Thai coconut curry with greens is a fragrant dinner of diced chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, bell peppers, and snap peas simmered in coconut milk and red curry paste, finished with a big handful of spinach, fish sauce, and lime. It takes fifteen minutes to prepare, cooks in twenty, and serves four.
The ginger and garlic go in first for aroma, the curry paste fries until fragrant, and the coconut milk simmers everything into a creamy sauce. The greens wilt at the end so they keep their color, and the fish sauce and lime balance the sweetness with salt and acid, giving the curry a lively, layered flavor.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
Spinach adds color and extra greens to every bowl.
Fish sauce and lime balance the coconut richness.
The vegetables can change with what is in the fridge.
What You Need for Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
- The base is one pound of diced chicken, one diced onion, two minced garlic cloves, one tablespoon of grated ginger, and one tablespoon of coconut oil.
- The sauce is one can of coconut milk, two tablespoons of red curry paste, one cup of sliced bell peppers, one cup of snap peas, two cups of spinach, one tablespoon of fish sauce, and one tablespoon of lime juice.
Red curry paste. It carries the heat and the herbs.
Fish sauce. It adds salty depth.
Spinach. It adds color and tenderness.
Ginger. It adds a warm, bright note.
Lime juice. It lifts the sauce.
Cooking Thai Coconut Curry with Greens Step by Step
1. Soften the onion. Heat the coconut oil in a large pan and cook the onion until golden.
2. Add the aromatics. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and red curry paste and cook until fragrant.
3. Cook the chicken. Add the diced chicken and cook until golden on the outside.
4. Simmer. Pour in the coconut milk and fish sauce, add the peppers and snap peas, and simmer for ten minutes until the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
5. Wilt the greens. Stir in the spinach and lime juice until the leaves collapse.
Add the spinach at the very end. Spinach releases water, and long cooking turns it dull and slimy, while a quick stir keeps the leaves green and tender. Kale also works, but add it five minutes earlier and remove the tough stems, since kale needs more time to soften in the sauce.
Grate the ginger on a fine grater and use the juice. Fresh ginger gives a clean heat that dried ginger cannot match. Peel it with the edge of a spoon, which removes the skin without wasting flesh, and freeze the knob, since frozen ginger grates easily and keeps for months.
Notes and Swaps for Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
Flag the allergens. This curry contains fish from the fish sauce, and red curry paste may contain shrimp paste, so check every label.
Do not rinse raw chicken. Do not rinse raw chicken, because the splashing spreads germs, and wash your hands and tools after touching it.
Check the doneness. Use a thermometer to confirm 165 degrees F in the thickest piece.
Taste the sauce. Always taste before serving and adjust the fish sauce and lime to your liking.
Use fresh spinach. Frozen spinach adds water.
Try kale. Remove the stems first.
Add basil. Thai basil is a good finish.
Check trusted guidance. Read the Purdue Extension guide to storing leftovers for safe storage of chicken dishes.
You can use tofu, shrimp, or chickpeas in place of chicken, keeping the same sauce. Shrimp needs about four minutes, tofu just needs to heat through, and chickpeas benefit from five minutes of simmering. If you skip the fish sauce, use soy sauce and add a pinch more salt at the end.
For more heat, add a sliced fresh chili or a spoonful of chili garlic sauce. For a thicker sauce, simmer the curry uncovered for five minutes. A handful of cashews or peanuts on top adds crunch, and a few cilantro leaves make the bowl look fresh and bright.
Serving Ideas for Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
Serve the curry over jasmine rice or with warm flatbread to mop up the sauce. For more curry and rice meals, try coconut lentil curry, instant pot cilantro lime rice, skillet garlic naan bread, or portuguese chicken and rice.
Storing Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
Cool the curry within two hours and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze for up to three months, though the spinach softens. Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of water until it reaches 165 degrees F, stirring so the sauce stays smooth.
Questions About Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
What is in thai coconut curry with greens?
Chicken, coconut milk, red curry paste, spinach, and fresh vegetables.
Can you make thai coconut curry with greens ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for three days in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze thai coconut curry with greens?
Yes, for up to three months.
Can I leave out the fish sauce?
Yes. Use soy sauce instead.
Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Squeeze it dry first.
Thai Coconut Curry with Greens
Equipment
- large pan
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken diced
- 1 can coconut milk 13.5 ounce can
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup bell peppers sliced
- 1 cup snap peas
- 2 cup spinach
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
Cooking
- Soften. Cook the onion in coconut oil.
- Aroma. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste.
- Chicken. Brown the chicken.
- Simmer. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and vegetables for 10 minutes.
- Wilt. Stir in the spinach and lime juice.
