Thai Green Curry Stir Fry with Chicken and Zucchini
This green curry stir fry is bold, balanced, and totally doable for a weeknight dinner. It’s made with juicy chicken, fresh zucchini, creamy coconut milk, and Thai green curry paste, and tastes like something you ordered from your favorite spot. It feels exciting and fun without being overly stressful.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 zucchini squash (medium sized) quartered and sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange) sliced into strips and strips cut in half
- 1 yellow onion quartered and sliced
- 8 oz bamboo shoots (1 small can) drained
- 2 cups fresh Thai basil or can sub with regular Italian basil
- 13.5 oz coconut milk (1 can) use full-fat
- 3 tbsp green curry paste Mae Ploy, Maesri, or Aroy-D recommended
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 to 2 tbsp fish sauce plus more if needed
- ½ tbsp palm sugar (optional) shaved into pieces with a sharp knife (or use granulated or brown sugar)
- Pinch of salt
- Cooked jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan or wok set over medium heat. Add the chicken, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for 10-12 minutes or until done. Remove the chicken from the pan and discard any pan juices.1 to 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, 1 tbsp neutral oil, Pinch of salt
- Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the onion, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook on medium for 10-12 minutes or until soft and toasted but not mushy. Return the chicken to the pan1 to 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, 2 zucchini squash (medium sized), 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), 1 yellow onion, 1 tbsp neutral oil
- Add the bamboo shoots to the pan and mix with the rest of the ingredients.8 oz bamboo shoots (1 small can)
- In a separate container (you can use a bowl that you plan to serve the curry in later), whisk the coconut milk and green curry paste together until combined. Pour the coconut green curry mixture into the pan and mix in the fish sauce.13.5 oz coconut milk (1 can), 3 tbsp green curry paste, 1 to 2 tbsp fish sauce
- Add the Thai basil, if using, and stir until fully combined.2 cups fresh Thai basil
- If using, mix the palm sugar (or granulated, if that’s what you’ve got) with some of the curry liquid in a separate bowl and then mix it with the curry. Note: Some curry pastes are more savory and peppery than others, so we often add this for balance, depending on what brand of curry paste we’re using.½ tbsp palm sugar (optional)
- Taste the curry for seasoning, and add more fish sauce (or salt), if desired. Serve with jasmine rice.Cooked jasmine rice
Notes
- Cut the chicken and veggies evenly for more even cooking.
- Don’t cut the zucchini too thin or it'll get mushy.
- Mix the curry paste with coconut milk before adding to the curry. Otherwise, it’ll clump in the curry.
- Add more coconut milk if it’s too spicy. It'll balance out the spice.
- Add palm sugar (or granulated) if the curry tastes imbalanced. A touch of sugar will round out the flavors, but don't overdo it.
- Add more curry paste if it’s too mild in flavor. More flavor often means more spice, so mix in more curry paste gradually.
- Taste before serving. Some curry pastes are saltier or less salty than others, so you may need more fish sauce (or salt).