Thai Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Green Curry
Spicy, aromatic Thai curry featuring a bright green chili and herb base.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Crack the Coconut Milk: Scoop the thick cream from the top of the unshaken coconut milk can into a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the cream.
- 2
Fry the Paste: Add the green curry paste to the split coconut cream. Fry constantly for 2-3 minutes until extremely fragrant and the oils take on a green hue.
- 3
Cook Chicken: Add the sliced chicken and toss to coat in the paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the exterior turns white.
- 4
Simmer: Pour in the remaining coconut water/milk from the can. Add bamboo shoots and eggplant. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium-low until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- 5
Finish: Turn off the heat. Stir in fish sauce, palm sugar, and fresh Thai basil. Let the residual heat wilt the basil. Serve with jasmine rice.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
66/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving275
Calories
48 g
Protein
4 g
Carbs
6 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Green curry, or gaeng keow wan, is a Thai curry built on a paste of green chilies, lemongrass, and galangal fried in coconut cream until the oil separates from the paste, a process cooks call cracking the coconut cream. That step of frying the paste before adding the rest of the coconut milk is what develops the curry's depth rather than leaving it tasting raw and thin.
Listahan note
This version fries the curry paste directly in the thick part of the coconut milk until the oil visibly separates and pools at the edges, since skipping this step leaves the finished curry tasting flat.
Technique cues
- Simmering the thick portion of the coconut milk on its own first, until it splits and releases oil, gives the paste something fatty to fry in rather than watery liquid.
- Frying the green curry paste in that separated coconut fat until fragrant develops the chilies and aromatics far more than simmering the paste directly in liquid would.
- Adding the remaining coconut milk gradually, stirring it in, keeps the curry from splitting again once more liquid volume is introduced.
- Torn Thai basil leaves stirred in at the very end keep their aroma, since basil turns dull and loses fragrance quickly under prolonged heat.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prep any side dishes while Green Curry finishes with the boneless chicken breast or thigh — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
- Make-ahead
- Green Curry reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
- Leftover move
- Leftover Green Curry reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which tends to toughen the boneless chicken breast or thigh on a fast reheat. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the pan used for Green Curry with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 lb boneless chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced
Main protein or body
Purpose: lb boneless chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced gives Green Curry its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Pat dry, cut evenly, and season before cooking so browning or sauce coverage is consistent.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
3 tbsp green curry paste
Seasoning backbone
Purpose: tbsp green curry paste gives the dish its recognizable flavor direction.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use the closest fresh equivalent and expect a modest shift in flavor or texture.
1 can full-fat coconut milk
Richness and texture
Purpose: can full-fat coconut milk rounds the texture and helps the dish feel complete.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use unsweetened dairy-free alternatives only where they still provide enough fat and body.
1 cup sliced bamboo shoots & 1/2 cup Thai eggplant
Main protein or body
Purpose: cup sliced bamboo shoots & 1/2 cup Thai eggplant gives Green Curry its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Prep before heat is high so the cooking step can move without rushing.
Adaptation: Use an egg-free substitute only when binding or glazing is not the main structure.
1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
Main protein or body
Purpose: tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves gives Green Curry its main substance and carries the seasoning.
Handling: Pat dry, cut evenly, and season before cooking so browning or sauce coverage is consistent.
Adaptation: Use a non-seafood protein only with adjusted seasoning and cooking time.
Technique notes
- Taste and balance fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime near the end, since green curry depends on getting salty, sweet, and sour in proportion.
- Serve over jasmine rice, which is plain enough to let the curry's layered heat and aromatics come through clearly.
- Simmer gently rather than at a boil once the protein and vegetables are in, so the coconut milk doesn't break a second time.
Ingredient swaps
- Dairy-free direction
- Swap the full-fat coconut milk for a neutral dairy-free butter or oil and a full-fat plant milk (oat or coconut work best for body) — the texture shifts slightly but the dish holds together. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh.
- Egg-aware direction
- Use a flax or chia egg (1 tbsp ground seed + 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes) for binding when eggs are there for binding rather than for rise or structure. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh.
- Seafood-aware direction
- Replace the fish sauce with a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative or extra soy sauce and a pinch of dried seaweed for umami to keep the savory depth without any fish or shellfish. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh.
- Nut-aware direction
- Leave off any nut topping — toasted seeds give a similar crunch without the risk. This one leans on the boneless chicken breast or thigh.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Simple green salad
- Roasted vegetables
- Cucumber salad
- Iced tea
- Sparkling water with lemon
- Citrus water
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat gently with a splash of water, broth, milk, or sauce as appropriate.
- Freeze up to 2 months when the texture is braised, baked, or stew-like.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
Add Green Curry to your week, check it against your household's allergens, and build the shopping list automatically.
More Thai recipes
Thai Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Pla Pao
A whole salt-crusted fish stuffed with lemongrass and grilled until the skin is crackling and the flesh is silky.
Thai Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Thong Yip
Petite golden flowers pressed from egg yolk and sugar, simmered in jasmine-scented syrup until set — a centuries-old Thai royal confection as beautiful as it is sweet.
Thai Lens Verified Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Pla Rad Prik
Whole fish fried to a shatteringly crisp shell, then blanketed in a sticky, sweet-hot chili-tamarind sauce with garlic and basil — dramatic, punchy, and made for sharing.