The Best Thai Chicken Noodle Soup you’ll ever make! Each bite of this Chicken Soup is full of Thai flavor from the red curry paste to the ginger, then loaded with chicken, veggies, and rice noodles. The perfect comforting dinner recipe is ready in only 30 minutes!
If you’re looking for more Chicken Soup Recipes you need to try my Homemade Healing Chicken Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, or my Light Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Table of Contents
- Healthy & Nourishing Chicken Noodle Soup
- What Gives This Soup Thai Flavors?
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- Can I Cook The Noodles in The Soup?
- Tips & Variations
- What To Serve With Thai Chicken Soup
- How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Can I Freeze This?
- Get the Recipe
- More Chicken Soup Recipes
Healthy & Nourishing Chicken Noodle Soup
This is one of the recipes that I’m very proud of. There’s something really special about cooking Thai food at home, and this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is a great example!
We love to order Thai takeout because the food has such bold and fun flavors. The authentic tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors almost seem impossible to replicate at home. But that’s not the case at all! This soup is so easy to make and you can find the ingredients right at your regular grocery store. It’s really pretty incredible how amazing this soup turns out with little effort!
This soup is also really quick to put together for an easy weeknight meal. You need just 30 minutes to make this soup at home. So, instead of ordering Thai takeout, why don’t you try this soup instead? I promise you won’t regret it. And your family will keep asking for it over and over again!
What Gives This Soup Thai Flavors?
The main ingredients that give this chicken soup its signature Thai flavors are – fresh ginger, fresh garlic, a rich red curry paste (made with lemongrass, coriander, shallots, ginger, garlic, and red chilis) coconut milk, lime juice, and fresh cilantro.
What I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make and how much flavor I can pack into it in just 30 minutes! It will seriously blow your mind! I even have a Vegetarian version of this recipe for those of you eating a meatless diet. It’s just as flavorful without any chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
The recipe ingredients are listed below for Thai Chicken Noodle Soup. Remember to check out the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Chicken: For a short cut I like to use already cooked rotisserie chicken. However, if you prefer you could use boneless chicken breast and poach in chicken broth.
- Coconut Oil: Or whatever cooking oil you have, but I like to use coconut oil for the slightly nutty flavor.
- Aromatics: The key aromatics in this soup are minced fresh garlic, fresh ginger, and red onion.
- Red Curry Paste: You can’t have a curry without curry paste! I like to use the Thai Kitchen Brand Red Curry Paste, it’s the perfect amount of heat and rich curry flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Adding chicken broth instead of water helps develop the depth of flavor in the soup, especially because this is a quick soup. The more you can add flavor the more flavor you’ll have in the end! (if you’re watching your sodium count use low-sodium chicken broth.)
- Carrots: The carrots add nutrients, freshness, and a nice crunch.
- Snow Peas: Adds a nice pop of green and sticks with the Asian theme. You could also use blanched green beans if you don’t have snow peas.
- Red Pepper: I like to julienne these to have a different shape from the other vegetables.
- Brown Rice Noodles: Instead of using spaghetti or egg noodles I prefer to stick with the Thai theme, so I use rice noodles in this chicken noodle soup to give it almost that Pad Thai feel.
- Coconut Milk: Always use canned coconut milk for this recipe. It can be found in the international or Asian aisle at your grocery store. Coconut milk from the can adds thickness and a slight sweetness that pairs perfectly with the flavors.
- Fresh Lime Juice: The acid from lime juice cuts from the heat and creaminess in the rest of the dish. It’s also a great way to add flavor without adding more salt.
- Fresh Cilantro: I love to finish all of my dishes with fresh herbs for that final fresh pop of flavor.
How to Make Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Here is how to make this soup in just 30 minutes! The flavors are complex but the steps are simple.
- First, cook the noodles. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add brown rice noodles to a pot of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the noodles from your pot, drain the water, and immediately place the noodles in an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- Next, heat your pot and get the other ingredients ready. Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot to medium-high heat and add the coconut oil.
- Saute the aromatics. Once the oil is melted add red onions and saute until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add fresh garlic and fresh ginger. Saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add red curry paste, and stir the paste until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Then add the broth and bring it to a boil. Once the curry paste is thickened add in chicken broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add in the good stuff! Now, it’s time to add in the shredded chicken, cooked noodles, carrots, red pepper, and snow peas.
