That Spicy Chick

Thai Green Curry Fried Rice

This Thai Green Curry Fried Rice is quick and easy to make in under 30 minutes and jam-packed with flavor! Tender chicken pieces, garlic, chilies, green curry paste, Thai sweet basil, and jasmine rice get stir-fried together to make this delicious weeknight one wok wonder!

If you love Thai green chicken curry and fried rice, this Thai Green Curry Fried Rice is going to blow your mind!

We have:

  • Savory tender chicken pieces.
  • Spicy Thai green curry paste.
  • Tasty aromatics and herbs. Garlic, fresh hot chilies, makrut lime leaves, and wonderfully fragrant Thai sweet basil all bringing their A-game!
  • Crunchy baby corn.
  • Fragrant Thai jasmine rice.

All you need is 30 minutes tops and a hot wok and this beauty is on the table!

Give your plate a good sprinkling of coriander and squeeze a little lime juice over everything. Serve with some refreshing and cooling cucumber slices and enjoy this easy one wok wonder!

By the way, if you’re a fan of Thai red curry, check out my Thai Red Curry Fried Rice recipe and Choo Chee Salmon Curry!

Why This Recipe Works

  • Quick and easy! It’s ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for weeknights!
  • Full of BIG FLAVORS! It’s deliciously spicy and thanks to Thai green curry paste and fresh chilies. It’s also intoxicatingly fragrant with Thai sweet basil leaves!
  • Customizable. Swap the chicken for your favorite protein and add more veggies if you like. You can also tone down or amp up the heat as per your preference.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Labeled ingredients for Thai Green Curry Chicken Fried Rice on a wooden board.
  • Marinated Chicken: I used thinly sliced skinless chicken thigh fillets and marinated it with light soy sauce, fish sauce, and ground white pepper. You’re welcome to use boneless and skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. (See ‘Variations’ section below for other protein options.)
  • Thai Sweet Basil Leaves: Thai sweet basil is called ‘horapa’ in Thai. It has a unique sweet smell and adds incredible anise-y and herbal flavors to Thai curries like Thai green chicken curry and panang chicken curry. It’s also delicious in stir-fries like Thai red curry fried rice, Thai eggplant noodles, Thai eggplant stir-fry, and pork and tomato gravy noodles. Look for them in an Asian supermarket or a Thai grocery store. Substitute with regular Italian basil leaves if unavailable.
  • Makrut Lime Leaves: Also known as kaffir lime leaves, though that is a derogatory term in African culture so I prefer to call them by their other name – makrut lime leaves. They have a citrusy aroma and add a beautiful sweet lime-like flavor to Thai dishes. Find them in a Thai grocery store. Similar to bay leaves, they usually aren’t eaten (unless finely sliced or minced) and are only there to add flavor to this fried rice. Substitute with dried makrut lime leaves or the powdered version in a pinch.
  • Chilies: I used fresh red and green Bird’s Eye chilies, Thai ‘prik kee nu’ green chilies, and a large mild red chili. Feel free to adjust the quantity of Bird’s Eye and prik kee nu chilies to taste as these guys are HOT! As prik kee nu chilies can be difficult to find outside of Asia, you can leave them out. The large red chili is similar to bell pepper in flavor and mild. It’s used mainly for color here and you can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand. Omit the chilies all together for a milder dish.
  • Yellow Onion: Or you can use 3-4 small Asian red shallots or half of a medium red onion. 
  • Thai Green Curry Paste: I use Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste in my home because their curry pastes are more authentic and hotter than most other brands. Maesri is another great brand I can vouch for in terms of authenticity and heat. If you are after a milder green curry paste, you can try De Siam or Thai Kitchen brand. Thai green curry paste can be found in large supermarkets that are well-stocked with international ingredients, Asian supermarkets and Thai grocery stores, and online. If you happen to live in Australia, check out Marion’s Kitchen recently launched jars of curry pastes which are available at Coles in the Asian aisle. Although I haven’t tried them, I’m guessing they are fantastic just like all of her recipes!
  • Long Grain Rice: Refrigerated day old cooked long grain rice works best for fried rice. I’ve used Thai jasmine rice, but any long grain cooked cold rice will work.  
  • Fish Sauce: Add more or less depending on your salt level preference. Substitute with light soy sauce if you prefer.
  • Coconut Sugar: To balance out the heat from the green curry paste and hot chilies. I use a Malaysian style coconut sugar (known as ‘gulapa kelapa’) which comes in the form of hardened discs, just like Thai palm sugar. These discs need to be finely shaved with a knife so that it dissolves easily. Use more or less depending on your heat level preference. Substitute with light brown sugar, granulated coconut sugar, palm sugar, or any other sweetener of your choice. 
  • Canola Oil: Or you can use any neutral flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Thai Green Curry Fried Rice

1. Prepare all the ingredients. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and combine with the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Roughly chop the garlic and fresh red and green Bird’s Eye and prik kee nu chilies. Use a mortar and pestle to pound them into a coarse paste.

Smashed garlic and chilies in a granite mortar.

(If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, finely chop them instead or pulse in a mini blender until a coarse paste forms.) 

