Thai-Style Chicken Noodle Soup
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Rotisserie chicken, rice noodles, coconut milk, and green curry paste come together in this fragrant, comforting soup that’s perfect for chilly nights or whenever you’re craving something cozy.
This spicy, fragrant, slurpy noodle soup, inspired by some of my favorite Thai restaurant dishes, is like sunshine on a dreary day. Better yet, it’s made with rotisserie chicken and a handful of Thai pantry staples, so it’s almost instant gratification.
Whether I’m feeling under the weather or just craving something warm and comforting, there’s nothing like a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and this is one of my renditions. Just be sure to keep the rice noodles separate from the soup until you’re ready to serve. If they’re added too soon, they’ll continue to cook in the broth.
“A wonderful melding of flavors…My wife, a former restaurant reviewer, used words like ‘amazing’ and ‘delicious,’ so I knew I had a real winner.”
What You’ll Need To Make Thai-Style Chicken Noodle Soup
- Shallots, ginger & green curry paste: The flavor base—shallots and ginger add aromatic depth, while green curry paste brings the soup’s signature Thai flavor with just the right amount of heat. You can find curry paste in the Asian section of most supermarkets.
- Chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice & turmeric: These create a rich, well-balanced broth—savory from the stock and fish sauce, creamy from the coconut milk, lightly sweetened with brown sugar, brightened with lime, and finished with the warm color and earthy flavor of turmeric.
- Rice noodles & chicken: Thin noodles soak up the flavorful broth, while shredded rotisserie chicken adds protein with no extra effort.
- Fresh cilantro, scallions, Sriracha & lime: The finishing touches—cilantro and scallions for freshness, Sriracha for heat, and lime for a final pop of brightness at the end.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Cook the aromatics. Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a medium soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the green curry paste and cook for 1 minute more.
Step 2. Build the broth. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric. Bring to a gentle simmer and let cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3. Cook the noodles. Drop the rice noodles into boiling water and let sit for a few minutes until softened. Once tender, drain well and set aside.
Pro Tip: Follow the cooking instructions on the package, but keep in mind that rice noodles soften fast, so don’t wander away.
Step 4. Assemble the bowls. Divide the noodles and chicken among serving bowls, then ladle the hot broth over top.
Step 5: Serve. Sprinkle with cilantro and scallions, and serve with Sriracha and lime wedges.
Pro Tip: To make it fun for your family, treat the toppings like a build-your-own soup bar. Set out the cilantro, scallions, Sriracha, and lime wedges so everyone can adjust their portions to taste.
Topping & Add-In Inspiration
This soup is endlessly customizable—here are a few tasty add-ins and toppings to mix and match depending on what you’ve got on hand.
- Baby spinach or bok choy (add to the soup at the very end; both wilt quickly)
- Additional fresh herbs like mint or Thai basil
- Sliced chili peppers
- Bean sprouts
More Thai-Style Recipes to Bring To The Table
Thai-Style Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 1 to 2 large shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from a 1-in (2.5-cm) knob (see note)
- 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4 teaspoons (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
For Serving
- 4 oz thin rice noodles
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, from a rotisserie chicken
- Handful chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 scallions, light and dark green parts, thinly sliced
- Sriracha sauce
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric; bring to a gentle simmer. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
- When ready to serve, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Gently reheat the noodles in the microwave, if necessary. Divide the noodles and chicken into serving bowls. Ladle the broth over top and sprinkle with cilantro and scallions. Serve with Sriracha sauce and lime wedges.
Notes
- Check out some easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger.
- As the soup sits on the stove, some of the fat may rise to the surface; skim it, if necessary.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi Jenn,
This recipe looks so delicious! I really like the taste of yellow curry though and was wondering if you you had any thoughts on how well it would work to substitute yellow curry for green curry?
Hi Natalie, I think yellow curry would work here as well. LMK how it turns out!
I just finished making this with the yellow curry paste and it was AMAZING 🙂 Thank you so much for this great recipe and for your reply back to my question in November!
Made this for the first time for my husband who had a cold and it was the perfect cure! So warming and a delicious balance of flavors! To add some heat and crunch added some sliced up jalapeno at the end along with cilantro and scallions. A definite hit and will make again!
I have made this soup twice. The first time I made it exactly as Jenn’s recipe using green curry paste and the second time with red curry paste. Both are delicious! The second time around, I only used 1/3 cup of coconut milk and the entire small jar of red curry paste and it was very good. I love tofu and added some firm tofu as well. Great recipe!
I made this soup last week and I’ve been craving it everyday since! I realized I only had a smaller can of coconut milk so I had to use that…it was still incredible.
Another Once Upon A Chef recipe to add to my collection! I can’t wait for the cookbook!!!
When I made the Thai Chicken Rice Noodle soup for the first time, following the recipe exactly and we absolutely loved it! I have made more Thai soup recipes than I can count but this one was perfect! I would encourage anyone to try this one!
Everyone seemed to have loved this soup. I struggled just to give it 3 stars. I love Thai food and am familiar with the ingredients. In fact I had all the ingredients, except for the chicken, in my cupboard; but I thought the seasoning was really off. Maybe too much turmeric? I always follow a recipe exactly the first time and make adjustments for my taste, if necessary the second time; but I didn’t like it enough for there to be a second time. It didn’t work for me.
I am going to try making this for the first time. Can I omit the fish sauce? Will that make a huge difference in taste? Thanks.
Hi Rebecca, The fish sauce adds a distinctive Thai flavor, but you can certainly omit it if you’d prefer. While it’s not a perfect substitute you could use soy sauce instead. The soup will still be tasty; just without as much of a Thai “bent.”
Made this for my family last night and they requested that I make it again next week. Everyone loved it. I used red curry because my local grocery store did not have green, but it was still spectacular!
OK, Jenn you nailed it on this recipe. It is VERY authentic tasting, super easy to prepare, and loved by all who tried it. I love recipes with layers of flavors and textures. I don’t know how but this recipe has more layers of flavor than it has ingredients.
6 Stars!
Hi Jen,
As a test run for friends that don’t use any added salts in their foods, I made this with unsalted broth and it was still great! Thanks for the recipe!!
I was wondering, do you have a suggestion for a vegetable or salad to pair on the side with this? They also don’t eat dairy.
Glad you liked the soup with your tweaks! And you may want to try a fruit salad as a side if they avoid salt. This one is in season and so pretty.