Lemongrass Gate · Main dishes

Green Curry Chicken with Thai Basil

Name: Green Curry Chicken with Thai Basil
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 600 g Boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 3 tbsp Thai green curry paste; 400 ml Canned coconut milk; 20 g Fresh Thai basil; 250 g Eggplant; 1 whole Bell pepper; 1 tbsp Fish sauce; 1 tsp Palm sugar; 1 whole Lime; 2 clove Garlic; 1 tbsp Neutral oil; 300 g Jasmine rice; 1 pinch Salt; 390 ml Water, for the rice

Chicken thigh simmered in coconut milk with green curry paste, eggplant and Thai basil. The paste is fried first so the sauce tastes rounded rather than raw, and the basil goes in at the end.

45 minutes · Medium · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs600 g
Thai green curry paste3 tbsp
Canned coconut milk400 ml
Fresh Thai basil20 g
Eggplant250 g
Bell pepper1 whole
Fish sauce1 tbsp
Palm sugar1 tsp
Lime1 whole
Garlic2 clove
Neutral oil1 tbsp
Jasmine rice300 g
Salt1 pinch
Water, for the rice390 ml

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Fish (fish sauce and many green curry pastes), shellfish (some pastes contain shrimp), coconut (coconut milk) and soy (some pastes).

Method

Cook the rice and prep

Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear. Put it in a saucepan with the 390 ml water and the pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered. Cut the chicken into 3 cm pieces. Wash your hands and board. Cut the eggplant into 3 cm chunks and the pepper into strips. Mince the garlic. Pick the basil leaves.

Fry the paste

Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of the can into a wide saucepan with the oil. Warm it over medium heat until it bubbles and looks oily, about 2 minutes. Add the curry paste and garlic and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes, until the paste is fragrant and darker.

Simmer until the chicken is safe

Add the chicken and stir to coat. Pour in the remaining coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, then add the eggplant, pepper, fish sauce and palm sugar. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 12–15 minutes, until the eggplant is tender. Health Canada’s safe internal temperature for poultry pieces is 74°C (165°F): check the largest piece of chicken.

Finish and serve

Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the basil and a squeeze of lime. Taste and add a pinch of salt only if it needs it. Fluff the rice and serve the curry over it, basil leaves still bright green.

Frying the paste in the thick coconut cream is what makes the sauce taste cooked. If you skip that step it stays harsh. Thai basil is the anise-scented herb, not holy basil and not Italian basil.

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