Recipes > Thai Green Curry with Chicken
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- Serves: 4
- Active Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Views: 56,458
- Success Rating: 99% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Green Curry Paste
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- 3 tbsp lemongrass
- 1 tsp galangal
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 2 tbsp shallots
- 2 tbsp coriander root (can substitute with cilantro stems)
- 5 hot, Thai green chilies
- 5 long green chilies
- 1 tsp fresh turmeric (can substitute with 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 makrut lime
- 3/4 tsp shrimp paste
- 1 cup Thai sweet basil
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Method
To make the green curry paste, first prepare your mise en place. Finely mince the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, coriander root and the chilies.
Peel and mince the turmeric. Keep in mind that it will stain your cutting board, hands, and anything it comes into contact with. Gather the makrut lime, shrimp paste and Thai basil and set aside.
In a small fry pan, toast the coriander and cumin seeds until they release their aroma and start to brown slightly.
To make the paste, use a mortar and pestle. Grind the spices, peppercorns and salt into a fine powder.
Next, add the lemongrass and pound until you reach a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the galangal, followed by the turmeric, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the garlic, cilantro stems, chilies and shallots.
Zest and add the makrut lime, followed by the shrimp paste. Finely chop the basil and add it to the mortar and pestle, pounding everything into a smooth paste. Set the paste aside while you prepare the rest of your mise en place.
Method
To prepare your mise en place, first chiffonade the makrut lime leaves. Chop the eggplant into bite-size pieces.
Next, separate the thick coconut cream from the coconut milk. Measure out the fish sauce and palm sugar.
Slice the chicken breast into thin, bite-size pieces. Lastly, de-stem and measure out the Thai basil.
Method
To cook the curry, heat a wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the coconut cream. Stir frequently and cook the cream until the coconut oil separates. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
Once the oil separates, add about 3 to 5 tablespoons of the green curry paste. The amount you use will depend on how hot you like your curry. If using a store-bought paste, keep in mind that they are usually spicier. Fry this for a minute or two, until it is very fragrant and you start to see the oil again. Add the chicken and coat with the paste. Flatten it out slightly and let cook for a minute or so. Stir and continue to cook until it just starts to turn white on the outside.
Next, add the coconut milk, followed by the eggplant. Fold everything together and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant has softened slightly.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the palm sugar, fish sauce, makrut lime and half of the Thai basil. Stir to combine and let simmer for another 2 minutes before adding the remaining basil and frozen peas.
Lastly, turn off the heat and let sit for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with a sprig of Thai basil, and serve with Pandan-infused jasmine rice.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
- •
- April 21, 2008
This paste will keep in the refrigerator for a few days; however, it will oxidize and change color, but the flavor won’t be affected. To maintain its color, it can be frozen for a few months.
Thai pea eggplants are commonly used in this dish, however, they can be difficult to find. They are small, light-green in color and have a slight bitter taste and crisp texture. Over ripe eggplants become very bitter and tough.
Vegetarian Version:
To make this paste vegetarian, simply substitute the shrimp paste with vegetarian fish sauce or soy sauce. Substitute the chicken with more vegetables.
30 Comments
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Once the paste is made, the dish is easy to make and really delicious to eat.
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what happens to the taste and texture if you leave out the coconut cream?
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Well without coconut milk it won't be quite the same, but you can add another liquid for texture. And if you simply don't like the taste of coconut then I suppose you could leaving it out. If you are just talking about the coconut cream, this adds a wonderful richness to the dish. Without it the dish will be more of a "diet-version" of itself :-)
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Hi, what about replacing coconut cream with lite coconut milk? Also can you replace the chicken with prawns? Fiona
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Yes absolutely you can use prawns...pork, beef or even scallops. Here is a recipe for Seafood with Thai Green Curry that is delicious. If you use light coconut milk you will not get the same creamy texture. You will also likely have to use some oil to cook as there will be no oil in the thin coconut milk.
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I was surprised to see this chicken-based recipe listed in the category "vegetarian". I know I can always look at the non-vegetarian recipes for inspiration and try to modify them as necessary; and I do really appreciate that this recipe provides explicit notes on how to do so. But when looking in the vegetarian category I'm specifically looking for recipes that are vegetarian "as-is". Please don't list recipes in the "vegetarian" category if they are not vegetarian without modification; it makes the category less useful.
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Hi, I've been assigned to cook for a birthday weekend away. I dont particularly want to cook on the night and wondered if I can make any of the thai curry recipes on here a few days before and freeze them?? I was also thinking of making the coconut prawns before hand and adding the prawns when I heat the curry through. Is this a good idea?
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Both the green and red panang curry freeze very well. In fact, I have some in my freeze right now. As for doing the whole dish ahead of time (if that is what you are asking) I would say it's better to those fresh. As for making the coconut prawns and then adding them to the curry, I would say that you would be better off to make the coconut prawns and serve them as another option; otherwise the flavors will get lost in the curry. Hope this helps - good luck!
