This soup is dedicated to a very special reader named Courtney. Courtney was a winner of an AK contest a few years ago, and the prize resulted in a recipe dedicated and inspired by her favorite flavors.
Courtney and I chatted a bit, and I came to learn that she is quite the world traveler — she’s done everything from traveling through Europe for a year to volunteering in Africa and even teaching English in Thailand. While speaking with her, we of course talked about some of her favorite foods. One that came up was Panang curry and a Northern Thailand noodle dish called Koi Soi. We decided that I’d come up with a curry chicken noodle soup with Thai-inspired flavors to take her back to one of her favorite places with her most loved foods.
This curry chicken noodle soup is made with a soothing light coconut milk broth that’s full of nourishing fresh herbs, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, veggies, chicken, and of course, all the noodles of your dreams! So here’s to you, Courtney — I hope you love this soup and that it takes you back to a time of nostalgia.
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Chicken noodle soup with an AK twist
- Bursting with flavor: this warming curry chicken noodle soup is a delicious, globally-inspired take on chicken noodle soup, and dang, IT IS GOOD. It’s actually a curry-flavored take on my Nourishing Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup and is equally as amazing.
- Good for you: it’s filled with flavor thanks to a few special ingredients and plenty of nourishing, immune-boosting properties thanks to fresh garlic, ginger & lemongrass. Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties, ginger is wonderful for digestion, and lemongrass includes incredible flavonoids. All of them together just make the dish incredibly tasty.
- Friendly for all types of eaters: this soup is gluten & dairy-free and easily made paleo by simply omitting the noodles!
What you’ll need to make curry chicken noodle soup
This curry chicken noodle soup is packed with all of the nourishing ingredients and tons of fresh, savory flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe for extra flavor, but feel free to use chicken breasts if you’d like. FYI: chicken thighs will be easier to pull apart once cooked and stay nice and tender.
- Veggies: we’re adding carrots, green onions, and bok choy for a boost of veggies and texture.
- Sesame oil: you’ll need a little sesame oil to brown the chicken and sauté the veggies to give them flavor.
- Broth: the broth for this curry chicken noodle soup is made from light coconut milk and low-sodium chicken broth.
- Flavor boosters: these extras give the soup an amazing, unique flavor — garlic, freshly grated ginger, curry powder, chili paste, soy sauce, lemongrass, and fish sauce.
- Noodles: you’ll serve this with rice noodles to the soup to make it a true chicken noodle soup! Alternatively you can serve with ramen noodles, udon or even over rice.
- Fresh herbs & toppings: I love topping my bowl with fresh cilantro, mint leaves, Thai basil, more green onion, a Thai chile, and lime wedges. It makes all the difference, and you can stir it right into each bowl. SO DAMN GOOD.
Easy ingredient swaps
Missing a few things? Here are some swaps I can recommend:
- For the sesame oil: feel free to use coconut oil or olive oil.
- For the soy sauce: coconut aminos also work just as well!
- For the chili paste: I love the flavor that chili paste (like sambal oelek) adds, but Sriracha will also work.
- For the noodles: Serving this over cooked ramen, udon, or even rice is delicious!
- For the toppings: regular basil and a jalapeño are great swaps for Thai basil and Thai chiles. Use whatever is accessible to you!
Do I need to add the fish sauce?
If you don’t have any fish sauce, you can leave it out, but I HIGHLY recommend adding it to get that deep umami flavor. It really does make all the difference! Some brands make vegan fish sauce if you’d like to try that.
Go ahead, customize your soup
The best part about this curry chicken noodle soup? It’s super easy to customize! Here are some easy ways to make it your own:
- Make it vegetarian: swap the chicken for a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas or a package of cubed, cooked tofu. Then simply use a vegan fish sauce.
- Make it grain-free: omit the rice noodles and enjoy the rich broth, chicken & veggies on their own.
- Add extra veggies: mushrooms will add even more umami flavor, and you could even boost the greens by mixing in a handful of spinach.
How to make curry chicken noodle soup
- Brown your chicken. To give the chicken as much flavor as possible, you’ll want to first brown it in a large pot or dutch oven with sesame oil.
- Sauté the veggies. Give your veggies, garlic, and ginger a quick sauté in some more oil before adding the liquid ingredients, spices, and chili paste.
- Simmer the soup. You’ll then add your chicken and the lemongrass stalks directly to the soup pot and simmer everything until the chicken is cooked.
- Finish it off. Once the chicken is cooked, you’ll shred it and stir it back into the soup along with the bok choy and fish sauce. Remember to also remove the lemongrass stalks!
