Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
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Cozy, comforting, and fragrant, this flavor-packed Thai chicken noodle soup will warm you right up.
This spicy, fragrant, slurpy noodle soup, inspired by some of my favorite Thai restaurant dishes, is like sunshine on a dreary day. What’s more, it’s made with rotisserie chicken and Thai pantry staples available in most supermarkets—such as green curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, and fresh ginger—so it’s almost instant gratification.
Whether I’m feeling worn down or just in need of a little comfort, there is nothing like a bowl of chicken noodle soup, and this is one of my favorite renditions. Be sure to keep the rice noodles separate from the soup until ready to serve. If you put them in the broth before serving, they will continue to cook and become too soft.
Table of Contents
“A wonderful melding of flavors, and it tastes truly authentic as Thai cuisine…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 Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
You’ll notice that the recipe calls for Thai green curry paste, an excellent substitute for hard-to-find Asian ingredients, like lemongrass and galangal. You can find it, along with the other Asian pantry staples, in the Asian section of most large supermarkets. Along with Thai red curry paste, green curry paste is a wonderfully versatile ingredient; I use it to make many Thai-style recipes, such as Thai shrimp curry and red chicken curry, butternut squash soup with coconut milk, and curry chicken skewers with coconut-peanut sauce.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by heating the oil in a medium soup pot. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Next, add the green 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 for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles by dropping them in boiling water.
Let sit for a few minutes to soften.
Then drain.
When ready to serve, 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.
“Thank you for an excellent recipe. This is one of those great under 30 minute dinners when I’m in a pinch but want a satisfying restaurant-quality soup without going out.”
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Thai-Inspired Chicken & Rice Noodle Soup
Cozy, comforting, and fragrant, this flavor-packed Thai chicken noodle soup will warm you right up.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 1-2 large shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from a 1-inch 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 packed teaspoons 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.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Note: As the soup sits on the stove, some of the fat may rise to the surface; skim it, if necessary.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 530
- Fat: 31 g
- Saturated fat: 20 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Sodium: 942 mg
- Cholesterol: 53 mg
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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Unbelievably delicious! My husband said to throw out any/all other similar recipes and told me I could make this every week! I’ve shared the recipe with lots of friends!
AMAZING RECIPE! I could and probably will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Amazing! So easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Where has this recipe been all my life?! Thai food is my #1 favorite ethnic food, I made this tonight during our little tropical storm Nicole and it’s a huge hit with my daughters and wife! I made a double batch so the leftovers should be even better…going to get peanuts and Thai chilis for topping. Thank You!
Hi Jenn, can’t wait to make this! I poached chicken last night in preparation for it. I’d love to add some veggies to this soup, any suggestions? Thanks :).
Hi Elizabeth, some options that come to mind — spinach, sliced bell peppers, and/or sliced carrots. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I loved this recipe! I made it for a workplace cooking contest and won! Don’t be afraid of the fish sauce, it really does add depth and authenticity.
Hi Jen,
I love this recipe and have made it many times. I wonder if it can be made ahead and frozen?
Thanks,
Agnes
Hi Agnes, so glad you like this! I don’t think the soup as a whole would freeze very well but you can definitely freeze the broth.
Hi Jen (and Agnes),
I double this recipe and freeze it in individual containers to heat up for lunch. It freezes great! I just pop it in the microwave when I want to reheat it. I figure that if I am going to make it, I may as well double it (since it only makes 4 servings) to have leftovers! Enjoy!
We had a soup/chili cook off today at work! I made this but used rice instead of the rice noodles and just put it all together to make it pot-luck friendly. It won first place! Everyone wanted the recipe for the Yummy Thai soup! I shared the link to add to the office recipe book! I should have doubled the recipe- there wasn’t a drop left!
Like everything I’ve made from your website, this was splendid. It tasted like a really good Thai restaurant tom kha gai soup, but turned into a full meal! I added some baby corn, and added 1/2 tsp salt since my chicken broth was completely unsalted.
This has become our new favorite soup! My husband requests it all the time–he loves how healthy it is–I usually make it without meat, but with ginger, turmeric root, homemade chicken stock, green curry paste, coconut milk, and he could have it every night really!
Delicious and will make regularly! Did not find it too sweet – the sugar smoothes and accentuates the other flavors. Although rotisserie chicken is easier and probably tastier I had a raw 1 lb. chicken breast to use up so used that instead. Simmered it with the other ingredients until it was done per thermometer, then shredded it. Didn’t seem like too much chicken for the soup so I guess the amount is flexible. Love your recipes!
