Thai Green Curry Chicken (Gaeng Kiew Waan Gai)
This is the kind of recipe that makes you wonder why you ever ordered takeout. Once you taste a homemade green curry made with quality paste and fresh aromatics, you'll be hooked.
Equipment
- Large wok or deep skillet (12-inch or larger)
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Ladle - For serving
- Medium saucepan - For cooking rice
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs - 680g, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste - Maeploy or Aroy-D recommended
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk - 13.5 fl oz / 400ml
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth - 240ml
- 1 stalk lemongrass - bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger or galangal - finely grated
- 5-6 kaffir lime leaves - torn, fresh or dried
- 1 cup Thai eggplant - about 6 oz / 170g, cut into wedges, or Japanese eggplant
- 1 medium red bell pepper - julienned
- 1 cup snow peas or baby spinach - 90g
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves - loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable oil
- steamed jasmine rice - for serving
For Garnish
- fresh Thai basil leaves - for garnish
- sliced red chili - for garnish
- lime wedges - for garnish
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients: cut chicken into 1.5-inch pieces, cut eggplant into wedges and place in water, julienne bell pepper, trim snow peas, mince garlic, grate ginger, bruise lemongrass, tear lime leaves, and measure out fish sauce, sugar, and curry paste.
- Heat wok over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Fry green curry paste for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken pieces to the wok and cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring to get a light sear. Stir and toss to coat with paste, cooking another 1-2 minutes until chicken is mostly opaque on the outside.
- Add bruised lemongrass and chicken broth to the wok. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 minutes to infuse the lemongrass flavor.
- Pour in the full can of coconut milk and add the torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns golden-green.
- Add drained eggplant and julienned red bell pepper. Continue simmering over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes until eggplant is tender and creamy and chicken is fully cooked.
- Stir in fish sauce and palm sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or a squeeze of lime as needed. Add sliced chili for extra heat.
- Add snow peas (or spinach) and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender. Turn off heat and stir through fresh Thai basil leaves. Remove and discard lemongrass pieces before serving.
- Spoon curry generously over steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with additional Thai basil, sliced red chili, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Full-fat coconut milk is essential: Low-fat versions will result in a thin, watery sauce. Full-fat gives you that lush, silky texture.
- Don't rush frying the paste: That 2-3 minutes of frying in oil is what activates all the flavor compounds and makes the curry deeply aromatic.
- Chicken thighs stay tender: They have more fat than breasts and stay juicy even after simmering. If using breast, slice it thinly and reduce simmer time to 4-5 minutes.
- Bruise your lemongrass: Smash the stalk with the flat side of your knife to release essential oils, otherwise you'll barely taste it.
- Keep the simmer gentle: A rolling boil can cause the coconut milk to separate, giving you a greasy-looking sauce. Medium-low heat is your friend.
- Delicate ingredients go in last: Thai basil, spinach, and snow peas should only cook for 1-2 minutes at the very end to preserve color and texture.
- Taste and adjust: Every brand of curry paste has different salt and heat levels. Taste before serving and balance with more fish sauce, sugar, or lime juice.
- Storage: Refrigerate curry in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (store rice separately). Leftovers taste even better the next day!