Thai Eggplant Green Curry With Chicken

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This Thai eggplant green curry with chicken recipe is a quick and easy 30-minute meal, made with coconut milk, perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it over jasmine rice and customize it with your favorite vegetables or proteins.

Bowl of Thai eggplant green curry with chicken, Thai eggplants, red chili, and Thai basil in a coconut shell bowl.

Tip: Homemade green curry paste really brings out the flavors in this recipe, but store-bought is a great shortcut! You can also use it for gaeng keow wan (with pork), my vegetarian curry, or fried rice.

Eggplant green curry is a Thai dish made with eggplants, green curry paste, coconut milk, and an optional protein. The flavor balances spicy, creamy, and slightly sweet, often paired with jasmine rice or rice vermicelli noodles.

More about this recipe

In this gluten-free recipe, you’ll learn how to cook Thai eggplant in green curry, resulting in a savory, creamy dish full of flavor. The sauce is the best part, and it’s so good you’ll want to drizzle it over everything!

Thai green curry with chicken and Thai eggplants, garnished with red chili and basil, served in a coconut shell bowl.

This dish is a perfect starting point if you’re new to Thai food. Thai curries like red curry and yellow curry are surprisingly easy to make, and they’re incredibly versatile. You can easily choose between chicken or your favorite protein depending on what’s in the fridge. (You’ll find some fun customization options after the instructions!)

Everything is simmered together in one pot, making it not only incredibly flavorful, but also super easy to clean up. And who doesn’t love that?

The key ingredient is, of course, Thai eggplant. I like to simmer the green curry sauce just long enough for the eggplant to soak up the flavorful sauce while keeping a slight crunch. Now that you’re ready to cook, let’s gather the ingredients you’ll need!


Ingredient notes

All the ingredients can be found at Asian markets or Asian grocery stores. For exact measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post!


Ingredients for Thai eggplant green curry with chicken, including green curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar, Thai eggplants, and Thai sweet basil on a banana leaf.
  • Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Thighs are juicier, while breast meat is leaner.
  • Curry paste – If you have time, make your own green curry paste with a mortar and pestle using spices like coriander seeds, cumin, and black peppercorns. The best store-bought options are Mae Ploy and Maesri.
  • Coconut milk – Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest curry.
  • Thai eggplants – If you can’t find them, substitute with regular eggplant or zucchini for a different texture.
  • Chili – I used red goat chili, which brings moderate heat. Feel free to use any type.
  • Fish sauce – A staple in Thai cuisine that adds umami. You can find it on Amazon.
  • Palm sugarAvailable on Amazon.
  • Thai sweet basil

How to make green curry with eggplant

Green curry paste bubbling in coconut milk in a wok.

Step 1: Heat 1/4 cup (70ml) of coconut milk in a pot or wok over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and stir until it’s well mixed and fragrant. Once combined, pour in the remaining coconut milk and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Thai eggplant simmering in green curry sauce with chicken pieces in a wok.

Step 2: Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, chicken pieces, and halved eggplants to the simmering curry. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, and the eggplants are tender.

Step 3: Turn off the heat and stir in the sliced chili and Thai basil. Stir gently until the basil is wilted. Serve your green curry with chicken and eggplant right away with steamed rice or rice vermicelli noodles. Enjoy!

Recipe customization options

  • Vegetable options: Try bell peppers, green beans, zucchini, snow peas, bamboo shoots, or baby corn. Add kaffir lime leaves for a citrusy taste.
  • Protein options: Use pork, beef, turkey, shrimp, fish, or other seafood. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
  • Go plant-based: Swap the meat for tofu or tempeh to make this vegan or vegetarian. Just check your curry paste—some contain shrimp paste!
  • Curry paste options: You can also use red curry paste for a different flavor.

Hungry for more? You’ll love choo chee curry, massaman beef, and panang chicken!

How to store

  • Storing leftovers: Store leftover eggplant green curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s perfect for meal prep!
  • Freezing: You can freeze the curry for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.
  • Reheating: To reheat, warm the curry gently on the stove over low heat,

More eggplant recipes to try

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Thai Eggplant Green Curry With Chicken

Close-up of Thai eggplant green curry with chicken, Thai eggplants, and red chili in a coconut milk-based sauce.
This Thai eggplant green curry with chicken recipe is quick and easy, ready in less than 30 minutes with coconut milk, and fully customizable!
Praew
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Cuisine Thai
Course Main Course
Serving Size 1

Equipment

  • 1 Mortar and pestle (optional, for homemade curry paste)
  • 1 pot or wok
  • 1 wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients

  • 1.25 cup coconut milk (divided into 1 cup (230ml) and 0.25 cup (70ml))
  • 1 tbsp green curry paste (see notes)
  • 1/2 tbsp palm sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 5.3 oz chicken (thinly sliced, see notes)
  • 5.3 oz Thai eggplant (halved or quartered, see notes)
  • 1 chili (sliced, see notes)
  • 1 handful Thai sweet basil

Instructions

  • Heat 1/4 cup (70ml) of coconut milk in a pot or wok over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and stir until it’s well mixed and fragrant. Once combined, pour in the remaining coconut milk and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
  • Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, chicken pieces, and halved eggplants to the simmering curry. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, and the eggplants are tender.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the sliced chili and Thai basil. Stir gently until the basil is wilted. Serve your green curry with chicken and eggplant right away with steamed rice or rice vermicelli noodles. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
  • Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs.
  • Chili – I used red goat chili, which brings a moderate heat. Feel free to use any type.
  • Thai eggplants – Soak these in a bowl of water 20 minutes before cooking to prevent them from browning!
  • Make your own green curry paste The best store-bought options are Mae Ploy and Maesri.
Calories: 835kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 77g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 985mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2935IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 11mg

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