Description
This Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup is a flavorful and fragrant dish that’s both comforting and easy to make. Tender chicken, rice noodles, and vegetables simmer in a creamy coconut milk broth infused with red curry paste, ginger, and garlic.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 4 ounces rice noodles (thin rice vermicelli or wider rice noodles)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (Thai basil, if available, is excellent)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Heat Oil: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken chunks generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Cook Chicken: Add the seasoned chicken to the hot pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Do not fully cook the chicken at this stage. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, and diced onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Curry Paste and Ginger: Stir in the red curry paste and grated ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (this adds flavor).
- Return Chicken: Return the partially cooked chicken to the pot.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through and the flavors have melded.
- Add Noodles and Seasonings: Stir in the rice noodles, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, about 5 minutes (or according to package directions). Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice noodles used.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped basil, and fresh lime juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
- Red Curry Paste: The amount of red curry paste can be adjusted to your preferred level of spiciness. Start with a smaller amount and add more to taste.
- Coconut Milk: Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest and creamiest broth.
- Rice Noodles: The type of rice noodles can be varied. Thin rice vermicelli will cook quickly, while wider rice noodles may take a bit longer.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce adds a salty, umami flavor to the soup. If you don’t have fish sauce, you can substitute soy sauce or tamari, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this soup as a main course. You can add other vegetables, such as sliced mushrooms, snap peas, or baby corn.
- Storage