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Green Curry Chicken
Medium 15 min prep 30 min cook 4 servings

Green Curry Chicken

Green Curry Chicken preparation

Introduction

What to expect

A fragrant Thai curry with tender chicken, coconut milk, green chilies, and Thai basil.

The story

Behind the recipe

Green curry is a variety of curry originating from central Thailand. The name comes from the color of the dish, derived from green chilies. The "sweet" in the Thai name refers to the color green itself, not the taste. It is believed to have evolved during the reign of King Rama VI or Rama VII, between 1908 and 1926. Its ingredients typically include coconut milk, green curry paste, palm sugar, fish sauce, Thai eggplant, and pea eggplant. The curry paste is traditionally made by pounding fresh green bird's eye chilies with shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, cilantro roots, cumin, white peppercorns, shrimp paste, and salt.

Method

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

  2. 2

    Heat a splash of thick coconut milk in a wok until it separates.

  3. 3

    Fry green curry paste for 2 minutes until very fragrant.

  4. 4

    Add chicken and sear until no longer pink on the outside.

  5. 5

    Pour in remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, and palm sugar.

  6. 6

    Simmer for 15 minutes, then add eggplant, bamboo shoots, and peppers.

  7. 7

    Cook until vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.

  8. 8

    Tear Thai basil over the top and serve with jasmine rice.

Adaptations

Variations & suggestions

Swap the vegetables: use zucchini, snap peas, or green beans in place of eggplant, bamboo shoots, or peppers.

For a milder curry, start with half the curry paste and add more at the end, or seed the fresh chilies if making paste from scratch.

Make it vegetarian by replacing the chicken with firm tofu or chickpeas and using soy sauce in place of fish sauce.

Leftovers keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the flavors deepen overnight.

Serve with jasmine rice, rice noodles, or a crisp cucumber salad to cool the heat.