Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

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Cozy, comforting, and fragrant, this flavor-packed Thai chicken noodle soup will warm you right up.

Thai chicken rice noodle soup

This spicy, fragrant, slurpy noodle soup, inspired by some of my favorite Thai restaurant dishes, is like sunshine on a dreary day. What’s more, it’s made with rotisserie chicken and Thai pantry staples available in most supermarkets—such as green curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, and fresh ginger—so it’s almost instant gratification.

Whether I’m feeling worn down or just in need of a little comfort, there is nothing like a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and this is one of my favorite renditions. Be sure to keep the rice noodles separate from the soup until ready to serve. If you put them in the broth before serving, they will continue to cook and become too soft.

“A wonderful melding of flavors, and it tastes truly authentic as Thai cuisine…My wife, a former restaurant reviewer, used words like ‘amazing’ and ‘delicious,’ so I knew I had a real winner.”

Jeff

What You’ll Need To Make Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup

ingredients for thai chicken soup

You’ll notice that the recipe calls for Thai green curry paste, an excellent substitute for hard-to-find Asian ingredients, like lemongrass and galangal. You can find it, along with the other Asian pantry staples, in the Asian section of most large supermarkets. Along with Thai red curry paste, green curry paste is a wonderfully versatile ingredient; I use it to make many Thai-style recipes, such as Thai shrimp curry and red chicken curry, butternut squash soup with coconut milk, and curry chicken skewers with coconut-peanut sauce.

Step-By-Step Instructions

sauteing shallots and ginger for thai chicken soup

Begin by heating the oil in a medium soup pot. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Next, add the green curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.

adding green curry paste for thai chicken soup

Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric; bring to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering for 5 minutes.

simmering broth for thai chicken soup

Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles by dropping them in boiling water.

cooking rice noodles for thai chicken soup

Let sit for a few minutes to soften.

cooking rice noodles for thai chicken soup

Then drain.

draining rice noodles for thai chicken soup

When ready to serve, divide the noodles and chicken into serving bowls.

assembling bowl of thai chicken soup

Ladle the broth over top and sprinkle with cilantro and scallions. Serve with Sriracha sauce and lime wedges.

thai chicken soup in serving bowl

“Thank you for an excellent recipe. This is one of those great under 30 minute dinners when I’m in a pinch but want a satisfying restaurant-quality soup without going out.”

Kay

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Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup

Cozy, comforting, and fragrant, this flavor-packed Thai chicken noodle soup will warm you right up.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 1-2 large shallots
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from a 1-inch knob (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
  • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 4 packed teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric

For Serving

  • 4 oz thin rice noodles
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, from a rotisserie chicken
  • Handful chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced
  • Sriracha sauce
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric; bring to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
  3. When ready to serve, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Gently reheat the noodles in the microwave, if necessary. Divide the noodles and chicken into serving bowls. Ladle the broth over top and sprinkle with cilantro and scallions. Serve with Sriracha sauce and lime wedges.
  4. Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
  5. Note: As the soup sits on the stove, some of the fat may rise to the surface; skim it, if necessary.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (4 servings)
  • Calories: 530
  • Fat: 31 g
  • Saturated fat: 20 g
  • Carbohydrates: 40 g
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 28 g
  • Sodium: 942 mg
  • Cholesterol: 53 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Loved this Thai Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles recipe!

    Sometimes it is difficult to find the proper ingredients so your suggestion of Thai Green Chili Paste is perfect!

    Simple … Fast … and the Family Can Help with the steps to get this soup on the table faster !!!

    SOUP’s ON !!!

    • — Kathy Hrabovsky
    • Reply
  • I made this soup last night for the family and everyone loved it. It was a perfect weeknight dinner for a rainy evening. So quick and easy!

  • This is part of our regular rotation. It’s just as good as versions in restaurants. I follow the recipe for the broth but choose my own toppings. My hubby and I usually add shrimp, mushrooms, and spinach. We also use brown rice noodles. It’s so good and well balanced btw salt and sweet. I’m the type that likes to tinker with recipes but not this! Follow it as is and you won’t be disappointed.

  • This recipe is one of my favorites! It’s packed with flavor, and so quick to put together. Even my 4 year old gobbles it up! I never have rotisserie chicken, so I just plop 1 large or 2 smaller chicken breasts into the simmering broth for about 10 minutes, and then remove to chop/shred. Delicious!

  • Made this and it was wonderful! It ended up being about 6 meals for me. It is great with sriracha!

  • Made this the other night using a rotisserie chicken, for a quick, easy satisfying chicken soup. The kids loved it too! And the rice noodles are good for my gluten-free family member.

  • I’ve made this over and over again! It is SUPER easy and I’ve made it with different variations (e.g. shrimp instead of chicken) and have added other veggies such as kale and bean sprouts. Just make sure not to add too much or you’ll end up with less soup.

  • This has quickly become a family favorite. When we ran out of green curry we found that red curry tasted just as delicious in its own way! This recipe also worked well for us both in an instant pot and stove top which is a plus.

  • This recipe is absolutely perfect! We have only a handful of recipes that make it onto the monthly rotation and this one is at the top! Not only do I make this for my own family, but it is something I bring to friends and family for new babies, surgeries, or when someone I care about is feeling under the weather. If you love Asian flavors, try this recipe!

  • This recipe is fabulous. Very easy and quick once the prep work is done. But definitely need to add some time to the recipe to account for carving and shredding the chicken.

    • — James Schwartz
    • Reply

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