Authentic Thai Green Chicken Curry w/ Homemade Curry Paste

Her traditional recipe begins with a fragrant homemade curry paste made from fresh green chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and coriander root. By pounding the paste by hand, Chef Lyn coaxes out deep, aromatic flavors that give the curry its signature vibrancy.

Simmered with coconut milk, chicken, winter melon, and sweet basil, the result is a dish that perfectly balances spice, sweetness, and richness — a true taste of Thailand. For home cooks outside Thailand, some ingredients may be harder to source.

That’s why Chef’s Pencil also features another version of Green Chicken Curry designed to be more accessible for Western kitchens, made with store-bought curry paste and common pantry items. Both recipes highlight the dish’s unique harmony of flavors, offering readers the choice between an authentic, from-scratch approach from Chef Lyn and a quicker, weeknight-friendly adaptation. Enjoy!

For the Green Curry Paste:

• 20 green chilies
• 1 tsp Kaffir lime zest
• 1 tsp sliced galangal
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tbsp shrimp paste
• 2 tbsp sliced shallots
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 1 ½ tbsp sliced garlic
• ½ tsp white peppercorns
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 3 coriander roots
• 2 tbsp sliced lemongrass

For the Green Chicken Curry:

• 100 g green curry paste (see above)
• 200 g chicken (breast or thigh), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 red spur chilies sliced diagonally
• 25 g Thai sweet basil leaves
• 1 cube chicken blood (optional; this is a traditional Thai ingredient)
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 250 ml coconut cream
• 1 l coconut milk (or water, if preferred)
• 250 g winter melon cut into bite-sized pieces

For the Green Curry Paste:

• Pound the green chilies with salt until smooth.
• Add galangal, lemongrass, lime zest, coriander roots, and white peppercorns; pound until well combined.
• Add shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin, and shrimp paste; pound everything into a uniform, smooth paste.
• Store in an airtight container. It holds up in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For the Green Chicken Curry:

• Cut the winter melon into bite-sized pieces. Cut the chicken (breast or thighs) into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat the coconut cream in a pot over medium heat with the curry paste until fragrant and the oil begins to separate.
• Add the chicken and stir-fry until the surface turns opaque. Then add the winter melon and pour in the coconut milk.
• Season with fish sauce and palm sugar.
• Simmer until the chicken is tender and the melon is fully cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Turn off the heat. Garnish with sweet basil leaves and sliced red chili.
• Serve hot with Thai rice noodles (Khanom Jeen) and fresh vegetables on the side.