- Simmer and stir everything together. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, until snow peas are vibrant green and carrots are fork tender. Remove about one cup of broth from the pot to mix with the coconut milk.
- Now to make it creamy. Add the 1 cup of broth to a blender along with one can of coconut milk. Blend until the mixture looks creamy and the broth and milk no longer separate.
- Add the mixture to the pot. Add the coconut milk mixture back to the soup pot, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Then add the finishing touches. Right before you’re about to serve the soup, finish with fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro. If you’d like, top it with sliced avocado and sliced green onions.
Can I Cook The Noodles in The Soup?
When making a noodle soup you can choose to cook the noodles directly in the broth or a separate pot and then add them to the soup. In my opinion, when cooking the noodles in your soup broth you lose some of the broth because the noodles soak it up.
So, I like to cook the noodles separately and then add them after they’ve been cooked. I find it helps you maintain as much broth as possible, which is what you want. After all, it is soup!
Tips & Variations
Some helpful tips and variation ideas are below.
- Use different bell peppers or add spicy ones. You can also use orange, yellow, or red peppers in this soup. I don’t recommend using green bell peppers though because they aren’t as sweet. You could also add some slices of spicy Thai chilis if you want the soup to have a little kick.
- Make sure the can of coconut milk is at room temperature. It will pour out a lot easier if it’s at room temperature.
- Other herbs will work, too. You can also use fresh chives, basil, or parsley as a garnish.
- Use shrimp instead of chicken. Cooked shrimp works well with this recipe if you want a seafood version.
What To Serve With Thai Chicken Soup
Here are a few of my other favorite recipes that go well with this soup.
- Quick and Easy Shrimp Appetizer: Serve my Coconut Shrimp with Thai Chili Ginger Sauce as a fun snack with loads of flavor and texture before eating this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Soup and Salad: My Thai Mango Avocado Salad is a sweet and tangy salad to serve on the side to make this a complete meal. My Crunchy Thai Vegetarian Salad would also be great!
- Mocktail and Cocktail Pairing: For a weeknight alcohol-free beverage, you can try my Pineapple Ginger Beer Mocktail. Or if you want something a little boozy, try a refreshing Raspberry Mojito.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
You can store this Thai Chicken Soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and it will last 3 to 4 days. Then reheat the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze This?
If you would like to freeze this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup, allow the soup to cool and store it in a freezer storage bag for up to 2 months.
To reheat from frozen, place frozen soup in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then warm it up on the stove to serve.
Print
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
The Most Epic Thai Chicken Noodle Soup you’ll ever make! Each bite of this Chicken Noodle Soup is full of Thai flavor from the red curry paste, loaded with chicken, veggies, and rice noodles. The perfect dinner recipe is ready in only 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup green beans or snow peas
- 1 red pepper, julienned
- 8 oz. brown rice noodles
- 14 oz. coconut milk (in a can)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro diced
- Optional: top with sliced avocado and sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot to medium high heat.
- Add in coconut oil. Once melted add red onions, saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Next add in the garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant, stirring the entire time.
- Add in the red curry paste, stir the paste into the aromatics (onion, garlic and ginger) until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Next, add in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Add in the shredded chicken.
- In the meantime bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add brown rice noodles to the pot and cook for 4 minutes. (or whatever your directions say) Remove from pot, drain water and cool the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Add noodles, carrots, red pepper and green beans or snow peas to the chicken broth pot.
- Scoop about a cup of the broth out of the pot and add it to a blender or food processor, along with a can of coconut milk. Blend until the mixture looks creamy and the broth and milk no longer separate.
- Add the coconut milk mixture back to the soup pot. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Right before you’re about to serve it. Finish the soup with fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro. Stir and serve!
- Optional: top with sliced avocado and sliced green onions
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 282
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 931 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
Filed Under:
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107 comments on “Thai Chicken Noodle Soup”
Zest the lime rind as well. It adds another layer of freshness. Great recipe. Our kids loved this kind of food when they were infants. They’d have ripped through this before reaching the age of two years!!
