Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

Name: Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 main-course servings
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 small onion, minced; 1 tablespoon minced ginger; 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or pale green cilantro roots; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dark red chili paste, such as sambal, more for serving; 3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast meat, thinly sliced and cut into bite-size pieces; 3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk; 1/2 cup half-and-half; 4 cups chicken stock; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste; About 12 makrut lime leaves or curry leaves, fresh or frozen (optional); 8 ounces dried thin rice noodles (bun or vermicelli), or other Asian noodles such as udon or lai fun; Salt to taste; 1 cup bean sprouts; 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro; 2 scallions, cut into thin rings; 2 shallots, thinly sliced and deep fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional); Quartered limes for serving

By Julia Moskin

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 5(2,211)
Comments: Read comments

This sweet, spicy and fragrant chicken soup, called curry mee, is a happy contrast of hot broth, springy noodles and a madness of garnishes. Coconut milk has a particular weighty creaminess, called lemak, that can make some curries and soups too rich. Here, a combination of coconut milk and half-and-half is used to balance the broth.

Featured in: From Asia, Rapture in a Bowl

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Ingredients

Yield:4 main-course servings

2tablespoons vegetable oil
1small onion, minced
1tablespoon minced ginger
1tablespoon minced lemongrass or pale green cilantro roots
2garlic cloves, minced
1teaspoon dark red chili paste, such as sambal, more for serving
¾pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast meat, thinly sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
3tablespoons curry powder, preferably Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese
½teaspoon paprika
1(14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
½cup half-and-half
4cups chicken stock
¼teaspoon ground turmeric
2tablespoons fish sauce
1tablespoon sugar, more to taste
About 12 makrut lime leaves or curry leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)
8ounces dried thin rice noodles (bun or vermicelli), or other Asian noodles such as udon or lai fun
Salt to taste
1cup bean sprouts
3tablespoons chopped cilantro
2scallions, cut into thin rings
2shallots, thinly sliced and deep fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional)
Quartered limes for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, ginger and lemon grass and cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add garlic and chili paste and stir until fragrant. Raise heat, add chicken and stir-fry one minute. Add curry powder and paprika and stir to coat. Then add coconut milk, half-and-half, chicken stock, turmeric, fish sauce, sugar and lime or curry leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook rice noodles in boiling water according to package directions (about 4 minutes). Rinse and drain.
Step 3
Taste broth and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar. Divide noodles into large soup bowls. Bring broth to a boil, then ladle over noodles. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions and fried shallots, if using. Pass limes and sambal at the table.

Tip

To make this rich soup more substantial, boiled potatoes are sometimes added to the simmering broth and cooked until very soft.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,211 user ratings

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Comments

Jonathan7 years ago

Can't ever find kaffir leaves so I just substituted some lime juice. In my opinion, extra lime juice is critical to this recipe. While it comes out much more like a soup and less like a heavy bowl of curry, I found that adding the half cup of half/half was largely unnecessary if you go with standard coconut milk (vs. low fat).

Margaret7 years ago

What an amazing recipe! We have been making this since it first appeared in the Times-- in fact, it is ALWAYS the dish I request on my birthday. A flavor explosion in your mouth. I highly recommend adding the potatoes, though I prefer them firmer than the recipe recommends. It goes quite quickly once the ingredients are prepped.

pix6 years ago

Excellent, but do have a few comments/suggestions. Mince lemon grass? No way. Hard work it never softens 1T not enough. Easy way. Cut off ends, hit stalk w/back of knife and tie stalk into bundle using coarse outer leaves. Remove before serving. Can use cooked chicken. Works fine. I used low fat coconut milk and no 1/2n1/2. Fewer calories lighter taste. Subbed sliced Bok Choy for bean sprouts. Used Massamam curry paste for darker color and tamarind taste. Upped turmeric for color. Lovely.

Amelie1 month ago

Will is be a miserable idea to use Gochujang, if I dont have sambal? I have all the other ingredients 😅

Jay B3 months ago

Very good soup, takes more time than stated by the time you prep all of the ingredients and cook properly.

Caitlin3 months ago

So good! But too many noodles!

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