Best Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

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There are some things I won’t do.

Base jump, skydive, eat baby octopi.

Okay, that’s not entirely true.  I have eaten baby octopi, but in my defense, I had no idea they’d actually be baby octopi, look like they did, or come with my seaweed salad.  I should have sent it back the moment I realized the horror, but didn’t want to be rude, and it almost killed me.

I came close to hurling at least half a dozen times that day.  True fact.

So needless to say, one needs to know their individual limitations and baby octopi are it for me.  That and watching horror movies.

Image from Best-Horror-Movies.Com

I’m very sensitive.

I also won’t ever travel over a bridge in a car without lifting my feet up off the floor and making a wish (you don’t get many wish-chances in life, so I take advantage of every opportunity).

Now I’m sure the bridge thing sounds delightful, but going over long ones can be a real ab workout.  Come to think of it though, being a food blogger, this may not be such a bad thing.

Image from Ipernity.Com — Photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1941 — Public Domain

And I most certainly won’t ever look an iguana in the eye for fear they might beeline straight for my face.   I mean, just look at them.

Image from NationalGeographic.Com

I’m pretty sure they’re perfectly harmless — and kinda cool-looking in a freaky, prehistoric kind of way — but I’m absolutely convinced they have a plan for world domination and just waiting for their moment.

Ditto for parrots.  Especially the big ones.

Image from NYPost.Com – Richard C. Murray/RCMIMAGES, INC

Don’t let the cuteness fool you.  It’s all part of the master plan.

But I totally will:

Double, triple, and quadruple-check that I locked the front door a bazillion times before I head to bed (I counted) …

Say “locked!” out-loud every time I head out the front door as well as every time I beep-lock the car.  I have the long-term memory of an African elephant, but ask me what I did two seconds ago and it’s pretty much like this …

Image from Tumblr.Com

And what I will absolutely, without-a-doubt do, is share this Thai chicken coconut curry soup recipe with you.

It’s like the best chicken soup you’ve ever had that’s gone ahead and booked you a one-way trip to paradise.  In the winter.  While it’s snowing.

Don’t let the long and unusual ingredients list fool you.  You can usual find them all at your local, major grocer.  Make this soup and in no time flat, you’ll have deep, gorgeous flavor that’ll taste like it took forever to make (but didn’t).

And it tastes even better the next day.

There are some things I won’t do.  But this Thai chicken coconut curry soup?

It’s a “will do” times two.

Best Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

Adapted from AllRecipes.Com

Makes 8 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons lemongrass paste
2 teaspoons red curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 dashes red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 – 14 ounce cans light coconut milk
1 – 8 ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut in quarters lengthwise, then thinly sliced widthwise
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced widthwise
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra for serving
Cooked brown rice, for serving (optional)

In large stock pot, over medium heat, heat oil until hot.

Add ginger, lemongrass and curry paste to oil and — with a wooden spoon — combine well.

Tip:  Grating fresh ginger can be a bit of a pain.  To make it less so, freeze your ginger first and then grate.  You’ll find it makes the process a whole lot easier.  Or you can just purchase a tube of ginger paste, which you can usually find in your grocer’s produce section.

Next, stirring constantly, slowly pour chicken broth over mixture.

Stir in fish sauce, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, pepper flakes, garlic powder, coconut milk, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and bell peppers.  Lower heat to medium low and allow soup to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms and bell peppers are softened.

Add sliced chicken to pot and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.

Turn off heat, stir in lime juice and cilantro and allow soup to sit for 10 minutes.

Serve immediately by itself or over cooked brown rice.  Garnish with extra cilantro, to taste.

Share and enjoy!

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26 thoughts on “Best Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup”

  1. Great post bud! You cracked me up with your iguana and parrot plans for world domination. Ha ha, they are just waiting for the right moment:). That Thai soup looks so good, I will def have to give it a shot!

    Reply

  2. sound like we have a few things in common…especially the part about checking the doors before going to bed. i also tend to check the stove and oven. and when i leave the house, i check the faucets. but i digress. the curry soup looks delicious!

    Reply

  5. Lol every post of yours just gets better and better! You drew me into this one even though it has chicken with that baby octopi story. Shiver. You have some sort of strong backbone for not sending that back! One time, someone ordered pizza in China that had baby octopi on it. I stayed farrr away from that.

    What are you thoughts on making this without chicken? Would it still be a will do x2?

    Reply

    • Hi Erika!

      If you wanted to make this recipe vegetarian, it would totally still be a “will do” times two. Just cut out the chicken broth and chicken and use vegetable broth and firm or extra firm tofu in their place.

      Any kind of meat substitute would be good too (like seitan or wheat gluten), if you’d like something more substantial.

      Re: a sub for the fish sauce, I’d say use just one tablespoon of soy sauce in it’s place and before you serve, adjust to taste. Let me know if you have any other questions!

      And thank you for the kind words, fellow food sister! I really appreciate that!

      And baby octopi on pizza? Sweet mother mercy! Sister, good call on staying away from that!

      Ha!

      =)

      Reply

  6. Christina, I can’t stop laughing at this post! So awesome. I am with you on all of it…and the door thing, I do that. Every night. Help us! Lol.

    This soup looks soooo yumtastic. I want a bowl right now.

    And I have to tell you, the short term memory, I have none. That cartoon is hilarious. To testify to my lack of short term memory I would like to share with you this example. My husband said to me tonight, “I would ask you if the dishes in the dishwasher are dirty, but I know that at this point in the day you would have no memory of if you turned it on earlier or not.”

    If this were not true, I may have been angry, Hahaha.
    Talk soon!
    Rebekah

    Reply

    • Ha! Love it!

      The soup is totally yumtastic! Hmmm … maybe I can beam you a bowl =)

      Oh, I so hear ya on the short term memory. My husband and I have very similar stories. Every time I beep-lock the car (twice, I may add), I ask him a second later if I locked the car. That and setting the alarm clock. Bless his awesome heart, he always handles it like a trooper. Oh, help us, indeed!

      Have a great, long weekend, girl! Talk soon!

      Reply

    • Hello, Ms. Irena!

      So nice to hear from you — thanks for stopping by, beauty! =)

      Thank you for the kind words — yes, the soup is quite colorful and tasty — let me know if you decide to make it and how you liked it =)

      And the parrot … big, indeed!

      =)

      Reply

  12. Just wanted to let you know this recipe is awesome and a very good copy of the coconut soup our local Thai place has for a fraction of the price! We do the recipe exactly as written, but add carrots, cabbage, and straw mushrooms because that’s how our Thai place does it. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply

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