Thai Green Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste (concentrated paste, not a ready-to-eat simmer sauce)
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk, shaken and divided
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 6 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 lime: peel off 2 wide green zest strips without white pith, then cut into 4 wedges

Method

1. 1

   Step 1. Allow about 40 minutes: 15 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes on the stove. Use a 4-quart saucepan or deep skillet with a lid and an instant-read thermometer. Set out the cut chicken and vegetables before heating the pan. This makes the curry only; rice is not included. Curry-paste brands vary substantially in heat, so choose a paste whose heat you already enjoy; three tablespoons may be very hot with a concentrated brand.

2. 2

   Step 2. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and stir for 2–3 minutes, keeping it moving so it does not scorch. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut milk and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant and evenly combined. Scrape any paste from the sides back into the pan.

3. 3

   Step 3. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, the broth, and the 2 lime-zest strips, then bring to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken and stir to separate the pieces. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat below a hard boil so the sauce stays smooth and the chicken cooks gently.

4. 4

   Step 4. Add the bell pepper, green beans, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Partly cover and simmer for 7–10 minutes, until the beans are tender with a little bite and the thickest chicken pieces reach 165°F when the thermometer is inserted sideways into their centers. Check several pieces; continue simmering if any are cooler.

5. 5

   Step 5. Remove the lime-zest strips, take the pan off the heat, and fold in the Thai basil and measured lime juice. Let the leaves wilt in the hot sauce for about 30 seconds. Divide among four bowls and serve with the lime wedges. The finished curry should have a loose, coconut-milk broth rather than a thick gravy. Refrigerate leftover curry in shallow containers within 2 hours and reheat, stirring, to 165°F.