Thai Coconut Curry Soup (Printable)

Fragrant Thai soup with chicken, mushrooms, and carrots in creamy coconut curry broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Vegetables

02 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Rice

07 - 2/3 cup jasmine rice, rinsed

→ Liquids

08 - 13.5 fl oz coconut milk, full fat
09 - 4 cups chicken stock

→ Curry & Aromatics

10 - 2 to 3 tablespoons red curry paste
11 - 2 kaffir lime leaves, optional
12 - 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and cut into 3 pieces
13 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
14 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
15 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnishes

16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Sliced red chili, optional
18 - Lime wedges

# How to make it:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Stir in red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release the flavors.
03 - Add chicken thighs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat with the curry mixture.
04 - Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add carrots, mushrooms, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves if using.
05 - Add rice and stir well. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until rice and vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.
06 - Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Simmer gently for 5 more minutes.
07 - Remove lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Adjust seasoning with lime juice and additional fish sauce or salt as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced chili, and lime wedges.

# Recipe Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The rice cooks directly in the broth, soaking up all that coconut-curry flavor so every spoonful tastes intentional.
  • Chicken thighs stay tender and juicy while everything else gets done, which is the opposite of how most weeknight cooking goes.
  • You need just one pot and about 45 minutes total, but it tastes like you've been simmering it for hours.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the rice; cloudy starch in the broth isn't inherently bad, but clean rice makes the whole soup taste crisper and more intentional.
  • The lemongrass and lime leaves should come out before serving—I learned this by watching someone bite into a piece of lemongrass and make a face I'll never forget.
03 -
  • If your broth tastes flat after everything is cooked, it's probably missing salt or lime juice—these two things wake everything up at the very end.
  • Cook the rice uncovered so the broth stays at the right level; covered pots boil over and make a mess of your stovetop.
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