Mildly spicy and full of vegetables, this easy green chicken curry is the ultimate take-out fake out. If you’ve never tried fresh lime leaves, it’s worth the effort to seek them out! They add a floral-meets-lime flavor to soups and curries — and they freeze well, so consider stocking up next time you see them in the produce department or find them at Southeast Asian markets. This recipe is a great lower carbohydrate meal-prep choice to make ahead for lunches throughout the week.

Though this recipe calls for safflower oil, any neutral high-heat oil will do, such as avocado or grapeseed oil.

Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 4 tsp safflower oil, divided
• 1 lb (454g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in pieces
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp salt 
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp green curry paste
• 1 13.5 oz (400g) can light coconut milk
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 8 large lime leaves 
• 1 lb (454g) broccoli crowns
• 1/2 cup (28g) toasted coconut chips 
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp fish sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup (15g) basil leaves (loosely packed), torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. 

Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

Add the coconut milk, bell pepper, and lime leaves and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the broccoli “rice.” Slice the broccoli stems, add them to a food processor, and pulse until they resemble small pieces of rice. Pour into a bowl. Break the florets up, pulse in the food processor with the coconut chips, and add to the stalks.

Put the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a large nonstick pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, broccoli and coconut and cook, stirring frequently, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Discard the lime leaves, season the curry with the fish sauce, and stir in half the basil. Serve with the broccoli “rice” and sprinkle with the remaining basil.

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 cup chicken curry and 1 cup broccoli rice

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 362; Total Fat: 25g; Saturated Fat: 13g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 90mg; Sodium: 752mg; Carbohydrate: 16g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 24g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 637mg; Iron: 24%; Vitamin A: 72%; Vitamin C: 259%; Calcium: 10%

Originally published September 13, 2020; Updated June 2026