2. Cook the chicken. In canola oil in a large wok for a few minutes until starting to brown. 

3. Stir-fry the onion, smashed garlic-chilies paste and large red chili slices until fragrant.

4. Toss through the baby corn. 

5. Add the Thai green curry paste. Stir-fry until fragrant.

Process steps to stir-fry Thai green curry chicken fried rice in a wok.

6. Stir in the coconut milk. 

7. Add the makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar. Stir to combine, then simmer for a minute. 

8. Add the rice. Turn the up to high and add the cooked rice. Stir-fry until evenly mixed and combined.

9. Toss through basil. Toss through the Thai sweet basil leaves until just wilted, then switch off the heat.

Final steps to stir-fry Thai green curry fried rice in a wok.

Serve! Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro). Serve with cucumber slices and lime wedges for squeezing on the side and enjoy!

Chicken fried rice on a black plate with a lime wedge and cucumber slices.

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook’s Tips

  • Flatten and spread the rice out in the wok and use a scooping motion to combine with the green chicken curry. Pausing in between helps the rice to absorb the milk and prevents it from becoming mushy due to the high heat.
  • Season to taste. Depending on the brand of Thai green curry paste you’re using, you may need to add more or less sugar and fish sauce to get the right balance for your taste.
  • Adjust spice level to taste. Use less red and green Bird’s eye and prik kee nu chilies (or omit completely) for a milder fried rice. In addition, opt for a milder Thai green curry paste (such as De Siam or Thai Kitchen brand) or use less if using a hot one (such as Mae Ploy and Maesri brand).
  • Use a large heavy bottomed frying pan for cooking if you don’t own a wok.

FAQs

What’s in Thai green curry paste?

Typically, Thai green curry paste is made with green chilies, lemongrass, galangal, coriander/cilantro roots, garlic, shrimp paste, makrut (kaffir) lime peel, coriander seed, salt, pepper, cumin, and turmeric.

Can I substitute Thai green curry paste for red?

For this fried rice, yes. Or check out my Thai red curry fried rice if you’d like to make a red curry fried rice instead!

How much Thai green curry paste to use?

This depends on the brand you’re using, how hot it is, and your spice level preference. Note that Thai green curry paste is hotter than both red curry and yellow curry paste. If you haven’t cooked with it before, I recommend using one tablespoon of green curry paste for this fried rice the first time. You’ll get a feel for how it tastes and how hot it is and can add less or more the next time around.

Closeup of plate with Thai green curry fried rice with chicken.

Variations

  • Use a different protein. Jumbo shrimp (or prawns), pork tenderloin (fillet), beef flank or skirt steak, or crispy pan-fried tofu or tempeh would be delicious in this fried rice. If using shrimp/prawns, add them to the wok adding the seasonings to the coconut milk to avoid overcooking. Simmer for a minute, then proceed with the final steps as per the instructions.
  • Make it gluten-free. Use a gluten-free Thai green curry paste and make sure that the fish sauce you’re using does not contain any hidden wheat ingredients (some might). Also use a gluten-free light soy sauce for the chicken marinade.
  • Make it vegetarian/vegan: Use light soy sauce instead of fish sauce and a vegetarian green curry paste that’s made without shrimp paste. Thai Kitchen green curry paste is both vegan and gluten-free.
  • Add veggies. Green beans, sugar snap peas, bamboo shoots, snow peas, Chinese broccoli (‘gai lan’), etc. 
  • Omit the coconut milk. If you’re not a fan of coconut but still love the flavors of Thai green curry paste, skip it! It’ll still be tasty.
  • Serve with a crispy Thai style fried egg. My Thai red curry fried rice post details how to make them.
Closeup of chicken fried rice and fried rice on a black plate. Text overlay "Thai Green Curry Fried Rice with Chicken" and "thatspicychick.com".

More Thai Fried Rice Recipes


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Thai Green Curry Fried Rice with Chicken

Chicken fried rice on a black plate with a lime wedge and cucumber slices.

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Tender chicken pieces, garlic, chilies, green curry paste, Thai sweet basil, and jasmine rice get stir-fried together to make this delicious weeknight Thai Green Curry Fried Rice!

  • Author: Lavina
  • Prep Time: 18
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 3 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stir-fry
  • Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken Marinade:

  • 250 grams / 9 ounces Chicken Thigh Fillets, skinless – excess fat trimmed, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 TSP Fish Sauce
  • 1 TSP Light Soy Sauce
  • ¼ TSP ground White Pepper

For the Thai Green Curry Fried Rice:

