Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup (Printable)

Aromatic chicken and rice noodles simmered in creamy coconut red curry broth with crisp vegetables.

# Ingredient List:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

→ Noodles

02 - 7 oz dried medium-thickness rice noodles

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
05 - 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
06 - 2 spring onions, sliced (plus extra for garnish)

→ Broth & Flavors

07 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
08 - 2 to 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste, adjust to taste
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
11 - 14 oz coconut milk
12 - 3 cups chicken stock
13 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
14 - 1 tsp brown sugar
15 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Garnish

16 - Fresh cilantro leaves
17 - Lime wedges
18 - Red chili slices (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add red curry paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to release aromas.
04 - Stir in sliced chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked.
05 - Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock, stirring thoroughly and scraping the pot bottom.
06 - Add fish sauce and brown sugar, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
07 - Add bell pepper, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, and spring onions. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp.
08 - Add cooked noodles and lime juice to the pot. Stir well to heat everything through.
09 - Taste and adjust with additional fish sauce or lime juice if desired.
10 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, extra spring onions, lime wedges, and optional chili slices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like takeout but costs a fraction and you control the heat and salt.
  • The broth is creamy and bright at the same time, with lime cutting through the richness in a way that makes you want another bowl.
  • Leftovers actually get better as the noodles soak up the curry, and it reheats beautifully for lunch the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the noodles after cooking or they'll turn into a sticky blob that's impossible to separate when you add them to the soup.
  • Blooming the curry paste in oil is the difference between flat flavor and a broth that tastes like it simmered for hours.
  • Add the lime juice at the very end because cooking it kills the brightness and turns it dull and bitter.
03 -
  • Slice the chicken as thin as you can so it cooks quickly and stays tender instead of turning rubbery.
  • Taste the broth before adding the noodles because once they're in, adjusting the seasoning gets tricky.
  • Use kitchen shears to cut the cilantro and spring onions right over the bowl for less mess and faster prep.

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