Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Complex and flavorful. I was tempted to lick the bowl after practically slurping it all down.
Texture: The broth is smooth thanks to the coconut milk and chunky thanks to the chicken and veggies.
Ease: Very easy and fast. I think prepping the ingredients actually takes longer than cooking the soup (prep the ingredients ahead of time to make this recipe really fast).
Appearance: Unfortunately my picture doesn’t really illustrate just how much chicken and vegetables are floating around in there. They’re there, promise!
Pros: Fresh, fast, tasty.
Cons: Leftovers don’t keep well.
Would I make this again? Yes, next time I might try to add noodles.
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On Monday I shared some very exciting news and I’d like to thank everyone who reached out with support and encouragement. You guys are the best! I can’t think of anything more comforting than the words of support from friends and family. Well, maybe soup. Soup is pretty darn comforting. One of my New Year’s blogging resolutions was to cook and post more soup recipes. I like them, you guys like them. It’s a win-win. This soup is awesome! It doesn’t taste exactly like what you get in a Thai restaurant and I can’t attest to its authenticity (Thai cuisine is something I don’t know much about) but I can attest to its deliciousness. You know something is tasty when you want seconds!
The original recipe called for 1 3-inch stalk of lemongrass, something I can never find here. If you have access to it and want to use it, add it in after the garlic and before the chile paste. Discard the lemongrass before serving. Sambal oelek and fish sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If you’re unsure what to look for, search them in Google images!
Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cups light coconut milk
- 4 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil to pot. Add mushrooms, pepper, ginger, and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chile paste and cook for another minute.
- Add chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken to pot and cook 1 minute, or until heated through. Pour soup into bowls and garnish with green onion and cilantro.
I love this soup and the many flavors. I especially enjoy spicy food and so I added more of the sambal oelek than what is called for. Perfect flavors! Not sure why others are talking about lemon grass when your recipe calls for lime juice.
Great recipe and I will making this more often. Thank you!
I too love this soup. I keep reading comments about people having trouble finding lemon grass but there is no lemon grass in the ingredients so that’s pretty weird. I used monk fruit in place of sugar.
Absolutely Amazing! I add bamboo shoots, carrots and red onion. I was also out of white sugar, so I use brown sugar and it turned out great! It so satisfying any time of year and low calorie!!! If there is an H Mart or Asian Grocery near you, they typically have lemon grass! Trader Joe’s also carries the frozen cubs!
One of my very favorites winter soups. It’s so easy & fast (if you can find the lemongrass) The spice is just perfect, although I make it more spicy than the recipe call for, and I add Chile flakes. Thank you for posting this most delicious recipe!
Crunchy chow mein noodles work well. Put them in the soup at time of serving. Also, if you find you need more heat, I made this soup with 2 Reaper Peppers. It turned out really nice. Keep extra coconut cream on hand to add to your soup. It gives it a nice coconut flavor boost.
What kind of noodles are best for this recipe?
I absolutely love Thai soups…luckily I know where to get lemon grass! Sooooo excited to try this one!
Oh yum, I love all things with coconut milk! What a great soup.
Sounds good!
I made this exact recipe on Monday! Great stuff, but man – that sambal oelek is beastly stuff to cook with. I couldn't stop choking 😛 I'm going to hold my breath next time. Haha.
Also, I have the same issue with lemongrass… I wish I could have included it, but I don't know where to get it!
Such a simple and delicious soup!
I really wanted to try this recipe from the moment I read that issue of cooking light! Glad to hear that it's worth making!