- Top with freshness. Add cooked noodles or rice to your bowls, then ladle in the soup and top with all the fresh toppings. YUM. DO NOT SKIP the toppings!
Storing & freezing tips
- In the fridge. This curry chicken noodle soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. The soup will thicken up a lot, so you may need to add a splash of chicken broth while reheating.
- To freeze. Leave the noodles out if you’re planning to freeze this. Allow the soup to cool completely before placing it into freezer-friendly containers. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator before re-heating on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you’re adding noodles, cook them separately and add them to your reheated soup when you’re ready to serve, or stir them into your hot soup (they cook very quickly).
More soup recipes to try
- Vegan Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- The Best Minestrone Soup
- Healing Ginger Coconut Chicken Brown Rice Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Creamy White Bean Chicken Enchilada Soup
Get all of my soup recipes here!
I hope you love this cozy curry chicken noodle soup! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
Cozy and nourishing curry chicken noodle soup filled with veggies and simmered in a flavorful coconut milk broth. This one pot curry chicken noodle soup is packed with protein and immune-boosting ingredients for a wonderful lunch or dinner during colder months!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 2 bunches of green onions, white and green parts divided
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Thai chili paste (or 1 tablespoon sriracha)
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or sub coconut aminos or tamari if gluten free)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise
- 6 bok choy ribs with leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- For serving:
- 8 to 10 ounces cooked rice or ramen noodles
- ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ½ cup torn Thai bail (regular basil will also work)
- ¼ cup mint leaves, torn
- Reserved sliced scallions (green part only)
- 1 Thai chile, to garnish (can also sub jalapeno)
- Lime wedges, for garnishing
Instructions
- Brown the chicken: Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to a large dutch oven or large pot and place over medium high heat. Add in chicken thighs and generously season with salt and pepper. Brown chicken on both sides. You don’t need to cook the chicken all the way, just get it nice and golden brown for flavor purposes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the soup: In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Immediately white part only of the green onions and carrots. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then add in the garlic, ginger, curry powder and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the coconut milk, chicken broth, thai chili paste and soy sauce. Add the chicken thighs back to the pot and place lemongrass stalks in. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a gentle simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Shred the chicken: Use a slotted spoon to remove cooked chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred chicken. Before adding chicken back to the pot, remove the lemongrass stalks with tongs and discard. Add chicken back to the pot, then stir in the chopped bok choy and fish sauce and simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes until tender.
- Add rice noodles or ramen noodles (or cooked rice) to shallow bowls then ladle soup over. Garnish with some cilantro, mint, thai green basil, scallions, thai chile and a fresh squeeze of lime. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
To make vegetarian: swap the chicken for a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas or a package of cubed, cooked tofu. Then simply use a vegan fish sauce.
To store: store this soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
To freeze: leave the noodles out if you're planning to freeze this. Allow the soup to cool completely before placing it into airtight, freezer-friendly bags or containers. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator before re-heating on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you’re adding noodles, cook them separately and add them to your reheated soup when you’re ready to serve, or stir them into your hot soup (they cook very quickly).
See the full post for more ways to customize this soup!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 6)Calories: 352calCarbohydrates: 35.9gProtein: 21.1gFat: 13.1gSaturated Fat: 5.2gFiber: 0.9gSugar: 1.7g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on January 5th, 2021, and republished on December 7th, 2025.
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Super yummy soup! I used rotisserie chicken to speed up the cooking time. I would make it again for sure!
Perfect swap! Glad you loved it!
I just made this recipe last night and had to come back and add a review. This was so good! Even my 7yo ate it (I added more coconut milk and bone broth to his to make it less spicy), and everyone else smashed it. Best thing I’ve made in a while. As far as substitutions, I did not use curry powder, lemongrass (which I couldn’t find), or chili paste, instead using 2Tbsp yellow Thai curry paste, which I feel did a pretty good job replacing those ingredients. Plus chicken bone broth instead of regular broth.
10/10 will add this to my family’s rotation. Thanks!
Amazing! So happy everyone loved it 🙂 It’s so great for customizing!
this is the best soup i have ever made. So yummy I halved the recipe since i live alone and it still came out great
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Absolutely amazing! I made it as written and it was fantastic, my entire family loved it.
So happy to hear that!
I loved this soup! I only had angel hair rice noodles and some ramen noodles so I used a combination of those – I suggest thicker ones. I only had one bunch of green onions and no fish sauce. I added chopped cashews (I was out of peanuts) on top at the end. Even with these changes, it was excellent!
This one’s very forgiving! Happy you loved it!
