This Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup is my take on a classic khao soi. Tender chicken simmers in a spicy coconut milk broth with egg noodles and is topped with fresh herbs, fresh onion, and lots of lime. This soup checks all the flavor boxes!
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The Curry Noodle Soup I Make All Winter Long
Khao soi is a rich and comforting coconut curry noodle soup from Northern Thailand. The coconut curry soup base is lusciously creamy and packed with umami thanks to red curry paste, ginger, garlic, and fish sauce. Khao soi most often contains chicken or beef, and I’ve used chicken in this quick and easy recipe.
The best part of khao soi is all the toppings! It’s topped with fresh sliced shallots, lime, fresh herbs, crispy onions, and chili oil. I don’t claim this recipe to be authentic, but it is full of flavor and a nod to one of my favorite Thai dishes.
This coconut curry noodle soup is our go-to in cooler weather but is delicious enough to eat all year long. The chicken is tender and hearty, the noodles chewy, the lime so bright and fresh. We LOVE this soup!
Jenny’s Tips for Making This Recipe
Use Chinese egg noodles for best results. This Thai red curry chicken noodle soup is made with fresh, chewy Chinese egg noodles. You can find this kind of egg noodle in the refrigerated aisle in the Asian grocery store.
Don’t have Chinese egg noodles? You can also use dried chow mein noodles, cantonese egg noodles, instant ramen noodles, fresh ramen noodles, or even just spaghetti if that’s what you have.
Don’t cook the noodles in the soup. Egg noodles need a LOT of water to cook them properly and cooking them in the soup would absorb all the liquid. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it won’t be a soup anymore. Egg noodles also release a lot of starch and will totally change the texture of the soup.
I cook my noodles separately always and then divide the cooked noodles into bowls and ladle the soup over the top. When I store leftovers, I also always store the noodles separately.
Make your own curry paste. It uses a number of ingredients, I know, but it makes this coconut curry noodle soup taste a million times better than if you were to use jarred curry paste. Plus, since you’re making it yourself, each batch of soup you make will be consistent in flavor!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Jenny’s Tip: While this recipe looks like it has a lot of ingredients, most go into the homemade curry paste. I always make extra curry paste and freeze it to have it on hand. You can find most, if not all, of the ingredients at your local Asian market.
- Dried chilies. I opted for dried New Mexico chilies here. They aren’t spicy, but they’ve got lots of flavor that plays well with the other ingredients in the soup.
- Makrut lime leaves. AKA ‘kaffir’ lime leaves.
- Thai chilies. These pack some heat, but they’re very small. Feel free to use a less spicy chili.
- Lemongrass. Peel the tough outer leaves away and go for the tender stuff.
- Ginger, garlic, and shallots. Form the flavor backbone of the soup. Make sure to use fresh ginger!
- Spices. Turmeric, coriander, and curry powder drive the curry flavor home.
- Chicken. I love using chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breasts too.
- Coconut milk. You can find canned coconut milk in the Asian aisle at your grocery store. Don’t go for lite coconut milk, it’s not nearly as creamy or good.
- Fish sauce. Fish sauce adds tons of umami to the soup and curry paste.
- Palm sugar. You can find palm sugar at your local Asian market, but brown sugar can work in a pinch.
- Egg noodles. Fresh Chinese egg noodles are best here (they’ll be in the refrigerated area of your local Asian Market).
- Toppings. This Thai soup is all about the toppings! I top mine with chili oil, sliced shallots, Thai basil, cilantro, and crispy onions.
How to Make Chicken Curry Noodle Soup
- Make the homemade curry paste. After softening the dried chiles in hot water, all you have to do is combine the curry paste ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. That’s it!
- Brown the chicken. Do this in the same pot you’ll be simmering the soup in. You want the chicken to develop some color (color = flavor!) but not cook all the way through just yet.
- Cook the curry paste. Add all of the curry paste to the chicken and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. The oil wakes up all of the spices and aromatics in the curry paste, which helps deepen its flavor.
- Simmer the soup. Add everything but the noodles to the pot and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.
- Cook the noodles separately. This prevents them from sitting in the soup and becoming soggy.
- Divide the noodles between bowls and serve. Spoon the coconut curry broth over the noodles and load up your bowl with any toppings you like. Dinner is served!
Topping Ideas
- Crispy noodles. You can buy crispy fried egg noodles to top your soup, or fry your own. Crispy fried wonton bits are great too!
- Chili oil. I love the extra spice here so I always add chili oil.
- Crispy fried shallots. You can fry your own or buy fried shallots at the store but the crunch and onion flavor is amazing.
- Sliced shallots. I love the combo of raw onion and cooked onion here.
- Fresh herbs. Thai basil and cilantro are my favorites.
- Limes. I love freshly squeezed lime juice in this soup before serving so I always serve with lime wedges.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Thai-Inspired Recipes to Make
- Thai Wonton Soup
- Thai Green Curry Meatballs
- Red Pumpkin Curry
- Thai Panang Curry with Pork
- Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)
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Chicken Curry Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 4 New Mexico dried chilies, stem and seeds removed
- 2 large Makrut (kaffir) lime leaves
- 2 Thai chilies, stems removed
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- 4 inches lemongrass stalk, chopped (use only the tender inne leaves)
- 2 small shallots, peeled and chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Soup
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 cups chicken stock (homemade is best)
- 30 oz. full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 oz palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 8 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles
Toppings
- Sliced Shallots
- Crispy Shallots
- Chili Oil
- Thai Basil
- Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
- Crispy Fried Noodles
Instructions
- In a small bowl, soak the dried chilies in very hot water until soft.
- Combine all the curry paste ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and add the soaked chilies. Process until very smooth.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned. Add the curry paste and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the curry paste has darkened.
- Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, sugar, and fish sauce. Bring the soup to a simmer and then lower the heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until thickened. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt.
- While the soup simmers, cook the egg noodles in seasoned boiling water according to package instructions.
- Divide the noodles among bowls and ladle the chicken and soup broth over the top. Top with desired toppings and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
Hi Jenny,
Looking forward to making this! Can you share which brand of curry powder you use? Also, my Asian market sells chopped/minced lemongrass in the frozen section, do you think I could use that or the tube of lemongrass paste in the refrigerated section?
Thanks!
Hi Londa!
I use the s&b brand of “oriental” curry powder–it comes in a little round, metal tin. You can find it on amazon, well-stocked grocery stores, and pretty much any Asian market! I would personally use the frozen chopped/minced lemongrass. Hope that helps!
Did you add all the curry paste to the soup?
Yes, all the curry paste goes in.