What is missing from this great recipe is how to make Thai green curry paste.
I did use the commercially available ones as well as self made ones, and the soup was absolutely great in all cases, but I’d still like to see the green curry recipe. I do not really trust the commercially available ones, they generally contain sugar and all kinds of preservatives.
I found some recipes for green curry, but why not add a side recipe for that in here? Or a link? It’s not rocket science.
I used bean vermicelli instead of rice noodles (I’m diabetic on a low carb diet), that works perfectly well.
Yeah, a very, very nice recipe, I use it regularly.
Hi Nicholass, Glad you like this. I will add curry paste to my list of recipes to potentially develop. 🙂
This is the second time I’ve made this recipe. Both times I forgot to reduce the sugar. It’s too sweet to be an authentic Thai dish. But I love giving all your recipes a go.
This recipe is an unexpected workhorse in our house. My 6-year-old declares it his favorite soup ever, and even my picky 3-year-old will eat it. I double the noodles because 4 oz is not enough for my noodle loving kids, but I don’t change a single other thing. So easy and flavorful, and quick enough for a weeknight meal. We just love it!
This soup has become a staple on our home. My teens request it each week!! I double the recipe so I have left overs (sometimes I have leftovers because I have teens!) Healthy, flavorful, and just a bowl of happy!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love this recipe! Soup, in general, warms my soul, but this soup is like a spa day. So warming, comforting, flavorful, and hearty. It just makes you feel really good.
Delicious. The soup is very filling so nothing else is needed. My only mistake was not using a deep pot, my frying pan was full to the brim.
I’m making this for a luncheon tomorrow, but I’d like to make it today and just cook the noodles tomorrow. Does it hold up if make a day in advance?
Sure, you can actually make everything ahead of time (including the noodles) — just wait to combine the soup with the noodles until right before serving. Hope everyone enjoys!
Once again, an absolute winning recipe. Comfort soup with a little twist. Thanks for another superb recipe Jenn!❤️
Hello. This looks delicious. What can I substitute for brown sugar or any other sugar? Would coconut sugar or Monk fruit sweetener work? Thank you.
Hi Heidi, I think either of those should work. Hope you enjoy!
OMG this was fantastic! And like one of the other reviewers said it is definitely filling. My husband loved it and said that next time it might be even better with crushed peanuts on top. Who knows? Might have to try it and let you know.
This is such a delicious and flavorful soup! My husband loved it. The only thing I might try next time is to break the rice noodles into smaller lengths. They were a little long to eat with a spoon, and I wound up using a fork too! But no matter, this is perfect. Thanks for the great recipes, Jenn!
I made this last night, and it was a hit! It has enough Thai flavor to be different from regular chicken soup, but it wasn’t too weird for my picky nine year-old.
Wow this was good! In addition to the other toppings, I also included fresh sliced jalapenos. Highly recommend. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Very good. Added several kaffir (Also known as makkrut) lime leaves to add more authentic flavor.
This soup was amazing – and even better on the 2nd day!
I’m not very good with fish sauce…. Any substitute suggestions or do I just need to bite the bullet?
Hi RM, the fish sauce won’t be obvious once it’s incorporated into the soup (and it gives the soup a nice authentic Thai flavor), but if you feel really strongly about avoiding it, you can replace it with soy sauce. Hope that helps!
Could I use red thai curry instead of green thai curry paste?
Thank you!
Lisa
Sure – enjoy!
This soup is the BEST!! It tastes like the noodles and company thai curry soup that I love so much!!
I wanted to make a double recipe, but my partner didn’t want to use too much coconut milk. I ended up using only the 1 can of coconut milk (as opposed the 2 cans that would be necessary for a double recipe). Despite the deviation, we both thought it tasted great!
Absolutely amazing…like a pho soup. My husband is my taste tester as I lost my taste after being sick and he said it was one of the best soups I’ve ever made and I cook something different every day from scratch so this is definitely a winner. It’s very filling also, probably from the coconut milk addition. This with a dinner roll was plenty. Highly recommend. Thank you, Jenn, you’re the best!
This was the first OUAC recipe I tried (several years ago) and I loved it so much that I now look for Jen’s recipes for everything I make! Her cookbooks and recipes are wonderful!!! This recipe is loved by everyone I’ve ever made it for, and is the ultimate comfort food when the weather is cold! Try it with a bit of sriracha for a bit of heat!
Excellent! Perfect soup to detox from the holidays (even if I’m enjoying it with a glass of Chardonnay on the side). :0). I only had regular chicken stock. It’s not too salty, but I will definitely go the low sodium route the next time.
