Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken — Recreate this Thai restaurant-inspired soup at home in 20 minutes! An EASY, one-pot recipe for this comforting soup made with shredded chicken, Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, basil, cilantro, green onions, and more! Healthy comfort food never tasted so good!
Table of Contents
- Easy Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken
- Ingredients in Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- What’s the Best Kind of Chicken to Use in Thai Chicken Noodle Soup?
- What Coconut Milk Should I Use for Thai Noodle Curry Soup?
- How to Make Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken
- Soup Bowl Tip
- Tips for the Best Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- Garnish Ideas
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe FAQs
- Storing Leftover Soup
- Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken Recipe
- More Easy Thai-Inspired Recipes:
Easy Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken
For anyone who’s a regular reader of my site and makes my recipes, you know that I love Thai food and never miss a chance to recreate a Thai restaurant quality meal at home with no hassle, no fuss, and just great tasting results. Which perfectly sums up this soup!
You’ll find an abundance of shredded chicken and tender rice noodles in the broth which is made with Thai red curry paste, creamy coconut milk, and plenty of fresh seasonings and herbs including ginger, garlic, basil, cilantro, and green onions.
Everything plays a role to add texture and layers of rich flavor to this easy soup.
Best of all is that this easy Thai noodle soup with chicken is made in one pot, comes together with easy-to-find ingredients, and it’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Looking for More Great Thai-Inspired Soups?
I have a couple other recipes for Thai-inspired soup with chicken. They’re both amazing!
1. Namely this Thai Chicken Curry Soup which is on the thicker side with chunks of sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and juicy chicken.
2. And I also have a Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup which has a plentiful quantity of coconut milk-based broth along with chicken, carrots, spinach and more.
How do they differ from today’s soup? Easy! Today’s soup has noodles and the other two don’t. And who can resist slurping down a bowl full of Thai chicken noodle soup!
Ingredients in Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
This quick and easy Thai chicken noodle soup recipe is made with easy-to-find fridge and pantry ingredients (check the Asian foods area of your regular grocery store or big box store) including the following:
- Olive oil or coconut oil
- White or yellow onion
- Cloves of garlic
- Ginger
- Thai red curry paste
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Water
- Full fat coconut milk
- Rice noodles (sometimes called ‘stir fry rice noodles’)
- Cooked and shredded chicken
- Lime juice
- Fresh herbs: basil and cilantro
- Green onions, for garnishing
- Salt
- Pepper
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
What’s the Best Kind of Chicken to Use in Thai Chicken Noodle Soup?
For this Thai rice noodle soup, you’ll want to use previously cooked chicken that’s been shredded or cubed. I recommend the following:
- Poached Chicken – If you want to make chicken at home, use my easy and flavorful poached chicken recipe. Shred or cube it as desired.
- Whole Roasted Chicken – This is the easiest way to make a whole roasted chicken on a sheet pan in just 1 hour. And when you’re wondering what to do with the leftover chicken – easy! Shred it and make this soup!
- Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken – If you’re pressed for time or energy levels are not up to making your own chicken, pick up a rotisserie chicken and shred it so that you have 2 cups to use in the soup.
I personally like shredded chicken breasts best in this recipe. Although if you want to use a mix of dark meat along with white based on your preferences, go for it.
What Coconut Milk Should I Use for Thai Noodle Curry Soup?
You want to use one 13.5 to 14-ounce can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk.
Full-fat canned coconut milk will give you a much richer overall mouthfeel, texture, and the soup will simply taste better than using lite canned coconut milk, although it will technically still ‘work’.
Make sure to use coconut milk that comes in a can and not the kind in a carton in the refrigerated section of your grocery. That’s thinner and what you’d perhaps pour over cereal.
Also, do not confuse canned coconut milk with cream of coconut that also comes in a can, which is extremely sweet, super thick (it’s almost pure fat), and better suited for blending up a piña colada than a curry or soup.
Additionally, don’t try to use another milk — cashew, soy, cow’s, etc. — instead of canned coconut milk and expect it to resemble a proper Thai noodle soup.
How to Make Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken
Making this red curry Thai noodle soup with chicken is a cinch, is a one-pot wonder, with about 10 minutes prep time and ready in 20 minutes total time.
Step 1: To a large Dutch oven or stock pot, add the oil, onion, and saute.
Step 2: Add the cloves garlic, ginger, Thai red curry paste, stir to combine, and saute for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the chicken broth, water, coconut milk, rice noodles, cooked and shredded chicken, stir to combine and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft.
Step 4: Add the lime juice, basil, cilantro, green onions, salt, pepper, taste and adjust for seasoning balance, and serve!
