Lightened Up Thai Green Chicken Curry (Lower Calorie, Full Flavor)

Thai green chicken curry in a white pan with coconut milk, bell peppers, zucchini, green beans, basil, and sliced red chili.

3.67 from 3 votes

Lightened Up Thai Green Chicken Curry (Lower Calorie, Full Flavor)

This lightened up Thai green chicken curry is aromatic, creamy, and packed with vegetables. Made with light coconut milk and lean chicken breast, it delivers authentic Thai flavor at a fraction of the calories without sacrificing taste.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Course: dinner

Cuisine: asian

Servings:

Calories: 295kcal

Author: Maria Lucey RD

Ingredients

For the curry:

1 tablespoon coconut oil
40 grams Thai green curry paste about 2-3 tablespoons
2 large garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
250 milliliters low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup
400 milliliters light coconut milk 1 can / 1.75 cups
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon white sugar
6 kaffir lime leaves
350 grams raw chicken breast about 12 ounces sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion diced
½ Japanese eggplant or substitute ½ courgette/zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
100 grams green beans chopped about ¾ cup
1 bell pepper any color thinly sliced
100 grams snow peas destemmed and halved about 1cup
16 Thai basil leaves or regular basil
Juice of ½ lime

To serve

white basmati rice
chillies to garnish

Instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a large pan or pot over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the curry paste, minced garlic, grated ginger, and lemongrass paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and slightly dried out. The mixture should be aromatic and the rawness of the paste will cook off.
1 tablespoon coconut oil, 40 grams Thai green curry paste, 2 large garlic cloves , 2 teaspoons fresh ginger , 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
Pour in the chicken broth and light coconut milk, stirring well to fully dissolve the curry paste into the liquid.
250 milliliters low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, 400 milliliters light coconut milk
Add the fish sauce, sugar, and kaffir lime leaves. Stir to combine, then bring to a gentle simmer.
1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 6 kaffir lime leaves
Add the sliced chicken breast and stir to coat in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium so the curry is bubbling gently but not boiling rapidly. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is mostly cooked through.
350 grams raw chicken breast
Add the diced onion, chopped eggplant (or courgette), chopped green beans and bell pepper to the pot. Stir to combine and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender. The eggplant should be soft and starting to absorb the sauce.
1 small onion, ½ Japanese eggplant , 100 grams green beans chopped, 1 bell pepper any color
Add the halved snow peas. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender but not overcooked. You want them to retain some texture and vibrant color.
100 grams snow peas destemmed and halved
Remove from heat and stir through the Thai basil leaves and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. You can add more fish sauce for saltiness or a touch more sugar for sweetness. The sauce should be slightly reduced but still fairly thin, not thick like some other curries. This is authentic Thai style. Don't continue simmering or the sauce will darken and the vegetables will overcook.
16 Thai basil leaves or regular basil, Juice of ½ lime
While the curry is cooking, prepare the rice according to package instructions. Serve the curry over the cooked rice, garnished with extra Thai basil leaves or chillies if desired.
white basmati rice, chillies

Notes

Choosing your eggplant: Japanese eggplant is long and thin, with tender skin that doesn't need to be peeled. It's traditional in Thai curries and acts like a sponge, soaking up the delicious sauce. If you can't find it, regular eggplant works too, just cut it into bite-sized pieces. Courgette/zucchini is another acceptable substitute, though it won't absorb the sauce quite as well.

Light coconut milk vs. full-fat: Light coconut milk has about 50% fewer calories than full-fat versions but still provides enough creaminess for this recipe. Don't use coconut milk drinks, you want canned light coconut milk.

Adjusting spice level: Thai green curry is meant to be somewhat spicy. If you want less heat, reduce the amount of curry paste to 30 grams (about 2 tablespoons). For more heat, add sliced fresh chillies when you add the vegetables.

Vegetable substitutions: Feel free to swap in other vegetables like mushrooms, baby corn, bamboo shoots, cauliflower, or broccoli. Just keep in mind that different vegetables have different cooking times. Add harder vegetables earlier and quick-cooking vegetables later.

Storage:
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors will continue to develop and it often tastes even better the next day.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing without the basil and lime juice, then adding those when you reheat. Store in individual portions for easy meals

Top Tips for Making This Recipe:

Don’t skip the step of cooking the curry paste in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. This “blooms” the spices and makes a huge difference to the overall flavor
Slice the chicken evenly so it cooks at the same rate
Don't overcook the vegetables. They should be tender but still have some bite
The sauce should be fairly thin, not thick. This is authentic Thai style
Taste and adjust seasoning at the end as every curry paste brand is slightly different in salt level

Nutritional Calculations:
Nutrition information is calculated per serving without rice. I used the following specific ingredients for the calculations:

Chaokoh light coconut milk
Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste
Skinless, boneless chicken breast (93% lean)
Low-sodium chicken broth

Adding ½ cup cooked white basmati rice per serving adds approximately 90 calories and 21 grams of carbohydrates.

Nutrition