We are a family of 5 (3kids ages 6,8 and 13). The soup was inhaled in one sitting. It tasted healthy yet the flavors were exciting ! Winner when everyone loves a dish . 5/5
I accidentally bought sweetened coconut milk. Will that work ?
Unfortunately not — sorry!
Jen, I did not buy dark brown sugar. Will light brown sugar work?
Yep 🙂
Can you make this without coconut milk? I’m out and due to the bad weather, I’d prefer not to make a trip to the store.
Hi Mary, You could try omitting the coconut milk, but I’d suggest starting off with a half as much curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice – then add more to taste. I’m just worried that those flavors might be a little too strong without the richness of the coconut milk to balance them out. Hope that helps!
Can you freeze the broth?
Sure, I think the broth would freeze nicely.
Tried this tonight and it was absolutely delicious!!! I didn’t have scallions so used sliced onions and added mushrooms as others had suggested. I think next time I may add some red bell peppers too. I made a separate batch for my son who doesn’t eat meat and used vegetable stock, mushrooms and tofu instead. He loved it!!! This one is a keeper!!!
Made 1/1/22. Yum!! Super fresh and tasty, just the right amount of spice! Used green curry and prepared chicken from Heinens. Heaping tablespoon of ginger. Added a little sriracha too. Couldn’t find thin thai rice noodles, so used pad thai rice noodles. John had three helpings. Definitely make again. Think about what else to serve with it for more of a complete dinner.
So glad you liked it! This would pair nicely with Crispy Coconut Shrimp and/or Peach Mango Smoothies. And I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested. Hope that helps!
Fantastic!
Made this soup today cuz I had left overs in the fridge the family wasn’t eating anymore (small portion of thai chicken green bean dish, plain grilled dry chicken breast and some plain rice). I used red curry in place of green, omitted noodles and added mushrooms plus all the leftovers mentioned. Family says better than Tom Kha Gai soup from our favorite Thai restaurant. Thank you for this delicious easy recipe. FIVE STARS
Just a question, can I make this as a meal prep for 4 days of lunches? I could separate the noodles and soup and add at work? Any other advice?
Thanks!
Sure, as long as you keep the noodles separate, that will work. Enjoy!
Loved making this soup for my hubby who had a cold – we both slurped it right up! Delicious flavors and super easy. Definitely needs the kick of siracha or an Asian chili paste (which is all we had on hand). Will be a regular staple in our house this winter – thanks!
So easy, and absolutely delicious! This recipe is in our regular rotation now. My grocery store was out of fresh ginger so I used the ginger that comes in a tube and it was perfect in a pinch!
Made this for my husband for lunch and scored major brownie points. He said it tasted like take out from our favorite Thai restaurant. Super easy to prepare as well using rotisserie chicken!
Utterly delicious and super simple to make…. My husband and were fighting for the last drop.
Delicious and easy! I added mushrooms, sautéing them with the shallots. Will make this many times. Would be good with Thai spring rolls or satay.
Delicious! Will make this soup again for friends and family.
This is a fab soup with a fragrant broth. I’ll be making it again.
I had to substitute a red curry paste (only one tablespoon). I also added galanga root and lime leaves I had on hand (removed them before serving).
I substituted Queen Siam Thai basil from my garden for the cilantro. Love Thai Basil if you can find it.
WOW! If you love Thai food, be sure to try this recipe. It’s a winner.
I only have light brown sugar. Will it be okay to use that instead?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
So good!!! I added some veggies as others suggested… one of my husband’s favorite dinners.
Your recipes are the best. I am 85 years old, went all through the Julia Child era, the Silver Palate era, and you are now my very favorite.
This soup is soooo good. I have one daughter who does not eat meat or chicken but does eat fish and seafood. Would this recipe work with shrimp?
Hi Nancy, I’m incredibly flattered that I’m your favorite considering you’ve cooked from the likes of Julia Child! 💗
Yes, I think the soup would work nicely with shrimp. Hope your daughter enjoys!
Nancy,
Not sure if your daughter eats tofu, but I’ve also made it with tofu, and it was delicious!
I make this soup every other week – it is truly that good! I had been using another recipe in the past that was much more involved and nowhere near as flavorful. The only change I make is to use oyster sauce instead of brown sugar and a different curry paste. My husband and I love spice so I use Patak’s Hot Curry Paste and slice a Thai chili pepper or two into each bowl. I’ve since made many other outstanding recipes from this site. Baked Ziti, Breakfast Burritos, Chicken and Quinoa Burrito Bowls, and Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa are some of the others I would highly recommend.