Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup (Printable)

A bright bowl featuring tender chicken, rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and a creamy coconut red curry broth.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Noodles

02 - 7 oz dried rice noodles (medium thickness)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup trimmed snow peas
05 - 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
06 - 2 spring onions, sliced (plus extra for garnish)

→ Broth & Flavors

07 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
08 - 2–3 tbsp Thai red curry paste, adjusted to taste
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
11 - 14 fl oz coconut milk
12 - 3 cups chicken stock
13 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
14 - 1 tsp brown sugar
15 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Red chili slices (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in Thai red curry paste and cook for 2 minutes to release aromas.
04 - Add sliced chicken and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked.
05 - Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine and scraping up browned bits from the pot.
06 - Add fish sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Add bell pepper, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, and spring onions. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.
08 - Add cooked noodles and lime juice. Stir thoroughly and heat through.
09 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or lime juice if needed.
10 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, extra spring onions, lime wedges, and optional chili slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth is creamy and vibrant without feeling rich or overwhelming, so you can finish a whole bowl guilt-free.
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the aromatics as they build.
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality Thai food but comes together in under an hour with ingredients you can find anywhere.
  • The balance of spice, sweetness, and lime makes every spoonful feel layered and alive.
02 -
  • Rinse the noodles after cooking or they'll clump together and turn gummy when you add them to the soup.
  • Don't skip blooming the curry paste in oil—it transforms the raw, sharp flavor into something warm and complex.
  • Add the lime juice at the very end, not during simmering, or the acidity will fade and the broth will taste flat.
  • If your coconut milk is separated in the can, shake it hard before opening so the cream and liquid blend smoothly into the broth.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts—they stay tender and juicy even if you simmer a minute too long.
  • Grate the ginger on a microplane for maximum flavor release, it melts into the broth and disappears beautifully.
  • Taste the broth before adding the noodles and adjust the seasoning then, because once the noodles go in, it's harder to fix.
  • Keep extra lime wedges and chili slices on the table so everyone can tweak their bowl to their own heat and tang preference.

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