Yes you are so right! And I love that your kiddos have been eating food like this.. a sophisticated palette.
I love using this recipe and switching out the veggies, sometimes rice instead of noodles, adding white beans and less chicken, basically whatever I have on hand. Always turns out delicious, very forgiving recipe!
Love that you change this up and make it your own! The flavor will always stay the same, it’s sooo good! Definitely one of my favorites!
This look amazing! Has anyone tried it with light coconut milk?
I have…I enjoyed it both ways.
Very good, my only complaint is I fear the vague instructions will either prevent people from trying this or they make it incorrectly. But absolutely delicious. Added a couple of dashes of fish sauce for added tang. Thank you!
I am glad you enjoyed this recipe. Did you see the step-by-step instructions along with the pictures in the blog? It goes into much detail.
I added Baby Bellas and Red Cabbage, and a tbsp more curry paste! I did add in some garlic chili sauce which made it even more amazing! Maybe a bit more coconut milk next time!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe and made it your own!
This recipe is great. I made it as written but I imagine it would be a great way to use up small amounts of leftover meat and vegetables that are looking for a new purpose in life. Blending the coconut milk with some stock made for an amazing mouth feel. I’m looking forward to making this soup again!
I am thrilled this recipe was a hit!
Are you using full fat coconut milk?
Yes, it is.
Great recipe! I wanted a bit more heat so added chili flakes and Sambal oelek (chili paste) tastes great and a really colorful soup!
I love extra heat too! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This is my second time making this soup as written, plus a splash of fish sauce and some chili garlic sauce. I used spaghetti squash in place of noodles. Seriously so delicious, I’m so glad I stumbled on it!
Sounds fantastic! I am so glad you enjoy this recipe and I love that you are making it your own!
Favorite Thai chicken soup recipe! Made this a handful of times and even my husband loves it!
It is packed with flavor! So glad this recipe was a hit!
We often set up a hot pot-style buffet where people can choose from several kinds of noodles and different ingredients including chicken feet (Sauteed beforehand), lemongrass and blood pudding (If you can get it).as well as bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and bean curd It’s great for larger get-togethers. It all goes on a table with a couple of pots of broth, one spicy, one not and one without onions (We have guests who have issues with Onions). Guests walk around the table with a bowl of broth and add their ingredients.
How fun! Sounds amazing!
I have to say, this was absolutely delicious! I made it for my family of 2 adults and 4 picky teenagers and the flavour was all there! Will definitely make this again but first, to have a little nosey around all of your other fabulous recipes! Thank you x
Thank you so much. This means the world! I hope you find many more you enjoy!
This is the best Thai dish I’ve ever made! EVERYONE in my family loved it. We made the recipe as directed but used a good quality, low-fat coconut milk. I added sliced baby Bella mushrooms and included both red and sweet onion since I was making a larger pot and wanted more veggies. It wasn’t spicy (I think my red curry was too mild?) so I added a dried red curry Thai spice mix that has a kick and hints of lime and lemongrass. I will definite use this spice again and maybe add some fresh lemongrass next time. We kept the noodles on the side so family could choose bread or add however many noodles they were hungry for and they wouldn’t get soggy as leftovers. If you like more kick, just top your bowl with red chili flakes… some like it “Thai Hot” 😮
I only wish this dish was freezable! Thank you, Krista for great recipes!
Thank you soooo much!!! Love the additions! I am so glad the entire family loved it!
This recipe is great as is. The proportions are perfect and it turns into a delectable, unique soup flavor. Everyone that has tried it has really like it. This is in my regular rotation as of 4 years now. Krista, you are doing good work on this blog. I have used several of your other recipes, such as the Cobb salad which is a good, healthy, tasty, filling low-carb lunch.
Thank you so very much! Your continued support is very appreciated and I am so glad you are finding other recipes you love!
When cooking this recipe with the 1 1/2 lbs chicken and 6 cups of broth will that be sufficient for two people?
Yes, it definitely will be. 🙂
Was really good….next time I’d add more coconut milk, less chicken broth, more spice (more red curry paste…I had added less than the recipe called for). I made chicken in the crockpot then shredded. Green onions on top wasn’t necessary. My, hubby and 10 yr old daughter loved it! (7 yr old wasn’t a fan)
Two out of three isn’t too bad! I am glad this was a hit!
