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Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

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This Thai Chicken Noodle Soup recipe takes classic chicken noodle soup ingredients and mixes in a blend of Thai herbs and spices into a creamy coconut broth. It’s an easy way to get a perfect bowl of soup with specialty flavors.

 

Main image for Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

 

The next time you are in a grocery store or drive by your local Asian market, be sure to head to the Thai aisle to pick up ingredients for the best Thai Chicken Noodle Soup you will ever make. It will make you feel like you have flown to Thailand.

It really is the perfect balance of flavors. With its creamy coconut broth, tangy lime, savory fish sauce, sweet red pepper, and umami goodness in the stock, you get a completely satisfying dish.

But the best part about this Thai noodle soup recipe is how your house smells when you make it. It will fill your house and make everyone excited to eat.

Whether you make it mild or spicy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup, this recipe is one you will come back to again and again.

 

soup in pot and ready to serve

 

What is Thai Chicken Noodle Soup?

Thai Noodle Soup is a traditional Thai dish that uses shredded chicken, rice noodles, and a broth infused with ginger, lemongrass, red curry, cilantro, and coconut milk. The blend of Thai spices gives the soup its signature bold and flavorful taste.

What ingredients are in Thai Chicken Noodle Soup?

  • Garlic: this adds perfect garlic notes to the paste 
  • Onion: this savory base gives a great flavor to the soup paste
  • Red Bell Peppers: this adds a sweetness to the base of the paste
  • Fresh Ginger: this is one of the classic Thai spices that gives flavor to the soup
  • Lemongrass Paste: another spice that brings a distinct Thai food taste to the dish
  • Red Curry Paste: this blend of spices mixes perfectly with Thai flavors
  • Cilantro Paste: this adds depth to the broth
  • Red Chili Paste or Fresh Red Chilies: use this to control how spicy your soup is
  • Coconut Oil: use this to sauté the paste
  • Lime: zest and juice bring a zingy tang to the soup
  • Fish Sauce: adds savory umami notes to enhance the overall taste
  • Chicken Stock: provides a rich and savory base for the soup
  • Coconut Milk: brings creamy lusciousness to the chicken broth
  • Shredded Chicken: tender, cooked chicken adds protein and substance to the soup
  • Rice Noodles: a classic choice for Thai noodle soup recipes; I like to use thin rice noodles
  • Cilantro: fresh herbs make a perfect garnish; they bring the flavors together
  • Green Onions: I like the crunch these add as a garnish
  • Green Chili and Red Chili: peppers on top look great and add a little extra spice to the soup.

Pro Tip: This Thai-inspired chicken noodle soup is a great recipe to use leftover chicken. If you know you are going to make soup the next day, shred your leftovers so you can easily toss them into your large soup pot.

 

wooden spoon scooping out a portion of soup

 

How to Make Thai Chicken Noodle Soup:

  1. Blend paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
  2. Simmer paste in a pot over medium heat.
  3. Add chicken stock and coconut milk, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low and let it simmer.
  4. Add shredded chicken and cook.
  5. Cook rice noodles separately and drain them.
  6. Add fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, and rice noodles to the soup.
  7. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, and sliced chilies.

Pro Tip: For an extra burst of freshness, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving.

 

zoomed in image of soup in a bowl

 

Is Thai Chicken Noodle Soup Spicy? 

Yes, Spicy Chicken Thai Noodle Soup can be spicy, depending on the amount of red chili paste or fresh chilies used. You can also make this thai-inspired soup not spicy by using less chilies.

Pro Tip: If you are a first time Thai food chef, go easy on the chilies. You can make this mild or very fiery depending on how much you add, but it’s always better to start light if you are nervous about it being too spicy.

Can You Freeze Thai Chicken Noodle Soup?

Yes, you can freeze Chicken Thai Noodle Soup, but it’s best to do so without the noodles. Noodles will get very soggy and soak up extra broth.

When you are ready to eat Thai Chicken Soup with Noodles, pull it out of the freezer, gently heat it, and add the noodles separately.

 

3 bowls of thai chicken noodle soup laid out, ready to serve

 

How to Store Thai Chicken Noodle Soup:

Store any leftover Spicy Thai Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also store it in a freezer safe bag or container that is also airtight.

