Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Food Trend: Soup Soup Soup. All food magazine, blog and Instagram feeds are filled with warm, hearty, comforting soups.

Inspiration: I never need a reason to make soup, but with a Polar Vortex sweeping through New York, there was only one thought of my mind for dinner. Chicken Soup, but, with a twist.

Adaptation: I recently cooked a 3-course Thai meal for my friends over the Holidays (post to come)) and the aftermath has left my kitchen and cabinets full of Thai ingredients. Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime, Coconut Milk, Palm Sugar and more! So a Thai inspired soup was at the tip of my fingertips – but in the following recipe, I’ve suggested substitutions that you can find at any market, so you too can enjoy this warm, sweet, and healthy soup. 

Prep Photos & Tips

The fragrance that builds from sauteing ginger, garlic, & scallion is heavenly. By adding shredded carrots first, by the time your soup is ready, they will melt in your mouth. Plus the small pieces that disintegrate will give the sweet a natural sweetener.  

This is a Kaffir Lime Leaf. You don’t actually eat them, like bay leaves, they are used for flavoring foods only. The trick is to tear and break the leafs at the stem so then can release the most flavor. Make sure you do it with your hand and then smell your hands after!

A simple soup can become hearty by adding lots of veggies! I chose baby corn and shitake mushrooms. While I always suggested using any left over produce in the fridge, sometimes buying produce that matches your cuisine is that much better!

Since this was a dinner soup, I used my large bowls and garnished with fresh cilantro and lime. Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

2014-01-08 18:04:45

Serves 4

Thai inspired chicken soup, with kaffir lime and coconut milk

Write a review

Save Recipe

Print

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Ingredients

8 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock

1 Can Coconut Milk

3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce

4-6 pieces boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 Lemongrass Stalk, peeled and sliced diagonally in 2 or 3

2 Kaffir Lime Leaves - torn by hand ** You can substitute with Lime Zest. Add about a teaspoon for every leaf you would use. Also if you have lemon thyme, add that to the zest ***

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2" piece of ginger, julienned

1 large carrot, cleaned then shredded

1 bunch scallions (5 or 6) - thinly slice the hard white bottoms, and make about 1" cuts for the top dark green

2 Thai Chiles, washed and kept whole *** Substitute whole, un-cut jalapeno" ***

2 boxes slices shitake mushrooms

1 can of baby corn

2 Limes

Cilantro to garnish

salt to taste

Instructions

Sautee garlic, ginger & scallion in vegetable oil, about 3-4 minutes

Add carrots,baby corn, lemongrass, kaffir lime (or lime zest) and chilies and sautee for another 2-3 minutes

Add chicken stock, coconut milk, chicken and 2 Tbsp of fish sauce, bring to a boil

After boil, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is done

Remove chicken to a clean plate and then add mushrooms and the last Tbsp of fish sauce to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes while you carefully (because it will be hot) shred the chicken

Add chicken back to the pot to reheat. Add salt to taste

Serve and garnish with cilantro and a lime wedge

Notes

I didn't create this to be a spicy soup, but if you want a kick, slice the chiles then add to the soup with the seeds, just don't rub your eyes!

By Julie Zucker

Press Worthy Eats http://www.pressworthyeats.com/