Thai Green Curry
Chicken green curry with coconut milk, eggplant and Thai basil.
Preparation: 18 min · Cooking: 22 min · Total: 43 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- 600 g chicken thighs — Raw; cut into bite-size pieces. Keep separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.
- 80 g green curry paste — Check the label: some pastes contain shrimp paste or fish.
- 400 ml coconut milk — Reserve about 60 ml of the thick coconut milk to fry the paste.
- 300 g eggplant — Cut into roughly 2 cm pieces.
- 30 g Thai basil — Leaves only; add off the heat.
Instructions
Prepare chicken, eggplant and basil
Wash the eggplant and Thai basil; cut 600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs into bite-size pieces on a separate board, and cut 300 g eggplant into roughly 2 cm pieces. Pick 30 g basil leaves. Measure 80 g green curry paste and 400 ml coconut milk; reserve about 60 ml of its thick portion. Do not wash raw chicken. Wash hands, knife and board after handling it.
Fry paste and simmer curry
Over medium heat, bubble the reserved 60 ml thick coconut milk in a pot, then stir-fry 80 g green curry paste for 2 minutes without burning. Add the remaining 340 ml coconut milk and 600 g chicken; bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Add 300 g eggplant and simmer about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally. The eggplant should be tender; check several chicken pieces with a thermometer and continue cooking if needed until each reaches at least 74°C internally.
Eggplant is tender and all checked chicken pieces reach at least 74°C internally.
Simmer chicken and eggplant: 1200 seconds
Finish and serve
Remove from the heat, stir in 30 g Thai basil leaves, let stand for 3 minutes, and serve hot.
Tips
- Keep the curry at a gentle simmer after adding chicken; a hard boil can split the coconut milk.
- Taste the finished curry before serving; paste brands vary in salt and heat.
Common mistakes
- Burning the paste in a dry pot makes it bitter; fry it in the reserved thick coconut milk over medium heat.
- Adding basil during the simmer dulls its aroma; stir it in only after the pot is off the heat.
Substitutions
- Use 600 g boneless skinless chicken breast instead of thigh; cut it to the same size and cook until every checked piece reaches 74°C.
Storage
Divide leftovers into shallow sealed containers; refrigerate at 4°C or colder within 2 hours and eat within 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat only the portion needed, stirring gently until the curry and chicken reach at least 74°C throughout.
About this recipe
Thai green curry (kaeng khiao wan) combines green chilli curry paste, coconut milk and Thai basil. Versions vary across Thailand; this chicken-and-eggplant version uses a prepared paste.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.