Thai green curry chicken with asparagus comes together in 20 minutes using simple pantry ingredients. Gluten-free, high-protein, and better than takeout!
If your weeknight dinner rotation needs a serious upgrade, this Thai Green Curry Chicken with Asparagus is about to become your new best friend. It comes together in just 20 minutes, uses one pan, and tastes like something you’d order at your favorite Thai restaurant (except it has 166 calories and over 25 grams of protein per serving).
The key to making this taste like it came from a professional kitchen instead of your Tuesday-night panic zone is the sauce. A quick whisk of full-fat coconut milk, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, ginger, and a generous spoonful of Thai green curry paste is all it takes. I always keep these Asian pantry staples stocked so this dinner is never more than 20 minutes away, even on the busiest nights.
Asparagus is the seasonal star here, and it’s absolutely perfect in this dish. The crisp-tender spears hold up beautifully in the curry sauce without going mushy, and the bright green color makes the whole bowl look like you tried a lot harder than you did. Asparagus season runs March through June, so this is the recipe I come back to every spring, but if you’re making it year-round, broccolini, snap peas, or green beans are all wonderful swaps (more on that below).
Ingredients
- Thai green curry paste: This is the engine of the whole dish. You’ll find it at any Asian grocery store and increasingly at mainstream supermarkets.Two tablespoons gives you a nice warm heat; go up to three if your family likes it spicy.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Don’t swap this for light coconut milk if you can help it. Full-fat is what gives the sauce that rich, silky texture that coats the chicken and asparagus instead of running right to the bottom of the bowl.
- Fish sauce: I know it smells intense straight from the bottle, but fish sauce is the secret behind that deep, savory, umami flavor that makes Thai food taste like Thai food. A little goes a long way, and once it’s cooked into the sauce you’d never know it was there.
- Fresh ginger: You can use a microplane to grate it directly into the sauce. Ginger paste works in a pinch if that’s what you have in the fridge.
- Chicken broth: Just a splash to loosen the sauce and add a little extra depth. Low-sodium is my preference so you can control the saltiness.
How to Make Thai Green Curry Chicken with Asparagus
Step 1. Preheat a large skillet or wok with some olive oil, then cook your cut and seasoned chicken until golden brown. Then remove and set aside.
Step 2. While chicken is cooking, take your asparagus spears and cut into pieces a few inches long.
Step 3. In the same pan you cooked the chicken, add the asparagus and sauté until bright green.
Step 4. While asparagus is cooking, chop or grate your ginger and garlic, and start your sauce.
Step 5. Add all remaining ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until Thai curry sauce is fully mixed.
Step 6. Add the chicken back to the pan, and pour the sauce over the top. Simmer together for around 10 minutes.
Serve over a bed of rice, garnish with fresh cilantro or scallions, and enjoy your Thai Green Curry Chicken with Asparagus!
Vegetable & Protein Swaps
One of the things I love most about this recipe is how flexible it is. The green curry sauce works beautifully with just about any protein and whatever vegetables you have on hand, which means you can make this all year long, not just when asparagus is in season.
Veggie swaps:
- Broccolini: available year round and soaks up the sauce perfectly.
- Green beans: Holds up well without going mushy, available summer and fall.
- Zucchini: a summer squash, absorbs the curry sauce like a sponge.
- Snap peas or snow peas: Says crisp, adds some sweetness, and is available in the spring and summer.
Swap the protein:
- Shrimp: My favorite swap. Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp and add them in place of the chicken. They cook in just 2-3 minutes per side, so add them after the sauce is already in the pan. I use this same flavor profile in my Thai Basil Shrimp; the combination is absolutely addictive!
- Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed. For best results, pan-fry the cubes in a little oil until golden on all sides before adding the sauce. This gives it a slightly crispy exterior that holds up in the curry rather than falling apart. This is my go-to for a fully plant-based version that still feels hearty and satisfying.
- Pork: Use a pork tenderloin. Slice thin against the grain and cook exactly as you would the chicken. Pork soaks up bold sauces like this one beautifully and stays incredibly tender.
More Asian Inspired Dishes
- Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
- Beef Pho Bone Broth
- Japanese Quick Pickled Cucumbers
- Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
- Vietnamese Beef Salad
Eat It, Like It, Share It!
Did you try making this dish? Snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish!
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Pre-heat a large wok or skillet over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan. Saute until brown, about 7-9 minutes; remove chicken from pan and set aside.16 ounces chicken breasts, boneless skinless, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- In the same hot skillet, add the asparagus and saute until bright green and crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.12 spears asparagus
- While the asparagus is cooking, whisk together all remaining ingredients (coconut milk through curry paste) in a small bowl.1 cup full-fat coconut milk, 1 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon chili paste, 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- Add the chicken back to the hot pan and pour in the sauce. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer curry for 7-9 minutes before serving over rice. Garnish with cilantro and scallions if you wish.brown rice to serve, cilantro, scallions
Liz’s Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh is best here. Frozen asparagus releases a lot of water when it cooks and tends to turn mushy rather than staying crisp-tender. If fresh asparagus isn’t available, I’d swap in another firm vegetable: broccolini, snap peas, green beans, or baby bok choy all hold up well in this curry. If frozen asparagus is truly your only option, add it directly from frozen in the last 2 minutes of cooking and don’t stir too aggressively.
Fish sauce is one of the key flavor builders in this recipe; it adds a deep, savory umami that’s hard to replicate exactly. That said, if you need to skip it, use an equal amount of low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos. For a fully vegan version, coconut aminos plus a small squeeze of lime juice comes closest to the original flavor profile. I don’t recommend omitting it entirely without a substitute, as the sauce will taste flat.
Surprisingly, green curry is typically spicier than red curry! The heat comes from the fresh green chilies used in the paste. That said, the level of spice varies a lot by brand and by how much paste you use. This recipe calls for 2 tablespoons, which gives you a warm, noticeable heat without being overwhelming. If you’re heat-sensitive, start with 1 tablespoon and taste before adding more. For extra heat, I add a teaspoon of chili paste (sambal oelek) right at the end.
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