Thai Green Curry with Chicken, Thai Eggplant, and Holy Basil

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A fragrant, vibrant Thai green curry with tender chicken thighs, baby Thai eggplants, and a swoon-worthy coconut broth perfumed with kaffir lime and holy basil. This restaurant-quality dish comes together in about 40 minutes and tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 580 kcalCalories
• 34 gFat
• 22 gSaturated Fat
• 48 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 28 gProtein
• 940 mgSodium
• 680 mgPotassium
• 70 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 45 mgVitamin C
• 120 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the curry

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup (about 4 tbsp) Thai green curry paste (Mae Ploy or Thai Kitchen)
• 2 cans (14 oz each) full-fat coconut milk, unshaken
• 8-10 baby Thai eggplants, halved (or 1 cup Japanese eggplant quarters)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1-2 Thai red chilies, thinly sliced
• 1 cup packed fresh holy basil leaves

For serving

• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
• Lime wedges
• Extra Thai chilies, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot or wok over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and fry, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until darkened and very fragrant.
2. Scoop out the thick cream from the tops of both coconut milk cans and add it to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the cream bubbles and the oil begins to separate from the curry paste.
3. Add the sliced chicken and stir to coat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque on the edges but not fully cooked through.
4. Pour in the remaining thin coconut milk and add the Thai eggplants, bell pepper, and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the eggplants are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
5. Season with palm sugar and fish sauce, tasting and adjusting until the curry is salty-sweet-savory and well balanced. Simmer 2 more minutes to meld the flavors.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the holy basil and sliced chilies; the residual heat will wilt the basil and release its peppery aroma. Cover and rest for 2 minutes before serving.
7. Spoon the curry over bowls of jasmine rice, finish with a squeeze of fresh lime, and serve immediately with extra chilies on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• Use store-bought green curry paste for speed; Mae Ploy and Thai Kitchen are widely available and authentically flavored. Mae Ploy runs hotter, so adjust the chilies accordingly.
• If you cannot find baby Thai eggplants, use Japanese eggplant (cut into 1-inch pieces) or even small chunks of regular eggplant, though the Thai variety has a slightly bitter, almost mushroom-like flavor that is essential to the dish.
• Always tear (do not slice or chop) the kaffir lime leaves – tearing releases the aromatic oils in their central vein. Remove them before eating, as they remain tough.
• Holy basil (bai gaprow) is peppery and clove-like and very different from sweet Thai basil (bai horapha). Look for it at Asian markets; sweet Thai basil makes a fine but noticeably different substitute.
• The curry tastes even better the next day – keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.

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