I haven’t made this yet, although I have made other soups form Ambitious Kitchen and they never disappoint! I don’t really like coconut milk so can you suggest an alternative? Thank!
You can add more chicken broth instead or try this recipe, which is a similar version without the coconut milk!
Our family loves this recipe and has been making it for years! We made the switch to being vegetarian last year and wanted to figure out a way to make this recipe with a protein alternative. We took two cans of chickpeas and blended it in the blender with the can of coconut milk and then added that to the soup when you add in the broth. It worked out great!
Love that idea! Glad it’s a favorite!
I also made the noodles separate and poured the soup over and finished with the toppings. That way the noodles stay fresh for leftovers
Perfect!!
Delicious! I added more broth than called for. The soup is full of flavor and umami. The toppings add over the top flavors that make you want to keep coming back for more. Highly recommend this one!
So delicious! Tasted like Ramen due to the spice from the gochujang (used that instead of curry paste) and cream from the coconut milk. I threw in some extra veg I needed to use as well (red pepper, celery, cabbage, etc.) Big tip for anyone that doesn’t want to lug 2 cartons of chicken broth…get ‘better than boullion’ and mix into boiling water – it’s so flavorful. Don’t miss the lime squeeze and green onions as the toppings. Thanks for another great recipe Monique!
Love this one for winter! Great tip with the better than bouillon cubes, too!
Delicious and so simple to make! I love that its light but yet so comforting and healthy. For a family of three, there were plenty of leftovers for brunch the next day!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
If I’m unable to find fresh lemon stalk , how much lemongrass paste would be needed for this recipe?
Hi! I haven’t tried this recipe using lemongrass paste, but I think using about 2 teaspoons of it in place of the stalks should work. Let me know if you give it a try!
I love this soup! Can I use yellow curry paste instead of curry powder? Thanks!
So glad you love it! I haven’t tested out the flavor using curry paste, but if you try it be sure to use a bit more than what’s called for for the curry powder (as curry powder is more concentrated). A good rule of thumb is substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder for 1 tablespoon curry paste. Let me know if you give it a try!
I came here looking for your ‘best chicken soup ever’ recipe as I had made it before and loved it. Then I saw this and thought I’d give it a try since my garden is full of Mint, Coriander, Lime, Lemongrass, and Basil at the moment.
I had pretty much everything on hand except Bok Choy so used spinach and Brocollini instead.
OMG, this was awesome.
I made a double batch as the dinner attendee numbers fluctuate from 4 to 10 in my house at the moment and it was well received by all 7 of us who ate it. Plus LOADS of leftovers for lunch the next day.
Will note that I didn’t use chicken breasts. I had a kilo of frozen chicken meatballs in the freezer and thought I’d give them a try in a soup. Resounding success. Also added loads more chili as we like it spicy.
This is only the second recipe of yours I have tried so far, I am off to browse your other recipes. You have a new fan!
Ah thank you so much – Linda. I am so glad you found this recipe and are loving it. The chicken meatballs sounds like a genius idea, glad this recipe is a hit!
This was so yummy it’s a good to recipe for sure! Recently got a slow cooker, would it be adaptable for this?
Just made this soup today and LOVE it! I made a few modifications (used chicken meat I took from a bone broth batch, konjac noodles instead of rice, added an onion, and added much more spice) but otherwise stuck to the recipe and its fabulous! I’m a sucker for anything Thai-inspired and anything soupy so a win-win for me!
One of my favorite go-to soups to make when it’s cold out or when I’m sick! Tastes like healing. I love how simple it is, yet has so much flavor! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This has become my favorite dish! Not only does it help fight the cold/flu season with all that wonderful ginger and garlic, but it was absolutely divine postpartum when I needed nutrients and hydration. Thank you!
Can this be done in a slow cooker?
I haven’t tested it, but I would assume so! You may just want to add the noodles closer to the end so that they don’t get overcooked 🙂
This soup is outstanding. I have found Asian inspired soups to have strange flavors when I have made recipes from other blogs, but this one is true comfort in a bowl. It tastes indulgent and cozy, but is packed with healthy, anti inflammatory ingredients. I will be making this on repeat as we head into Fall. Thank you so much for the incredible recipe!
Thanks SO much, Dominique! I’m thrilled to hear you loved it 🥰
Omg! Such an amazing twist on your every day chicken noodle soup. This will definitely be on repeat in my house!
My husband claims this is THE best chicken soup he’s ever had, and he comes from a cooking family! We make it with celery, instead of bokchoy, just because of availability, and it still is the best.
