Description
Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup is a flavor-packed, quick-cooking comfort dish that brings restaurant-quality Thai flavors right to your kitchen. Tender chunks of chicken, vibrant vegetables, and aromatic herbs mingle in a creamy coconut broth spiked with red curry paste and finished with fresh lime. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or impressing guests with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Liquid & Soup Base
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
Noodles & Seasonings
- 4 ounces rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Fresh Herbs & Finishing Touches
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pot and cook until lightly golden on the outside, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and onion to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and aromatic, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Curry & Ginger: Stir in the red curry paste and freshly grated ginger. Cook for about 1 minute, allowing the spices to bloom and become fragrant.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and coconut milk, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This helps deepen the flavor of your soup.
- Simmer with Chicken: Return the cooked chicken along with any juices to the pot. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld and the soup reduce a bit.
- Add Noodles and Seasonings: Stir in the rice noodles, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender and have absorbed some of the flavorful broth.
- Finish with Herbs & Lime: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in green onions, cilantro, basil, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs or lime wedges if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute tofu for chicken and use vegetable broth; omit fish sauce or swap for soy sauce.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a creamier texture, or lite for a lighter option.
- Adjust red curry paste to your heat preference.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days, though noodles may absorb more broth with time.
- This soup is great with extra vegetables like mushrooms or snap peas.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cups
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 820mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
