Heat the vegetable oil in your skillet over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and stir it for 1-2 minutes—this “blooms” the spices and intensifies the flavor. Be careful not to burn it!

Add half the coconut milk (just the creamy top layer from the can) and stir until the mixture becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes. This creates a rich base for the curry.

Add the chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to coat them in the curry mixture. They don’t need to be fully cooked yet—they’ll finish later.

Pour in the remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the veggies are tender-crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

Turn off the heat and stir in the basil leaves. They’ll wilt slightly from the residual heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt or sugar if needed.