Soup Bowl Tip
Wondering what kind of soup bowls to use? I have an extremely comprehensive Best Soup Bowls post that will give you some great ideas! And not solely bowls for just soups, but for so many other recipes that you can serve in anything from a classic bowl like Spaghetti and Meatballs to a more modern shallow bowl like I use in my Eggroll in a Bowl recipe.
Tips for the Best Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Salt: I like to mention in simple recipes like this one, and especially with soups in general, that you shouldn’t be afraid to add plenty of salt and pepper, to taste. In order to really let this very simple soup recipe taste like something, it needs a decent amount of salt. That’s going to depend on just how salty your chicken broth was, your curry paste, and your overall personal preference for salt. If it tastes at all flat, boring, or dull, it likely needs more salt.
Acid: Along with salt, another very important element to not overlook is the need for an acid to brighten up the overall flavor profile. In this case, freshly squeezed lime juice does the trick. In my classic 30-Minute Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, I use lemon juice rather than lime juice. In a pinch for most soup recipes, apple cider vinegar will also work just to give it a much needed pop of acidic flavor and wake it up.
Don’t Overcook the Noodles: Rice noodles are much more delicate in texture than traditional pasta noodles and will become gummier quicker. Once you drop them into your soup pot, pay attention to what the brand you’re using recommends for a cooking time, but about 5 minutes usually does the trick, and 10 minutes would be the max. Remember that they’ll continue to cook and soften more off the heat as they sit in the hot broth.
Garnish Ideas
I serve my red curry Thai noodle soup with plenty of lime wedges. And I am not shy about garnishing with plenty of fresh basil and fresh cilantro, as well as green onions, which all add depth of flavor and lend freshness to this warm and cozy bowl of soup.
You may also consider a few dashes of fish sauce, hot sauce, or whatever you love.
Serving Suggestions
For me, soup is always very filling and being that this one has noodles, broth, and protein, it’s plenty for us – especially for lunch or when I’m trying to eat a lighter dinner.
However if you want to complement it with some Asian-inspired appetizers or sides, I suggest:
- Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
- P.F. Chang’s Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Applebee’s Copycat Chicken Wonton Tacos
- Southwestern Eggrolls (not Asian) but a Chili’s copycat and would be great with the soup
Recipe FAQs
I used Thai red curry paste because I think it adds a richer and smoother flavor profile than curry powder (Indian) does, but if all you have is curry powder, you can go for it knowing that the flavor of Thai vs. Indian curry products is vastly different and your soup won’t taste like mine.
As written, no it’s not at all spicy, but there is definitely flavor. But with all curry pastes and powders, they vary in intensity and everyone’s preferences for spice and heat vary, so adjust to taste. I use 5 to 6 rounded tablespoons but there’s not really that much heat in the Thai Kitchen brand of Red Curry Paste that I use. Always start with less, and work your way up, especially if curry paste is a new ingredient for you, or you’re trying out a new brand.
As I mentioned above, but this bears repeating, you want to use one 13.5 to 14-ounce can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk.
Full-fat canned coconut milk will give you a much richer overall mouthfeel, texture, and the soup will simply taste better than using lite canned coconut milk, although it will technically still ‘work’.
Make sure to use coconut milk that comes in a can and not the kind in a carton in the refrigerated section of your grocery.
Also, do not confuse canned coconut milk with cream of coconut that also comes in a can, which is extremely sweet and better suited for a piña colada than a curry or soup.
Additionally, don’t try to use another milk — cashew, soy, cow’s, etc. — instead of canned coconut milk and expect it to resemble a proper Thai noodle soup.
Soup is great because it’s the perfect planned leftovers type of meal. And this Thai noodle soup recipe is great for lunch the next day or an easy nuke-in-the-microwave kind of easy dinner that’s ready and waiting.
Note that the rice noodles will get very soft as they sit in the broth because they’ll continue to absorb broth so don’t be surprised if they’re super soft. Or that it appears that the broth level amount reduced in the soup – it did and it soaked into the noodles!
I use stir fry rice noodles, which are wider, thicker, and more substantial than “thin rice noodles”, which are as they sound – super thin – and almost like cup-of-ramen type noodles, which I don’t prefer for this recipe.
If you can’t find rice noodles or have regular pasta noodles on hand, you can substitute them for rice noodles. However, you’ll be nixing a large part of the Asian-inspired influence this Thai noodle soup has if you use say spaghetti or angel hair pasta noodles, at which point you’ll be channeling more Italian vibes.
You can use either. I always have ground ginger on hand, whereas fresh ginger not so much. I suggest about 1 teaspoon of each.
