This Thai ginger chicken soup has a coconut milk broth built on green curry paste, ginger, fish sauce and lime. Shredded rotisserie chicken goes into each bowl with thin rice noodles underneath. The whole thing is ready in 35 minutes.
The recipe is from Once Upon a Chef by Jennifer Segal, a classically trained chef, and she uses Thai green curry paste instead of galangal and lemongrass, which cuts the ingredient hunt without losing the flavor. The paste does what those aromatics would do, so the broth reaches full depth in 15 minutes.
The curry paste needs one minute in hot oil before any liquid goes in. Fat drives heat into the spices in a way broth can’t, which is what releases the full fragrance of the paste. Skip it and the soup tastes fine but flat, like something’s missing and you don’t know what.
Thai Ginger Chicken Soup Recipe
Course: SoupsCuisine: Thai-InspiredDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
15
minutes530
kcalJennifer Segal’s weeknight soup from Once Upon a Chef builds a coconut-ginger broth from Thai pantry staples in 35 minutes, poured over shredded rotisserie chicken and thin rice noodles at the table. The active cook time is about 20 minutes, with the rest spent simmering while the noodles soak.
Ingredients
- Soup
1 tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup thinly sliced shallots (1–2 large)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp fish sauce
4 tsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (1 lime)
½ tsp turmeric
- For serving
4 oz thin rice noodles
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie)
Handful fresh cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Sriracha sauce
Lime wedges
Directions
- Heat the oil in a medium soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
- 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 and continue simmering uncovered for 5 minutes. Skim any fat that rises to the surface.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning. Divide the noodles and shredded chicken into serving bowls. Ladle the broth over the top. Garnish with cilantro and scallions and serve with Sriracha and lime wedges on the side.
FAQs
What is Thai green curry paste and where do I find it?
Thai green curry paste is a blend of green chiles, lemongrass and galangal, sold in the Asian foods aisle of most large supermarkets. Jennifer calls it an excellent substitute for those individual aromatics, which is why this broth doesn’t need a specialty shop. Thai Kitchen is the brand she recommends, and one small jar typically covers several batches.
Why does the recipe call for fish sauce?
Fish sauce adds an umami depth that salt alone can’t give, and it’s what makes Thai broths taste savory in a layered way. It smells sharp straight from the bottle but mellows completely into the broth as it simmers. If you don’t have it, low-sodium soy sauce works as a substitute and preserves the umami character.
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie?
The recipe uses pre-cooked chicken because the broth only simmers for 5 minutes, which isn’t enough time to cook raw poultry through. Jennifer uses rotisserie chicken, but any pre-cooked shredded chicken or leftovers work just as well. If starting from raw, poach chicken thighs in water until just cooked, then shred and use in place of the rotisserie.
Why does a savory soup need brown sugar?
Brown sugar rounds out the heat from the curry paste and the saltiness of the fish sauce. Thai cooking balances sweet, salty, sour and spicy in the same bowl, and this broth follows that same principle. Taste before serving and add another teaspoon if the curry heat feels sharp or the fish sauce reads too prominently.
Will one can of coconut milk make the soup too rich?
One can of coconut milk goes into 4 cups of chicken broth, which keeps the soup brothy rather than creamy. The coconut flavor rounds out the broth without taking over, so the curry, ginger and fish sauce still come through clearly. Using two cans would tip the balance toward a creamier, coconut-forward soup and change the texture noticeably.
What should I serve alongside this?
The soup is a full meal on its own, given the chicken and noodles are already in the bowl. For a ginger-forward bowl without coconut, ginger and turmeric chicken soup covers similar warming territory with a cleaner broth. If you want more Thai, coconut curry soup with chicken and kale takes the coconut-curry base somewhere completely different.