Thai green curry (แกงเขียวหวานไก่) is one of Thailand’s best-known curries. Its color and aroma come from green curry paste combined with coconut milk, makrut lime leaves, Thai basil and Thai eggplants.
This chicken green curry recipe uses ingredients that can be adapted without losing the character of the dish, with the key steps needed for a fragrant, balanced and properly spicy sauce.
At the table with Portail Asie
Thai Green Curry with Chicken
Make Thai green curry with chicken, coconut milk, Thai eggplants, makrut lime leaves and Thai basil.
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cooking time
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice level
- 3/5
- Cuisine
- Thailand
- Dish type
- Curry
Last checked: September 4, 2026
About this recipe
Version: Close to traditional
Thai green curry combines green curry paste, coconut milk, chicken, Thai eggplants, makrut lime leaves and Thai basil. This version uses ready-made Thai green curry paste to keep the recipe accessible for home cooking.
Do not substitute: Do not replace Thai green curry paste with ordinary curry powder. The aromatic profile and texture would be completely different.
Ingredients
Adjust servings to suit your needs.
For the green curry
- 60 g Thai green curry pastegood quality; adjust the amount depending on its strength
- 400 ml Coconut milkfull-fat, not reduced-fat
- 250 ml Chicken stocklow-sodium
- 600 g Boneless, skinless chicken thighscut into pieces
- 200 g Thai eggplantscut into quarters
- 80 g Thai pea eggplantsoptional if difficult to find
- 5 Makrut lime leavesbruised and torn into large pieces
- 1½ tbsp Fish sauceadjust at the end of cooking
- 1½ tbsp Palm sugarfinely chopped, or use brown sugar
- 25 g Thai basil leaves
- 1 Mild red or green chilithinly sliced for serving, optional
- Cooked jasmine ricefor serving
Preparation steps
Prepare all the ingredients. Cut the Thai eggplants into quarters and keep them in lightly salted water while preparing the other ingredients to reduce browning, then drain.
Pour about 120 ml of the coconut milk into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Let it reduce slightly, then add the green curry paste. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until very fragrant.
Add the chicken pieces and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat them thoroughly with the curry paste.
Add the remaining coconut milk, chicken stock, makrut lime leaves, about half of the fish sauce and the palm sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the Thai eggplants and continue cooking for 8–10 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Add the pea eggplants during the final few minutes if using.
Taste and adjust with the remaining fish sauce and, if needed, a little more palm sugar. The sauce should be aromatic, salty, slightly sweet and spicy without becoming overly rich.
Turn off the heat, add the Thai basil and stir just until wilted. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and, if desired, a few slices of chili.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The curry lacks aroma
Probable cause: The curry paste was not cooked long enough before adding the liquids, or the paste itself is not very aromatic.
Solution: Cook the paste for several minutes in part of the coconut milk until very fragrant and use a good-quality Thai green curry paste.
The chicken becomes dry
Probable cause: The heat is too high or the cooking time is too long.
Solution: Use chicken thighs and keep the curry at a very gentle simmer rather than a strong boil.
The eggplants remain hard
Probable cause: The pieces are too large or were not cooked long enough.
Solution: Cut them into even quarters and simmer until tender while still retaining a little texture.
Portail Asie tips
Cook the curry paste for several minutes in part of the coconut milk before adding the remaining liquids; this develops its aromas significantly. Keep the curry at a gentle simmer afterward to keep the chicken tender. Do not cook the Thai basil for long: add it after turning off the heat. Commercial curry pastes vary greatly in strength, so start with a reasonable amount and adjust in future preparations.
Substitutions and alternatives
- Thai eggplants
- If unavailable, use a small firm eggplant cut into pieces. The texture will be different, but it will hold up well in the curry.
- Thai pea eggplants
- They are typical in some green curries but difficult to find outside Asia. It is better to omit them than to force a substitute.
- Thai basil
- Italian basil can work in a pinch, but its aroma is different. If possible, use fresh Thai basil and add it only at the end of cooking.
- Makrut lime leaves
- Frozen leaves are an excellent alternative to fresh ones. Lime zest does not reproduce their aroma exactly.
- Palm sugar
- Replace it with brown sugar or white sugar and adjust gradually to taste.
Watch the preparation
The video is loaded from YouTube after you click.
Order this dish in Thailand
Thai name:แกงเขียวหวานไก่
Say it simply:Gaeng Kiao Wan Gai
Show this:แกงเขียวหวานไก่ 1 ที่
Meaning:One chicken green curry.
Where to find the ingredients
Thai green curry paste, makrut lime leaves and Thai basil are widely available in Asian grocery stores. Frozen makrut lime leaves work very well. Round Thai eggplants and pea eggplants vary more by store; look for them in the fresh produce section of Thai or Asian supermarkets. Coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar are generally available in larger Asian grocery stores.
