Hairy Bikers Green Curry Recipe

This creamy and fragrant Hairy Bikers Green Curry Recipe is made with tender chicken, crunchy mangetout, and a clever coconut sauce that is ready in just 25 minutes. The kitchen fills with an incredible aroma the moment the kaffir lime leaves hit the bubbling pan. I love how this version delivers all the authentic Thai flavours without the heavy feeling of a traditional takeaway.

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Better Than Takeaway

I used to think making a proper Thai green curry at home required hours of pounding pastes and simmering stocks, but this Hairy Bikers version completely changed my mind. The genius lies in how it balances speed with depth of flavour; by using a good quality shop-bought paste and doctoring it with fresh lime leaves and fish sauce, you get that restaurant-quality zing in a fraction of the time. It is lighter, fresher, and honestly more satisfying than the oily tubs you get from the local takeaway.

My first attempt at this dish taught me a valuable lesson about texture—specifically, the importance of the cornflour slurry. Because this recipe often uses lighter coconut milk to keep things healthy, the sauce can be a bit thin on its own, but that simple addition transforms it into a velvety, clinging sauce that coats the chicken perfectly. It is a brilliant hack that proves you do not need full-fat cream to achieve a luxurious finish.

Hairy Bikers Green Curry Recipe Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips
• 400ml can half-fat coconut milk
• 250ml cold water (plus 2 tbsp extra for mixing)
• 2 heaped tbsp Thai green curry paste
• 6 kaffir lime leaves (dried or fresh)
• 4 tsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 150g mangetout, trimmed
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Small handful fresh coriander, roughly torn
• Small handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

How To Make Hairy Bikers Green Curry Recipe

1. Sear the Chicken and Peppers: Heat the sunflower oil in a large wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken breasts and the red and yellow pepper strips. Stir-fry everything for roughly 1 minute until the chicken is just sealed and turning white, but not fully cooked through.
2. Build the Curry Base: Pour the can of coconut milk and 250ml of cold water into the pan with the chicken. Stir in the Thai green curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the paste.
3. Add Vegetables and Thicken: Toss in the mangetout and bring the sauce back to a simmer. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with the extra 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a smooth paste. Pour this mixture into the bubbling curry and stir immediately.
4. Finish and Serve: Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and is glossy, and the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Remove from the heat and scatter over the fresh coriander and basil before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t skip the cornflour: Since this recipe typically uses half-fat coconut milk and water, the sauce will be too runny without the cornflour mixture. It is the secret to getting that rich, clinging texture.
• Slice chicken thinly: To ensure the chicken cooks in the short simmering time and stays tender, slice it against the grain into thin strips rather than chunks.
• Taste the paste: Curry pastes vary wildly in heat and saltiness; start with the recommended amount, but taste your sauce before serving and add more lime juice or sugar if it needs balancing.
• Bruise the leaves: If using fresh kaffir lime leaves, tear them slightly or bruise them in your hand before adding to the pan to release their essential oils.

What To Serve With Hairy Bikers Green Curry

Steamed jasmine rice is the classic pairing here, as its slight floral aroma complements the coconut sauce beautifully. For a true fakeaway experience, you could also serve this with a side of prawn crackers and a simple cucumber salad to cut through the richness. If you want to keep it extra light, cauliflower rice works surprisingly well with the plentiful sauce.

How To Store

This curry keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container; just make sure to reheat it gently so the chicken doesn’t toughen. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, though the peppers and mangetout may lose some of their crunch upon thawing. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating until piping hot.

FAQs

Can I use full-fat coconut milk instead?
Yes, absolutely. If you use full-fat coconut milk, you may find the sauce is thick enough on its own, so you might not need as much cornflour—add it only if you want a very thick gravy.

Is this recipe spicy?
It depends entirely on the brand of green curry paste you use. Most supermarket jars are mild to medium, but you can always add a splash of extra coconut milk or sugar to cool it down if needed.

Can I swap the vegetables?
Definitely, this is a great fridge-clearer. Baby corn, bamboo shoots, green beans, or even aubergine chunks work brilliantly in place of or alongside the peppers and mangetout.

What if I can’t find kaffir lime leaves?
While they offer a unique flavour, you can use the grated zest of one lime as a substitute. Add the zest at the end of cooking to keep the flavour bright.

Can I make this with prawns?
Yes, simply follow the sauce instructions first, and add raw prawns only in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking so they don’t become rubbery.

Nutrition

• Calories: 339 kcal
• Total Fat: 13.5g
• Saturated Fat: 7.3g
• Cholesterol: 80mg
• Sodium: 680mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 20.4g
• Protein: 33.9g

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Game Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers American Chicken Wings Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Chicken Enchiladas Recipe