Pro Tip:Let your soup cool in the fridge overnight before sticking in the freezer to avoid extra ice crystals building up.

How Long Does Thai Chicken Noodle Soup Last?

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup can last about 4 days in the fridge. It can also stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer if stored properly. Be sure to keep it cool when not eating it, and only reheat the portions you are ready to eat!

 

close up of 3 bowls of soup

 

How to Reheat Thai Chicken Noodle Soup:

Reheat Thai Chicken Noodle Soupgently on the stove top over low heat. I like to add extra broth as I reheat it to get the right consistency. Sometimes noodles will soak up too much broth, and I want my soup thinner.

What to Serve with Thai Chicken Noodle Soup:

Serve this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup with garden fresh vegetables like snow peas and red bell pepper. You can also sautee bok choy for a delicious veggie side. My family likes to serve it with rice or bread to help soak up the yummy broth. And sometimes I serve it by itself as my better than Thai takeout homemade dish.

 

Noodle Soup in a bowl with a fork lifting some noodles out

 

More Soup Recipes You’ll Love…

This Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is full of great flavors, has a nice amount of spice, and is the chicken soup recipe I reach for again and again. If you like Thai food, you will love this recipe.

 

close up of 3 bowls of soup

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Yield: 6-8 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Skip the takeout! This Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Instructions

  1. Combine garlic, onion, red pepper, ginger paste, lemongrass paste, red curry paste, cilantro paste, red chili paste and coconut oil in a food processor, and process until a paste forms.
  2. While you are making your paste, start boiling water for the rice noodles.
  3. Add the paste to a medium pot and fry it for a couple of minutes, just until it's fragrant.
  4. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil, Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  5. In the last couple of minutes, add your shredded chicken.
  6. While the soup is simmering, cook your noodles according to the package directions and drain.
  7. Add your fish sauce, lime juice and zest and rice noodles to the soup.
  8. Garnish with chopped cilantro, green onion and green and red chilies.

Notes

If you plan on making enough for leftovers, add the rest of your noodles when you're heating the leftovers or they'll soak up a lot of the liquid!

Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 91gSugar: 38gProtein: 11g

Originally Posted: September 9, 2016

Photos & Text Updated: August 14, 2023

Recipe Inspired by: An Affair from the Heart

 

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

 

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe!

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe! #soup #Thai #chickennoodle #chickensoup

Skip the takeout! This delicious Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is easy to make at home with ingredients you can find in your local supermarket. If you love Thai food, you need to try this recipe! #soup #Thai #chickennoodle #chickensoup

THAI CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP...surprisingly easy to make! Go ahead and skip the takeout! 

Jen

Thursday 17th of October 2019

We really liked this! I made a few tweaks - the great thing about this recipe is how customizable it is. I added about twice as much chicken, used precooked pho noodles (2 5.3oz packets), one more clove of garlic. I added the fish sauce and lime with the chicken and did a 45 min simmer for a bit more depth of flavor - it would be good longer, but I didn't start in time! Then squeezed a bit of lime on in the bowl for the brighter fresh acid. I used the red chili paste, but think I'll use the red chilis next time, as there wasn't any heat and it would definitely benefit from some. Love using the pastes - I've never done that before and it was so much easier!

Johna

Wednesday 13th of March 2019

This is such an EXCELLENT recipe I have made it Several times. However, I feel like your prep time is way off it is a lot of work!

Anisha

Monday 31st of December 2018

OMG SOOOOO GOOOOD, Amazing vegan recipe when you omit the chicken and fish sauce and use tofu and soy sauce instead!

Laura A

Monday 26th of November 2018

Hi there! I really want to make this soup. My husband is allergic to bell peppers. Is there something else you can think of to substitute? He can have poblano, would that work? I know I can just omit it as well, I'm hoping that won't impact the overall bulk or quality of the soup. Any advice you have would be appreciated. Thanks!

Michelle Nahom

Thursday 29th of November 2018

I would leave them out or add a pepper he can have. Poblano would change the spice level, but let me know if you try it. :)

Things That Inspire

Monday 24th of April 2017

Made this tonight, and it was a home run. My youngest doesn't like spice so I halved the red pepper paste, but I think I could have done the full tablespoon.

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