Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup (Print Version)

Creamy coconut curry soup with tender chicken, aromatic spices, and fresh vegetables in a rich red curry broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Aromatics

02 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 shallots, thinly sliced

→ Curry & Broth

05 - 2 tablespoons red curry paste
06 - 13.5 fl oz coconut milk, full-fat
07 - 25 fl oz chicken broth
08 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free
10 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
11 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Vegetables

12 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
13 - 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14 - 3.5 oz snow peas, trimmed

→ Garnishes

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Fresh Thai basil
17 - Sliced red chili, optional
18 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil, then sauté shallots, ginger, and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its aroma.
02 - Add chicken pieces and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat with aromatics and curry paste.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
05 - Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and snow peas. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are just tender.
06 - Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce, lime, or sugar as desired.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, Thai basil, red chili, and lime wedges. Serve hot.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 40 minutes but tastes like slow-cooked comfort food.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup while you're already relaxed with a warm bowl.
  • Naturally dairy-free and gluten-free if you use tamari instead of soy sauce.
  • Infinitely customizable depending on what's in your fridge or how much heat you're craving.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of toasting the curry paste—rushing through it means the soup tastes flat and one-dimensional instead of complex and layered.
  • Full-fat coconut milk is non-negotiable; using light coconut milk makes the broth taste thin and loses the creamy mouthfeel that makes this dish special.
  • Add the lime juice at the very end because heat diminishes its brightness, and you want that fresh zing to shine through.
  • The fish sauce might smell intense on its own, but once it's in the soup it becomes invisible, deepening every other flavor without announcing itself.
03 -
  • Buy the best coconut milk you can afford—it's the difference between silky and thin, and it's worth a couple dollars more for the result.
  • Toast the curry paste for that full minute even though you're impatient; it's the secret to depth and complexity in every spoonful.
  • Add lime juice in stages—a little first, then more after you taste, because it's impossible to take brightness back out once it's in.
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