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Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Thai chicken noodle soup with a vibrant golden coconut-curry broth and tender sliced chicken, finished with rice noodles that stay springy. Simmer curry aromatics with coconut milk, then cook the chicken through and heat the noodles until just tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and noodles
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast or thighs Thinly sliced
  • 6 oz rice noodles Soak in warm water before cooking
Coconut-curry broth
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 lemongrass Bruised
  • 3 slice galangal or fresh ginger
  • 4 clove garlic Minced
Toppings
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 2 green onions Sliced
  • 1 fresh Thai basil For serving
  • 1 cilantro For serving
  • 1 lime wedges For serving
  • 1 red chili Sliced, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Soak noodles and build the curry broth
  1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside for springy noodles.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, then cook the red curry paste for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic.
  3. Add the garlic, lemongrass, and galangal (or ginger) and cook for 1 minute to bloom the aromatics.
  4. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth, then add the fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar and stir to combine.
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes to develop the coconut-curry flavor.
Cook chicken, finish noodles, and serve
  1. Add the sliced chicken to the simmering broth and cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
  2. Remove the lemongrass and galangal (or ginger), then stir in the drained rice noodles and heat through for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Serve the soup topped with bean sprouts, green onions, Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced red chili.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the noodles separate until the end so they don’t over-soften during the simmer. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently and add a splash of broth/water if needed. Freezing isn’t ideal because rice noodles can lose texture. For a lighter option, use light coconut milk and reduce fish sauce slightly to taste.