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Spoon lifting Thai green curry chicken and potato over steamed jasmine rice, with green curry sauce and sliced red chili.

Thai Green Curry

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
This Thai Green Curry Chicken is a flavor bomb of creamy coconut, vibrant herbs, and zesty heat. Built on a base of homemade green curry paste, it simmers tender chicken thighs with soft potatoes, kaffir lime leaves, and sweet basil. The result? A rich, aromatic curry that’s spicy, herby, and totally slurp-worthy.
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Thai Green Curry

Ingredients
  

For the Green curry paste
  • 1 oz pandan leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 2 cups water
  • 3.5 oz Hatch chiles
  • 3 oz shallots
  • 3 oz garlic
  • 1 oz small green chilies
  • 0.3 oz ginger
  • 3 stalks coriander stems
  • 2 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons shrimp paste
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
For the Green curry
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skin-on, cubed
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves
  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • ⅓ cup coconut milk
  • 2 small red chilies, sliced
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves

Method
 

Make the Green curry paste:
  1. In a blender or with a hand grinder, combine pandan leaves and water. Blend, then strain to create pandan water.
    1 oz pandan leaves, 2 cups water
  2. In a large mixing bowl or blender, combine pandan water with Hatch chiles, shallots, garlic, small green chilies, ginger, coriander stems, lemongrass, bay leaves, shrimp paste, fennel powder, coriander powder, black pepper, and salt.
    3.5 oz Hatch chiles, 3 oz shallots, 3 oz garlic, 1 oz small green chilies, 0.3 oz ginger, 3 stalks coriander stems, 2 stalk lemongrass, 3 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons shrimp paste, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon fennel powder, 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon salt
  3. Grind until a smooth paste forms.
  4. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat and cook the paste for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened and fragrant. Set aside.
Cook the Green curry:
  1. In a pot, heat cooking oil over medium heat.
  2. Add curry paste (or to taste) and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until aromatic.
  3. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside.
    2 lbs chicken thighs
  4. Add water, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil.
    2 cups water, 4 kaffir lime leaves, 3 tablespoons palm sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  5. Add diced potato and reduce heat to medium-low.
    2 medium potatoes
  6. Stir in coconut milk, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
    ⅓ cup coconut milk
  7. Turn off the heat. Stir in fresh basil leaves and sliced red chilies.
    1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 small red chilies

Notes

Storage
  • Curry paste: Keeps in fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze in cubes for 1 month.
  • Cooked curry: Store in an airtight container for 3 days.
  • Freezer tip: Curry freezes well! Potatoes get a bit softer but still taste great.
  • Reheat: Gently on stovetop with splash of coconut milk or water to loosen.