I’m so happy you both love it, Heidi! Yay! Thanks so much for leaving a review 🙂
This was the most delicious soup I ever made!! I didn’t have lemongrass or oyster sauce so I skipped them. My chicken broth wasn’t low sodium, so I added only 1/8 cup of soy sauce. I also threw in some diced red pepper and mushrooms. It was so delicious and flavorful! Thanks Monique!!
I’m so happy you loved it so much, Natasha! Aren’t the flavors great in here? 🙂
This recipe is fire!!!! I’m recovering from Covid and it has really helped and is so tasty! I used Brown rice Pad Thai noodles! I love to cook but I feel like if I didn’t this recipe would still be easy to do.
love it!
I’m so happy you’re loving it! And glad that you’re starting to feel better!
DELICIOUS, easy to make and a mega crowd pleaser!! What more could you ask for!?
Oh I’m so happy everyone loved it! Woohooo! Thanks for leaving a review 🙂
Delicious cozy meal! The flavors are amazing!
Soup was AMAZING! Husband even went back for seconds (he’s not a big fan of the Chicken Soup, so I was shocked when he loved this recipe). 10/10 will make again. Had never tried bok choy, so I made the mistake of not using the whole thing, down to the white part, but definitely use it, great flavor. Would say it took me longer to prep than 15 minutes though (I love cooking, but am a slow prepper).
I’m SO glad you both loved it, Donna! And good to know about the prep time–thanks 🙂
Made this with tofu and it is incredible!!
Wow! So delicious! Loved the flavors in this! Will make again and again.
So happy you enjoyed it, Sue! One of my fav soups 🙂
This is so dang good! Super flavorful. It’s tangy, a little spicy and so delicious. One of my favorite AK recipes. Definitely will be making this again!
Yay!! I’m so happy you’re a fan of this one. Great for this time of year 🙂
This soup is amazing and full of flavor! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because next time I make it, I would definitely cut back the noodle quantity. But I am all about veggies and would add more bok choy or even broccoli. I used the green onion, cilantro, mint and lime for toppings and they all worked well together. Great recipe and it makes a ton!
Totally fine to reduce the amount of noodles + add more veg! Happy you love the flavors in this one 🙂
What can I use to replace yellow curry? I follow a low histamine diet. Thank you!
Sorry to say I’m not very familiar with that diet so I’m not sure! I’d suggest googling a low histamine curry spice blend 🙂
This was delicious!! Couldn’t find lemongrass anywhere so I used two arugula leaves (took them out later) and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Could’ve used an extra tablespoon of lemon juice maybe. Also didn’t have the Thai paste so I mixed 1/4 c ketchup with 1/4 teaspoon of ground cayenne. Next time I’ll use 1 more chicken thigh and maybe 5-6 bok choy stalks.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear all those subs worked out well and that you loved it!
This recipe was fantastic! We made portions of noodles to separate to add to the leftovers over a few days. We will definitely be making this again.
This soup is SO delicious 👍❤😘 Every mouthful bursting with flavour!
So glad you loved it!
This soup is absolutely delicious, and I didn’t even have all the ingredients (didn’t have the lemongrass and white part of the green onion). I reduced the broth to 4 cups as I like thicker texture for the soup. Thank you for the recipe.
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
This was SO good!! I had some leftover rotisserie chicken I threw in instead of cooking the chicken. I also didn’t have lemon grass so we left that out. The flavors all melded together and were so vibrant! Repeat on our menu for sure!
Easy and delicious! Glad you enjoyed!
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup. It is like pho mixed with curry mixed with chicken noodle soup. The only thing I’ve changed since the first time is cooking the noodles separately and pouring the soup over them individually in bowls—the first time I tried to save leftovers and the noodles soaked up all the broth. It’s still super good, just a better option if you plan to have leftovers. And as stated in the recipe, do not skip the toppings!!!! The mint & lime is my favorite part. Another 10/10 from AK!
Great tip on the noodles! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
This recipe was delicious. I omitted all spicy things for my little one and added it into my own bowl after. Couldn’t find any lemongrass, so I threw a little bit of lemon zest in there. It was still so good! We ate it again the next day.
Perfect! Glad it was a hit 🙂
My husband esp loved this recipe and said that it’s a “respect.” Very nutritious, flavorful and filling. I meal prepped the soup, and when I reheated it on the stove I had problems with the noodles breaking apart. It didn’t affect the taste…just the experience of eating a noodle soup haha! Would you suggest that I wait to add the noodles in until the day that I reheat and eat it?
So glad it was a hit! And hmmm sounds like the noodles may have been a bit overcooked? You can always add them separately!