Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
The preparation here takes an almost stir-fry approach in cooking both the chicken and the vegetables. I almost always prefer chicken browned against a hot surface than boiled in stock — the extra steps add, at most, 15 minutes, but are worth it IMO. I also borrowed an Indian cooking technique in making a paste of the aromatics and spices before adding the stock — deepens the flavor, I think.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rice noodles (rice sticks or Chinese noodles)
for the chicken
- 3 tablespoons coconut sunflower, or other high-heat oil, divided usage
- 3/4 pound chicken thighs cut into thin, short strips
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
for the vegetables
- 1 leek sliced into thin rounds, then lightly chopped
- 4 small carrots sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 1 baby bok choy head root end trimmed, sliced thin (including leaves — give them a little extra chop or two)
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 2 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems discarded, sliced (about 8 caps)
for the assembled soup
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass minced very finely (or lemongrass paste)
- 1-3 tablespoons red curry paste use three for a hot curry punch
- 2 teaspoons mild sweet curry powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from one small lime
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil sliced chiffonade, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the rice noodles in their own pot according to package directions. (Technically, you could cook them in the soup, but some brands and noodle-types require a longer cooking time than others, so it might be best to do it separately.) Drain, and set aside.
- While the noodles cook, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 5 qt. Dutch oven or stock pot over medium until shimmering. Season the chicken pieces with curry powder, salt and pepper. Add to the pot and cook all the way through, about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon oil, turn heat to medium-high and add the leeks, carrots, bok choy, bell peppers and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring constantly - like a stir-fry - for 5 minutes, until vegetables are soft but still vibrant. Use a small splash of chicken stock to deglaze the pan, if necessary. Push the veggies off to one side of the pan.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the pan and heat briefly. Add the shallots, ginger and lemongrass, stirring well, while keeping the ingredients together in a small mound. Mix in the red curry paste, curry powder, and brown sugar, heating briefly (30 seconds). Slowly add about a 1/4 cup of chicken stock and stir to create a loose paste. Add the remaining stock, plus the fish sauce, and thoroughly mix all of the contents of the pot together.
- Let the soup come to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Return the chicken and its juices to the soup, along with the coconut milk and lime juice. Let cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.