Description
This Thai Green Curry with Chicken is an easy take on a take-out favorite. It showcases a rich coconut broth flavored with garlic, ginger, green curry paste, lemongrass, Thai chiles, and kaffir lime. Chicken breast and lots of fresh green ingredients like snap peas, baby spinach, and fresh herbs make this a nourishing and comforting one-stop meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon canola or coconut oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass paste (this is my favorite – look for it in the produce section)
- 1 (4-oz) jar prepared Thai green curry paste
- 4 dried kaffir lime leaves (I buy mine online – you can also use fresh, but you’ll likely need to double the quantity used)
- 1 dried Thai chile pepper (you can use fresh!), left whole
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (this is optional but I recommend it for a touch of balancing sweetness)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 (14-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1½ cups snap peas
- 3 cups baby spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1 lime, plus additional lime wedges for serving
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Fresh Thai basil, chopped (regular basil works in a pinch)
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the oil until shimmering.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil and cook for 5 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass to the pan. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan from browning the chicken, and stirring frequently, cook the onion mixture for a few minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add in the curry paste and stir until it coats the veggies. Cook for a few minutes to bring out the flavors in the paste.
- Add in the kaffir lime leaves, chile pepper, coconut sugar, fish sauce, and chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently. At this time, I like to prep my rice, slice or dice the chicken, and prep the fresh ingredients to finish the curry.
- After the sauce has simmered and reduced by roughly half, stir in the coconut milk and lime juice. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Add in the snap peas and the sliced chicken, cover the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the baby spinach and some chopped cilantro/basil. Cover the pan so the spinach can wilt. This will only take a minute or two.
- Stir everything together and then season the sauce, to taste, with additional salt, pepper, fish sauce, or lime juice.
- Serve the curry over rice or rice noodles and garnished with the fresh herbs and lime wedges.
Notes
- To make this vegetarian, sub out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken. You can sub in tofu or mushrooms for heft.
- I actually prefer dried Thai chiles to fresh because I can keep them in my pantry for a long time. They also have a less aggressive heat, and I prefer the subtle heat that warms the back of your throat, rather than my mouth being on fire. If you prefer things spicier, you can certainly use fresh chiles OR double the amount of dried chiles.
- Dried kaffir lime leaves are an awesome thing to keep in your pantry. They add wonderful and unique flavor to sauces and curries like this one, and they last much longer than fresh. I buy them online and keep them well sealed in a mason jar in my pantry. They last for months!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: entree
- Cuisine: Thai