Thai Coconut Curry Soup Bowl (Printer View)

Aromatic Thai-inspired soup with tender chicken, vegetables, and creamy red curry coconut broth.

# Components:

→ Protein

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (shiitake or button)
03 - 2 medium carrots, julienned or thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby spinach or bok choy, optional
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics

07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces, optional
10 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, optional

→ Broth

11 - 2 tablespoons red curry paste
12 - 3⅓ cups coconut milk, full fat or light
13 - 2 cups chicken broth
14 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 - 1 lime, juiced

→ Garnishes

17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Fresh red chili, sliced, optional
19 - Lime wedges

# Method:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and sauté the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its flavors.
03 - Add the chicken slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat with the curry paste.
04 - Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Add the kaffir lime leaves, carrots, mushrooms, and red bell pepper.
05 - Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Add baby spinach or bok choy and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted.
08 - Remove lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with spring onions, cilantro, fresh chili, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours simmering and balancing flavors, but really you just stirred a pot for half an hour while catching up on texts.
  • The coconut milk makes everything silky and comforting without feeling heavy, and that lime juice at the end wakes up every single bite.
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables are hanging out in your crisper drawer and it still turns out delicious.
  • It's one of those meals that actually tastes better the next day, which means lunch is already handled.
02 -
  • Don't let the soup boil hard once the coconut milk is in, it can break and get grainy, just keep it at a gentle simmer.
  • If you can't find lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves, add extra lime zest at the end, it won't be exactly the same but it still tastes wonderful.
  • Taste before you serve, this soup needs a bold hand with seasoning, don't be shy with the fish sauce and lime juice.
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears to cut the chicken into thin strips while it's still slightly frozen, it's so much easier than wrestling with a knife.
  • If your curry paste seems mild, toast it a little longer in the pot before adding the liquids, it deepens the flavor and amps up the heat.
  • Always have extra lime on hand, a good squeeze right before eating is the secret to making this soup sing.
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