Thai Coconut Curry Soup (Printable)

Aromatic curry soup with chicken, vegetables, and creamy coconut broth for a comforting spiced meal.

# What you'll 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 - 3 1/3 cups coconut milk, full fat or light
13 - 2 cups chicken broth
14 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 - 1 lime, juiced

→ Garnishes

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

# Method:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and sauté ginger, garlic, and lemongrass for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in red curry paste and cook for another minute to release its flavors.
02 - Add chicken slices and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat evenly with curry paste.
03 - Pour in coconut milk and chicken broth. Add kaffir lime leaves, carrots, mushrooms, and red bell pepper.
04 - Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
06 - Add baby spinach or bok choy and simmer for 1–2 minutes until just wilted. Remove lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with spring onions, cilantro, fresh chili, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like youve been simmering it all day.
  • The balance of creamy, spicy, sweet, and tangy hits every craving at once.
  • You can swap proteins or go fully plant based without losing any of the soul.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day once the flavors marry overnight.
02 -
  • If you add the lime juice too early, it will turn bitter, so always stir it in at the very end.
  • Dont skip bruising the lemongrass, it releases the oils that make the broth smell incredible.
  • Taste the broth before adding all the fish sauce at once, some brands are saltier than others.
  • If the soup feels too thick, thin it with a bit more broth or water until it reaches your ideal consistency.
03 -
  • Toast your curry paste in the pot before adding liquid to unlock deeper, more complex flavors.
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the spring onions and cilantro right over the bowl for less mess and quicker prep.
  • If you cant find kaffir lime leaves, a strip of lime zest added during simmering will give you a similar citrus note.
  • For a richer broth, stir in a spoonful of peanut butter or almond butter at the end, it adds body and a subtle nutty undertone.
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