  • 6 Garlic cloves – peeled, roughly chopped
  • 210 fresh Red Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any small hot red chilies), to taste – destemmed, roughly chopped
  • 26 fresh Green Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any small hot green chilies), to taste – destemmed, roughly chopped
  • 26 Thai Prik Kee Nu Green Chilies (optionalnote 1), to taste – destemmed, roughly chopped
  • 1 Large Red Chili – destemmed, roughly chopped
  • 4 Makrut Lime Leaves (note 2) – destemmed, torn into quarters
  • ½ medium Yellow Onion (or 34 small Asian red shallots or ½ medium red onion) – peeled, finely chopped
  • 60 grams / 6 pieces Baby Corn – sliced lengthwise in half
  • ¼ disc (about 12.5 grams) Coconut Sugar (or ¾1 TSP light brown sugar – note 3), to taste – finely shaved with a knife
  • 1.5 cups Thai Sweet Basil Leaves (note 4 – or regular Italian basil if unavailable) – washed, pat-dried
  • 2.5 TBLS Canola Oil (or other neutral oil with a high smoke point)
  • 1.5 TBLS Thai Green Curry Paste (I use Mae Ploy brand – note 5)
  • 118ml / ½ cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 TSP Fish Sauce, to taste
  • 3 cups cooked Long Grain Rice (such as Thai jasmine rice, day old cooked cold rice works best)
  • To Serve: chopped coriander (cilantro), sliced cucumber, lime wedges for squeezing

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Marinate the Chicken: Trim the chicken thigh fillets and discard excess fat. Thinly slice into bite-sized pieces and add to a medium bowl, followed by the fish sauce, light soy sauce and ground white pepper. Mix well to combine, then set aside.
  2. Prepare the other ingredients: Roughly chop the garlic, fresh red and green chilies, and Thai prik kee nu green chilies (if using). Using a mortar and pestle, pound into a coarse paste and set aside. Thinly slice the large red chili at an angle, remove the stem from makrut lime leaves and tear into quarters, finely chop the yellow onion, and slice the baby corn lengthwise in half. Finely shave the coconut sugar with a knife. Pick the Thai sweet basil leaves off the stems and wash and pat-dry. Set everything by the side of your wok on the stovetop.

For the Thai Green Curry Fried Rice:

  1. Cook the chicken: Heat 2.5 tablespoons canola oil in a large wok (or heavy bottomed frying pan) over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and spread the pieces out in the wok. Allow to sear for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until no longer pink and starting to brown.
  2. Stir-fry the aromatics and veggies: Lower the heat to medium-high and add the onion, smashed garlic-chilies paste and large red chili slices. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the baby corn and toss briefly to combine.
  3. Add the curry paste and coconut milk. Add the Thai green curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Then pour in the coconut milk and stir until the curry paste has broken down completely.
  4. Season: Add the makrut lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar. Stir to combine until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 1 minute to let the flavors meld. Turn down the heat if the coconut milk starts to boil rapidly.
  5. Add the rice: Turn the back up to high and add the cooked rice. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, flattening and spreading the rice out in the wok and then using a scooping motion, until evenly mixed and combined.
  6. Toss through basil: Toss through the Thai sweet basil leaves until just wilted – about 15 seconds. Switch off the heat.
  7. To Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with cucumber slices and lime wedges for squeezing on the side.

Notes

  1. Prik Kee Nu Chilies (and other chilies). Thai prik kee nu green chilies and fresh red and green Bird’s Eye chilies are HOT so adjust the quantity to taste. The prik kee nu chilies are optional as they may be difficult to find outside of Asia. Substitute any small hot red and green chilies you like. The large red chili is similar to bell pepper in flavor and mild. It’s used mainly for color and you can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand. Omit the chilies all together for a milder dish.
  2. Makrut Lime Leaves. Also known as kaffir lime leaves, these have a citrusy aroma add beautiful sweet lime-like flavors to Thai dishes. Find them in a Thai grocery store. Note that they usually aren’t eaten (unless finely sliced or minced) and are only here to add flavor. Substitute with dried makrut like leaves or the powdered version in a pinch.
  3. Coconut Sugar. Known as ‘gulapa kelapa’, this Malaysian style coconut sugar comes in the form of hardened discs just like Thai palm sugar. The discs need to be finely shaved with a knife so that it dissolves easily. Use more or less depending on your heat level preference. Substitute with light brown sugar, granulated coconut sugar, palm sugar, or any other sweetener of your choice.
  4. Thai Sweet Basil. Known as ‘horapa’ in Thai, this herb has a unique sweet smell and adds incredible anise-y and herbal flavors to Thai curries and stir-fries. Look for them in an Asian supermarket or a Thai grocery store. Substitute with regular Italian basil leaves if unavailable.
  5. Thai Green Curry Paste. I use Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste in my home because their curry pastes are more authentic and hotter than most other brands. Maesri is another great brand I can vouch for in terms of authenticity and heat. If you are after a milder green curry paste, you can try De Siam or Thai Kitchen brand. Thai green curry paste can be found in large supermarkets that are well-stocked with international ingredients, Asian supermarkets and Thai grocery stores, and online.
  6. Season to taste. Depending on the brand of Thai green curry paste you’re using, you may need to add more or less sugar and fish sauce to get the right balance for your taste.
  7. See ‘Variations’ section if you’d like to customize this fried rice.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 plate
  • Calories: 609
  • Sugar: 17.3g
  • Sodium: 967.4mg
  • Fat: 23.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 8.4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 13.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 71.7g
  • Fiber: 5.8g
  • Protein: 27g
  • Cholesterol: 78.3mg

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