Thai Coconut Curry Soup Bowl (Printable)

Creamy coconut broth infused with red curry, tender chicken, and fresh vegetables for a comforting spicy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

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

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (shiitake or button)
03 - 2 medium carrots, julienned or thinly sliced
04 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz baby spinach or bok choy (optional)
06 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced

→ Aromatics

07 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
10 - 4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

→ Broth

11 - 2 tablespoons red curry paste
12 - 3 1/3 cups coconut milk (full fat or light)
13 - 2 cups chicken broth
14 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnishes

17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Fresh red chili, sliced (optional)
19 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and sauté the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Stir in the red curry paste and cook for another minute to release its flavors.
03 - Add the chicken slices and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring to coat with the curry paste.
04 - Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Add the kaffir lime leaves, carrots, mushrooms, and red bell pepper.
05 - Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Add baby spinach or bok choy and simmer for 1–2 minutes until just wilted.
08 - Remove lemongrass stalks and kaffir lime leaves. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with spring onions, cilantro, fresh chili, and lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in under 40 minutes, which means you can have restaurant-quality soup on a weeknight without the takeout guilt.
  • The coconut broth is naturally creamy and forgiving, so even if you tweak the spice level or swap proteins, it comes out tasting genuinely good.
02 -
  • Don't skip blooming the curry paste in that initial oil and aromatics step; it's the difference between flat tasting and genuinely flavorful soup.
  • Fish sauce is your friend even if it smells like it might betray you; it's what gives the whole bowl that authentic depth that makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in containers; it reheats beautifully and becomes your secret weapon for nights when cooking feels like too much.
  • If you can't find kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass, the soup still comes together gorgeously, so don't let missing ingredients stop you from making this.
Go Back