This was really amazing. I didn’t have red pepper and subbed out snow peas for snap peas. So yum! Sent it to my fam to try!
This soup is always a hit! So easy and delicious – thank you for spreading the love and sending it to the fam!
Do you use unsweetened coconut milk or regular coconut milk?
I use unsweetened.
I’m about to make this…sounds so good!
How long do you cook the broth after you add the carrots?
I usually cook for another 5 -10 minutes. I still like a crunch to mine. But if you don’t I’d recommend cooking longer.
The whole family loved this. I did add some peanut butter to the broth and coconut milk mixture in the blender and then added some more ginger and curry paste, curry powder and some fish sauce to the soup after tasting. Thanks so much for the recipe. My husband thought it tasted exactly like something he had eaten in Asia, so I feel like that is a win!
OH my gosh thats awesome! Huge compliment.
I highly recommend this recipe! I never rate recipes, but felt like I had to for this one. I did a few Substitutions just because that’s what I had on hand. I used green beans instead of snow pease, a tablespoon extra of curry paste and ginger (because everything is better with extra of those two things) and I added just a pinch of salt. Delicious.
YES!! Love the additions! Thank you for the rating!
Hi! Great soup but mine turned out too spicy. Should I add another can of coconut milk to tone it down? Also, have you tried freezing it?
If it was too spicy for you I’d reduce the curry paste by 1 tablespoon, that should do the trick and no I would not freeze it. The coconut milk will get lumpy and the noodles will disintegrate and get mushy. 🙁
So delicious! I used garlic chili sauce instead of curry paste because that’s what I had on hand. Also some bok choy! I’m planning to make again tonight (3rd time). 🙂
woohoo … love those tweaks too!
Can I substitute olive or veggie oil for the coconut oil to saute the onions, garlic and ginger?
yes, either is fine.
Hi Krista:
The soup is fantastic! Does it freeze well? I made a full batch, but being single, I can’t eat it all at once, and I’d like to keep some for later!!!
Thanks!
Marty
hmm… I have not frozen it before. But if I were to, I’d say freeze it without the noodle. I would think that the noodles would turn starchy or mushy when reheating.
I just made this soup and it was delicious! I did put in a little more spice just because I like it more spicy, but this recipe is so good.
Give me all the spice! So happy you enjoyed it!
Hello Krista, Made a chicken stock out of leftover bones with a load of Thai ingredients to replace the standard stock veg (lemongrass, chillies, bok choi, etc) and then made this recipe. Absolutely fantastic!
This was pretty darn good! I mean, I ate three bowls in one sitting if that tells you anything. I did simmer the soup for about 9 mins after adding the vegetables to make sure the carrots were cooked well. I also added red chili pepper flakes and more curry powder at the end because I LOVE the taste of curry and I felt like it was lacking some flavor. However, overall I thought it was delicious and I will be saving and making again!
We made this for lunch today and it was wonderful. It’s Christmas Day and we’ve been indulging in too many treats. I wanted a new, healthy recipe to use leftover baked chicken and stock I had on hand and needed to add some veggies to our bowls! I didn’t have cilantro and I know it will be better tomorrow when I can add that, but even without it, it was amazing. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I would love to see you prep all that stuff in 5 min.
haha.. I’m a speedy chopper. 🙂 It may take some people 10 mins to chop
What brand if curry paste doo you use? I put 3 or 4 tablespoons in and it was not spicy at all and the curry favor was a bit mild.. Other wise it was delicious.
I use thai kitchen brand.. you can definitely add more .. I have babies at the house that eat it so I have to make it kinda mild
This recipe was absolutely delicious and easy! Thanks for sharing!
I thought this was really good. I did have to add more spice to it only because we felt it needed a little something more. It is not a recipe that is only 5 minutes to prep and 30 minutes to cook. I am not sure where that came from . We will make it again!! I also used Pho noodles only because I was not sure what the other noodles looked like.
How would you make this in a crockpot?
You would need to saute the onions, garlic, ginger and curry paste first. Then add everything into the crockpot with chicken, red pepper and chicken broth. Cook for 2 hours, then coconut milk, snap peas and cilantro.
Honestly it would be easier just to make it on the stove.
