4.7 from 195 votes
Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup
This Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup features tender chicken breast cooked with onions, aromatic garlic, ginger, and fragrant ground coriander. A blend of coconut milk and chicken stock forms a creamy, spiced broth enriched by Thai red curry paste and balanced with lime juice and fresh cilantro. Shredded carrots and spinach leaves add texture and color, while optional brown sugar rounds flavors. The soup offers a comforting, mildly spicy, and creamy dish that pairs well with naan bread or as a standalone light meal.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings:
8
servings
Calories:
172 kcal
Course:
Lunch
Cuisine:
International
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil olive oil may be substituted
- 1 onion diced small, medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion
- 1 pound chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces, boneless, skinless
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger finely chopped, or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- coconut milk I used one can full-fat, one lite; I don't recommend using two cans of lite - too watery, two 14-ounce cans
- chicken stock I used reduced sodium, one 15-ounce can
- 1 to 1 ½ cups carrot shredded
- 1 (4 ounce) Thai red curry paste added to taste (read blog post for more details; I use the whole jar. Start with 1/3 to 1/2 of the jar if you're new to Thai red curry paste or are very sensitive to spicy food, jar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
- spinach loosely packed, fresh leaves, about 3 cups
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted, fresh
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar optional and to taste
- Naan optional for serving
Instructions
- To a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes; stir intermittently.
- Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through; flip and stir often to ensure even cooking.
- Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir frequently.
- Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, carrots, Thai curry paste, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, and allow mixture to gently boil for about 5 minutes and carrots are soft.
- Turn the heat off and add the spinach, cilantro, lime juice, and stir to combine. Stir until spinach has wilted and is tender, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Taste the soup and optionally add brown sugar (does not make it sweet in my opinion but rather rounds out the flavor profile and marries things together), additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Leftover soup keeps airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Adjust Thai red curry paste gradually to accommodate your preferred spice level.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
172kcal
(9%)
Carbohydrates
11g
(4%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
36mg
(12%)
Sodium
600mg
(25%)
Potassium
434mg
(9%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
7464IU
(149%)
Vitamin C
10mg
(11%)
Calcium
60mg
(6%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 172
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 172kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 36mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 600mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 434mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 7464IU | 149% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 60mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.