Thai Coconut Curry Soup Bowl (Printable)

Fragrant Thai soup with tender chicken, vegetables, and aromatic red curry in creamy coconut broth. Ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ 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 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnishes

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

# Directions:

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 another minute to release its flavors.
03 - Add the chicken slices and cook for 2-3 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 10-12 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 1-2 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 -
  • The soup comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can go from craving comfort food to actually eating it without losing your mind.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so you're not sacrificing flavor to accommodate dietary needs.
  • The balance of creamy coconut, bright lime, and warming spice hits that sweet spot between cozy and exciting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of blooming the curry paste in oil; it transforms from a chalky spice mixture into something that actually tastes like authentic Thai food.
  • If your soup breaks and the coconut milk separates, it's not ruined; just whisk it back together gently or blend a portion and stir it back in, which I learned the hard way after panicking unnecessarily.
  • Fish sauce genuinely smells like it shouldn't go anywhere near food, but once it cooks into the broth, it becomes this magical ingredient that makes people wonder what makes it taste so good.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze the broth without the vegetables; thaw it later and add fresh vegetables so it tastes like you just made it instead of like leftovers.
  • Keep a jar of red curry paste open in your fridge because you'll start making this soup monthly once you realize how easy it is and how good it makes your kitchen smell.
Return