the heat?
Remove the seeds from some or all of the green chillies before blending, or use fewer chillies. You can also add slightly more coconut milk to mellow the spice.
Why does my coconut milk split sometimes?
High heat can cause coconut milk to split. Simmer gently rather than boil; if it starts to split, lower the heat and stir in a little extra coconut milk or water.
Can I use shop-bought green curry paste?
Absolutely — use about 80–100 g of shop-bought paste in place of the homemade paste and proceed with the recipe. Fresh paste gives the brightest flavour, though.
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