Quick Green Curry Chicken with Zucchini Noodles! Use store-bought green curry for a fast dinner and keep it light with zucchini noodles instead of rice noodles.
This green curry chicken dish is one of my favorite things to cook on a weeknight. It comes together so fast and it is packed with vegetables!
For this recipe, I’m using store-bought green curry paste, which you can find at the Asian section of a supermarket or at Asian markets. The paste should be thick, not saucy. Once opened, a jar of curry paste will keep in the fridge for a month or more, and you can use it to make other curries. (If your curry came in a tin, I recommend transferring it to a small storage container or freezing it in tablespoon portions.)
I tried two different brands for this dish, Thai Kitchen and Maesri, and they both turned out great. I didn’t notice anything different in taste.
To get the full flavor of the dish, make sure to use full-fat coconut milk. It adds a sweet fragrance and taste, and it will balance out the flavor of the curry paste. If you are in the mood for spice, add 2 or 3 sliced Thai chilis (also known as bird’s eye chili) at the same time as the chicken. The chilis will add a bright spice to the dish!
Want to try making your own green curry paste from scratch? Try this recipe for Thai Green Curry with Chicken!
Quick Green Curry Chicken with Zucchini Noodles Recipe
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
If Thai basil is difficult to find, you can use sweet basil instead.
If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a julienne peeler or a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into thin noodles.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 1/4 pounds zucchini
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 2/3 cup sliced)
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large carrot
- 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil (or any high heat oil), divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste (like Thai Kitchen or Maesri)
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped Thai basil, divided
Special equipment:
Method
1 Prepare and marinate the chicken: Cut the chicken thighs into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Transfer the chicken to a bowl. Add the garlic, ginger and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the bowl and mix to combine the ingredients. Set the chicken aside while you prep the vegetables.
2 Spiralize the zucchinis: Rinse the zucchini and trim off the tops and ends. If you have any zucchini that is slightly curved, slice those in half. Make thin zucchini noodles using a spiralizer.
Once you have spiralized all the zucchini, give the noodles several rough chops to shorten them. Set the zucchini aside.
3 Prepare the vegetables: Cut the onion into thin slices. Peel the carrot, cut it into thirds, and then cut each third into thin matchsticks. Remove the seeds from the red pepper, cut it into thick 1-inch slices, and then cut each crosswise into thin matchsticks.
4 Make and simmer the curry: Heat a large skillet or sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced onions and cook for about 2 minutes, until they start to soften.
Transfer the chicken to the pan and spread it around. Cook the chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked.
Add green curry paste and stir to coat with the chicken. Add the remaining vegetables and toss with the chicken. Add the coconut milk and water.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let everything simmer while you cook the zucchini.
5 Cook the zucchini noodles: Heat another large skillet or pan with 1/2 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the zucchini noodles and cook for about 3 minutes. The noodles should be softened but not mushy.
Season with a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped basil, if using. Turn off the heat.
6 Finish and serve: Uncover the chicken curry and mix in the remaining chopped basil, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste the chicken curry and add more salt, if necessary. Serve the chicken with zucchini noodles, spooning extra curry sauce over top.