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I have had a hard time trying to buy kaffir lime leaves. i have checked out several chinese grocery stores, but they do not carry kaffir lime leaves. What would be a good substitute? other than growing your own..Thanks
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There is really no true substitute for the flavor of kaffir lime, but you could try using some lime zest instead. You best bet though, is to phone your local Thai restaurant and ask them where they buy them (perhaps they may even sell you some). This is what I did and they suggested a great little Asian/Thai store that I now shop at regularly. You can also order kaffir lime leaves online. Don't give up the hunt as they really do add a wonderful and unique quality to this dish and many other Thai dishes. They also freeze very well. Hope this helps - cheers!
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I have a le creuset braiser casserole pan. Can I use this pan in place of the wok? Thanks
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The flat bottom design of the braiser is quite a bit different than a slopped wok so I am not sure that this will work as well. That being said you can always try it. Cheers!
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Wud tis curry suits with salmon?
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Yes you could pair them together. Cheers!
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Which brand of wok has been used in this video? Is is carbon steel? Thanks
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Rouxbe Staff
The type of wok used in the video is a cast iron wok made by Bodum. This type of wok works well on a gas stove. Cheers! -
Hi in my country is impossible to find Thai eggplants or basil, can I use the regular big purple eggplants and the Italian basil instead?
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Rouxbe Staff
Sure, you can substitute regular eggplant (even better if you can find the longer skinnier varieties) but regular will be fine as well. In terms of the basil, Italian basil will give it a different flavor (Thai basil has a licorice flavor) but it can work in a pinch (maybe don't use as much). You can also substitute a bit of fresh mint to taste. Cheers! -
Hours of prep, but worth it. My family says Thank You.
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I'm planning to cook ahead of time and leave in the fridge until guests arrive in the evening. Am I right thinking that the chicken should be undercooked (half way?) then, as it will continue to cook as I heat it up before serving?
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Personally, I do not recommend cooking this dish ahead of time. I would do all of my mise en place and then cook the dish just before serving. Just like the stir-frying lesson, it's all about being organized and having your mise en place ready — the cooking part is the fastest and easiest part (with practice of course). And just like stir-fries, these types of dishes are best made and served right away. Otherwise the ingredients will start to suffer. Hope that helps. Cheers!
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Thanks a lot Dawn, I'll follow your advice then. Can I ask you another clarification: I'm cooking this for 8 guests (ie twice the recipe measurements), is it ok to cook all at once in a 14 inch wok, or would you recommend to do this in 2 batches? ( I can't really try that beforehand... ; )
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Good question Franck, but I am afraid the answer is no. The more you try to cook at once the worse the end result. If cooking for 8, you might even want to try and cook it in 3 batches. Just make sure you are all set up, have your mise en place laid out in the correct order and then just start cooking. It can be fun for everyone to watch. To keep the first batches warm, you can keep them in a very low oven. Of course they are best served right away, but I will leave that up to you. For more tips on Stir-frying (which this basically is), you may want to watch the "How to Stir-Fry" lesson. Just to get you mentally prepared. Hope that helps. Cheers!
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That's right, part 5 of the lesson made that last point clear actually... Thanks again Dawn, this is going to to be an interesting experience for sure ; ). Ps. the Thai store I went to didn't have fresh kaffir limes (for zest) but suggested Dried Kaffir Lime Skin as a substitute - just thought I'd mention it in case you guys need a substitute.
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Good luck Franck, and remember to have with it. And just think, by making 3 batches, you will be 3 x's better by the time you are done :-) I am sure that everyone will love it. Cheers!
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The evening was a success, the taste is fantastic :-) I cooked in my 2 woks at the same time with 2 chicken breasts in the 14 inch wok and 1 breast in the smaller one. First batch went into the oven while I cooked the second batch, then finally I mixed both batches and served. Would you say that 2 breasts are the the maximum quantity that should go into a 14 inch wok? I was thinking of packing another half in each wok, but then I decided not to take the risk. Also, what do you call a "very low oven" in your comment above, what temperature are you thinking of? do you keep the dish covered in the oven, and do you keep the oven running (versus preheating then switching it off as you put the dish in it while cooking the second batch) ?
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First off, so glad that you liked the recipe and that you were happy with your final results. Sounds like you did a great job. Now as for how many breasts of chicken can you stir-fry at once, it really depends. As we say in Topic 5 of the "How to Stir-Fry" lesson (around 4:00 minutes), typically a single stir-fry consists of about 4 ounces of protein and about 2 cups of vegetables. The exact amount of chicken that you add will depends more on the size that the breasts were to begin with. It is more important to think of the surface area of your wok and how much the protein will come into contact with that hot surface. If you add too much chicken (or any protein for that matter), it will not all of the protein, will be able to be in contact with the surface of the hot wok. When it comes to this type of cooking, it's best to cook less food at a time, rather than more, especially when you are just starting out. But the more you practice the better you will get at judging this. If you really want to know how more protein would be, try cooking it again (or another stir-fry) and try it. If you are happy with the end results (as well as your guests), then you have your answer. As for a low oven, we mean an oven set to the lowest setting or around 200 °F to 225°F. You may not want to cover the food as this might cause it to steam, but it does depend of what you are cooking/keeping warm. Hope that helps. Cheers!
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Peas should not be allowed in this recipe!
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how many grams are the chicken breasts in total?thank you.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Jack: the average chicken breast weighs about 174 grams. So, two of them would equal about 350 grams. Hope this helps. Thanks for writing. Char
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