Thai Coconut Curry Soup Bowl (Printable Version)

Creamy coconut broth spiced with red curry, loaded with tender chicken and vegetables for a comforting, aromatic bowl.

# The Ingredients 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

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

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

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect: real homemade Thai soup in under 40 minutes with minimal prep work.
  • The flavors taste complicated but the technique is genuinely simple: no special skills needed, just a pot and your willingness to trust the process.
  • It's endlessly flexible: swap proteins, adjust heat, serve however feels right to you that night.
02 -
  • Don't skip bruising the lemongrass: Just pressing it with the side of your knife before adding it releases essential oils that make the whole soup taste more authentic.
  • Taste the broth before adding spinach: Once greens go in they cloud your judgment about seasoning, so dial in that salt, sweet, and sour balance first.
03 -
  • Always taste the broth before you think it's finished: Coconut milk can mute flavors, so add lime and fish sauce gradually, tasting between additions to find that moment when everything clicks into place.
  • Keep good curry paste in the freezer: A dollop of curry paste in oil and aromatics is basically the shortcut to tasting like you spent all day cooking.
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