Thai Coconut Curry Soup Bowl (Printable)

Fragrant Thai-style soup with chicken, vegetables, and spicy coconut broth

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 - 3.5 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 lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day, which is basically kitchen magic.
  • You can adjust the heat level without ruining anything, making it perfect whether you're cooking for yourself or a crowd with different spice tolerances.
  • The coconut broth is naturally creamy and satisfying without feeling heavy, leaving you energized instead of sluggish.
02 -
  • Red curry paste brands vary dramatically in heat level, so always start with one tablespoon and taste before adding the second one, even if the recipe says to use two.
  • Don't skip the step of blooming the curry paste in oil, that minute of cooking is what transforms it from a spicy paste into layered, complex flavor.
03 -
  • If your coconut milk has separated into thick cream and liquid, don't blend it back, just stir the thick part into the curry paste first and let it incorporate before adding the liquid.
  • Fresh lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves make a real difference, but if you can't find them, a strip of lemon or lime zest added at the end captures some of that brightness.
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