This soup was a huge hit with my friends and family. Thank you! I have a question regarding how prep time works or what it means in this recipe and others. 5 minutes is only possible if you have absolutely everything cut, cooked, shredded and ready to go. If so, then I’m confused by what “prep time” means in recipes. By the time I cut the veggies, prepped the chicken (meaning cooking it and shredding it), etc. I had at least 30 minutes in already, then the putting it all together was another 30, what I would call the “cooking time”. How does this work?
Hey Melissa, I’m so glad you liked the recipe! For the prep time, I count the “cut time” that’s basically it because I used rotisserie chicken so I didn’t need to cook it. If you end up cooking the chicken and then cutting it, then yes it will be more time.
Delicious & beautiful!
Does this recipe stay well in the fridge for a few days?
yes, I’ve had to 2-3 days later and it’s still good 🙂
Absolutely delish soup!! The only thing is I started off with 1.5TBSP red curry paste and it was plenty hot, I guess it really depends on the brand of curry paste!
Yes, it definitely does. Each curry has it own heatness. Mine is not sure spicy so I need 3-4 to get that level of flavor I was looking for. So glad you liked it though!
That was supposed to be a 5 star…DEFINITELY 5STAR!!!
hurray!
Congratulations on your new little one, hope everyone is doing well!! Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe, I am sort of new to cooking Thai and this made me look like a pro!! Easy and delicious, restaurant quality! MY family loved it. Thanks again. Best of luck to you and
your new Lil one!!!
Thank you so much Patty! 🙂 So glad that your first go at Thai turned out to be a success and was a hit with the family. 🙂
Hello any suggestions on substituting the coconut milk??
sorry for the slow response kristin, just had a baby so comments have taken a back seat. You could sub the coconut milk with almond milk or cashew cream.. if you’re ok with dairy you could use whole milk but it takes away some of the ‘thai flavor’
Came out great, needed extra lime for each bowl but otherwise tasty. I think I could have used less chicken/noodles, added more paste/ginger/garlic. Will make again.
Awesome Amanda. So glad you enjoyed it! This has quickly become one of my favorites!
I made this soup last night for the first time… Loved it! Easy to make and full of flavor. Thank you!
Awesome! So glad to hear that Chuck! Sounds like it will be repeat 🙂
This is a gorgeous soup. I love the Thai flavors!!
thank you so much!
This makes me ready for soup season!
I know right! It’s my favorite season!
That Thai chicken noodle soup looks amazing. It looks like just the thing I want on a cold, rainy day. It’s definitely something I would chow down on while reading.
Definitely! I hope you make it soon!
This is a gorgeous soup. I love the Thai flavors!!
Thanks Sandi! The thai flavors are insane!
This soup is SO good. I made it in my instant pot and it turned out perfect!
woohoo! so glad you liked it!
Man! I wish our temps would drop a teeny bit! This soup looks ahhh-mazing! The color! The red curry! Very nice!
I’m with ya girl!
We’re in the middle of a heatwave (107 at school pick up today…yikes!) so I say bring on fall! I can’t wait to try this and enjoy some cooler weather.
After reading this, I’d love to grab a big ol’ spoon and dig right in!
haha.. thanks Sharon. You totally should!
Love the Thai flavors in this! What a comfort food dinner for the win!
Wooho! Comfort food loaded with flavor for the win!
This soup is not only delicious but also STUNNING! I love the way it looks!
Thank you so much Allyson! Hope you get a chance to try it!
Can yellow curry be subbed for the red?
it will have a different taste for sure, I would actually recommend not to sub that. You could sub green curry paste but yellow is quite different in my opinion. The paste has other ingredients like garlic and such added to it for extra flavor.
I think I messed up or something because it didn’t really have any flavor
hhm… not sure. Because this recipe definitely has flavor, unless the red curry paste brand you bought was mild on flavor.
Fo i have to boil the chicken or pan froed?
I boil the chicken and then shred it
Then you have never eaten real Thai food. This soup is excessively bland. Need to add some extras like a table spoon of curry power corrander and at least a drop of heat.
You can definitely do that. I cook most of these meals for my family, including a 6 year old so if you need to add more heat you can definitely do that. To each his or her own. 🙂