A homemade chicken and coconut milk curry, fragrant with lemongrass and ginger, made without curry paste.
Golden-brown chicken, a smooth coconut and tomato sauce that coats the spoon, and the bright fragrance of lemongrass, ginger and spring onions. This homemade version relies on fresh aromatics and dried spices rather than curry paste, with a tomato and paprika for rounded flavor and color. For two servings, allow 25 minutes in total, including about 10 minutes of gentle simmering before blending. This recipe is part of my collection of keto main dishes.
What is Thai chicken curry?
In French, the word curry refers to a dish cooked in a spice-scented sauce. In Thai cuisine, chicken curries often rely on a green, red or yellow paste, loosened with coconut milk to create a rich sauce. This recipe takes a simpler approach: fresh aromatics and dried spices go into the pan separately, then the vegetables and sauce are blended to give it body.
The base consists of three boneless chicken thighs, coconut milk to bring the spices together, garlic, ginger, spring onions and a stalk of lemongrass. Fish sauce adds saltiness and depth, sesame oil a toasted note, and lime juice a fresh finishing touch.
The classic version and a homemade adaptation
In classic Thai chicken curries, the aromatic paste often takes center stage: it concentrates chilies, herbs, roots and spices, then combines with coconut milk as it heats. For this paste-based approach, the authentic Thai green curry recipe offers another way.
This homemade version retains some of the signature ingredients, including lemongrass, ginger, coconut milk, fish sauce and chili, while simplifying the method. Tomato and paprika set it apart from curries made with green, red or yellow paste: the tomato helps thicken the sauce and adds gentle acidity, while the paprika deepens its warm color. Blending creates a creamy sauce without a thickener, and the lemongrass infuses the dish before being removed.
The main ingredients
Three boneless chicken thighs hold up well to simmering and stay juicier than breast meat. 150 ml of coconut milk provide creaminess, round out the spices and temper the chili heat. A red bell pepper and a large tomato add sweetness, gentle acidity and color, and give the sauce body once blended.
Use one or two very hot rawit chilies, adjusting the quantity to suit your guests. Four briefly cooked garlic cloves, fresh ginger, three spring onions (the white parts during cooking, the green parts at the end) and a split stalk of lemongrass flavor the base. One to two teaspoons of fish sauce add saltiness and depth; soy sauce or tamari work for a fish-free version, but check the label if you avoid gluten.
Turmeric, paprika, ground coriander seeds and black pepper add color and character, with freshly ground seeds retaining a brighter fragrance. A teaspoon of sesame oil adds a toasted touch, while the juice of one lime or half a lemon balances the coconut milk. Avocado oil, mild olive oil, high-oleic sunflower oil or coconut oil are suitable for searing the chicken.
Cooking tips and serving
A hot pan browns the chicken thighs on both sides, then the dish simmers gently for about ten minutes, for a total cooking time of 25 minutes. The garlic and dried spices benefit from a brief spell in the oil, without browning too much to avoid bitterness. Remove the chicken and lemongrass, then blend the hot sauce and vegetables until smooth, using a blender or an immersion blender suitable for hot mixtures.
For the green curry version, here is my Thai green chicken curry.
For more low-carb ideas, browse all my keto recipes.
The spring onion greens and a little fresh cilantro finish the dish. To keep it low in carbohydrates, serve with grated, pan-fried cauliflower or konjac noodles prepared according to the package instructions. Lemongrass, rawit chilies and makrut lime leaves are most readily found in Asian grocery stores. Allow 426 calories per serving when divided into two; without a starchy accompaniment, the dish remains low in carbohydrates without necessarily being ketogenic.
Thai Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 3 chicken thigh fillets (organic, free-range)
- 150 ml coconut milk carton or canned
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 or 2 bird’s eye chilies
- 1 large tomato
- 3 spring onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 small piece fresh ginger
- 1 stalk fresh lemongrass
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fish sauce (sugar-free)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 lime moderate-carb; or 0.5 lemon, low-carb
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds grind them yourself; or use ground coriander
- black pepper to taste
- avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for cooking; or coconut oil, for cooking
Optional
- 1 or 2 makrut lime leaves (djeroek poeroet)
Fish-free
- soy sauce or tamari NO fish sauce
Instructions
- Slice the spring onions into rings. Keep the white parts separate from the green parts. Crush the garlic. Grate the ginger. Wash and chop the bell pepper.3 spring onions, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small piece fresh ginger, 1 red bell pepper
- Heat the pan. Add the oil. Sear the chicken on both sides.avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil, 3 chicken thigh fillets (organic, free-range)
- Push the chicken to one side and sautรฉ the bell pepper. Add the white parts of the spring onions, the ginger and the garlic. Sautรฉ everything together.
- Add the dry spices and sautรฉ everything briefly.1 or 2 bird’s eye chilies, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, black pepper
- Wash and chop the tomato and add it to the pan.1 large tomato
- Deglaze with the coconut milk. Squeeze the lime and add the juice. Add the fish sauce and sesame oil.150 ml coconut milk, 1 lime, 1 to 2 teaspoons fish sauce (sugar-free), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, soy sauce or tamari
- Split the lemongrass lengthwise, but leave it attached at the base. Bruise it lightly and add the whole stalk. This makes it easy to remove before serving.1 stalk fresh lemongrass, 1 or 2 makrut lime leaves (djeroek poeroet)
- Simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce into the food processor and blend until smooth. Leave the chicken out and keep it whole. Do not blend the lemongrass either. Pour the sauce back into the pan. Let everything heat through a little longer.
- Add the green parts of the spring onions at the end. Sprinkle with cilantro only once plated.
