Thai Fusion Chicken Noodle Soup
Thai Fusion Chicken Noodle Soup blends classic comfort with Thai-inspired flavors like ginger, lemongrass, red curry, and coconut milk for a cozy, craveworthy meal.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 8 ounces your favorite dried pasta noodles (egg noodles are nice)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or avocado oil
- 1 pound chicken boneless , skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
- 1 leek , chopped (white and light green parts only)
- 1 small onion , diced
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 1 medium carrot , diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste*
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste*
- 4 cloves of garlic , peeled and minced
- 2-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste**
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk (canned, not the boxes meant for drinking)
- 1 lime , sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 green onions , sliced thinly
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Set a medium pot of water over high heat and let it come to a boil while you start the chicken. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
- Heat the oil in a 4-quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium until the surface starts to shimmer.
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Arrange the them flat in the pot and let sear for 5 minutes, or until they release easily from the pot (they might stick while cooking; that's okay).
- Don't forget to check the pasta! When the cooking time is up, drain off the water and set the pasta aside.
- Flip the chicken and cook on the other side and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest piece reads 165ºF. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the leeks, onions, celery, and carrots, and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Spoon the ginger, lemongrass, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over the vegetables and mix well. Then stir in the Thai red curry paste.
- Pour in the chicken broth, and let it come up to a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat higher or lower as needed. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the coconut milk, plus the juice from one lime half. Taste, and add salt and/or the rest of the lime juice to suit your tastes.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred, and return to the pot.
- Finish with the cilantro leaves and green onions.
Notes
* I keep ginger and lemongrass paste in my fridge at all times because their fresh counterparts are sometimes difficult to find in my neighborhood. You can substitute their fresh versions, peeled and minced, at a 1:1 ratio.
** Spice levels can vary widely by brand. You'll want to taste the curry paste first to determine how much you want to use. Thai Kitchen's paste is mild, while Maesri and Maeploy are more on the medium scale.