Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup (Print Version)

Tender chicken in aromatic coconut curry broth with vegetables

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 - 3 cups 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 continuously to coat evenly with aromatics and curry paste.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and add fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
04 - Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and snow peas. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in lime juice and taste the soup, adjusting seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime, or sugar as desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, Thai basil, red chili, and lime wedges. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you've been planning it all day.
  • The soup is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free without sacrificing any creaminess or flavor.
  • There's something almost meditative about how the aromatics transform the broth into pure comfort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of aromatics—I learned the hard way that dumping everything in at once tastes flat and rushed, while giving them 2 minutes in hot oil changes everything.
  • Fish sauce smells strange in the bottle but transforms into pure savory depth once cooked, so trust the process and don't let the smell fool you into skipping it.
03 -
  • Keep your coconut milk can in the fridge the night before—cold coconut milk is easier to separate and gives you better control over whether you want a creamier or brothier soup.
  • If your soup tastes flat at the end, it's almost always missing acid (lime) or salt (fish sauce), not heat or sweetness, so adjust those first before adding more curry paste.
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