Technically ground spices are more potent than fresh because they’re more concentrated, but 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (if you use 1 teaspoon freshly grated) doesn’t sound like enough to me and I would use 1 teaspoon ground (and grated).
Always season to your preferences, of course!
Of course! Both of my two other Thai-inspired chicken soup recipes including Thai Chicken Curry Soup and Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup both have plenty of vegetables and greens. Shredded carrots, broccoli, snow peas, green beans, diced bell peppers, small-diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms, baby corn, wilted kale or spinach are all great veggies to use.
The soup is naturally gluten-free because it uses rice noodles rather than traditional pasta noodles.
I’m sure you could eliminate the chicken and use tofu or a fake meat type of protein to make it vegan. You could also simply eliminate the chicken and just add more noodles if you don’t care about trying to replace the chicken with something else.
Storing Leftover Soup
In the Refrigerator: This recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
In the Freezer: This recipe will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To Reheat: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat my leftovers for about 30 seconds on high, or as needed. But you can use your stove, as you see fit.
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Thai Noodle Soup with Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, coconut oil may be substituted
- 1 small yellow or white onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste)
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*, about half of a 4-ounce jar, or to taste
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 13.5- ounce can full fat coconut milk*, See Notes
- 3.5 ounces uncooked rice noodles, stir fry size, not ‘thin rice noodles’
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken*, See Notes, homemade or rotisserie
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onion, sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- To a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the oil, onion, and saute over medium-high heat until it becomes soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes; stir frequently.
- Add the ginger, garlic, Thai red curry paste, stir to incorporate, and saute for 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly continuously. *Tip – It is NOT a typo about the quantity of curry paste, I do mean 6 tablespoons, not teaspoons, because the brand of curry paste I use (Thai Kitchen) is not spicy; it's flavorful. But without adding a pretty decent amount, the soup lacks flavor to me. However, always add any condiment, salt, pepper, etc. slowly and to your own taste preferences, and adjust as you desire.
- Add the chicken broth, water, full fat coconut milk (See Notes), shredded chicken* (See Notes), rice noodles, allow soup to come to a boil, and then simmer for a couple more minutes, or until the noodles are tender. If desired, you can add additional broth/water if you prefer a more brothy soup. Noodle Tips – Rice noodles are much more delicate in texture than traditional pasta noodles and will become gummier quicker. Once you drop them into your soup pot, pay attention to what the brand you’re using recommends for a cooking time, but about 5 minutes usually does the trick, and 10 minutes would be the max. Remember that they’ll continue to cook and soften more off the heat as they sit in the hot broth. Make sure to select thicker 'stir fry' rice noodles rather than 'thin' rice noodles, which are the super skinny cup-of-ramen type noodles and simply too thin to really hold up in this soup.
- Add the lime juice, basil, cilantro, green onions (white and green parts, or as desired), salt, pepper, stir to combine, taste, and make any flavor adjustments. Flavoring Tips – If the soup tastes at all flat, boring, or dull, it likely needs more salt; don't be afraid to add at least another teaspoon or two, depending on personal preference and brand of chicken broth used since some are saltier than others. Along with salt, the lime juice is an acid to brighten up the overall flavor profile so don't skip it. Feel free to add more salt, lime juice, fresh herbs, etc. as desired, to taste. The red curry paste does not make the soup spicy, rather it adds depth of flavor. To make it spicy, add some crushed red pepper flakes or a tiny bit of cayenne pepper.
- Serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Because rice noodles are much softer than traditional pasta noodles, don't be surprised if they become extremely soft as leftover soup sits and they will absorb a fair amount of broth. I haven't frozen this soup but my guess is that it will be fine stored airtight in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave.
Notes
- Poached Chicken – If you want to make chicken at home, use my easy and flavorful poached chicken recipe. Shred or cube it as desired.
- Whole Roasted Chicken – This is the easiest way to make a whole roasted chicken on a sheet pan in just 1 hour. And when you’re wondering what to do with the leftover chicken – easy! Shred it and make this soup!
- Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken – If you’re pressed for time or energy levels are not up to making your own chicken, pick up a rotisserie chicken and shred it so that you have 2 cups to use in the soup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This soup has wonderful flavor with just a very subtle kick that even my sissy husband can take. Comes together quickly. Nice light soup.
I think the recipe should read:
6 TEAspoons of Red Curry Paste…
(*not Tablespoons)
It is actually tablespoons, not teaspoons. Red curry paste (the one I tend to buy because it’s easy to find, the Thai Kitchen brand) is not spicy. It is flavorful, not spicy. Without a pretty decent amount, the soup lacks flavor in my opinion, but of course, add to taste.