Make this gluten-free Thai Chicken Soup with simple, immune-boosting ingredients. Warm, flavorful, and filling, it’s the ultimate easy comfort food for flu season and cold winter days!
Immunity Boosting Thai Chicken Soup
This Thai chicken soup is one of our go-to gluten-free recipes when we want a nutritious meal that will warm us up from the inside out. Packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients, it’s every bit as nutritious as it is tasty, and it couldn’t be easier to make!
Plus, it requires minimal prep time, has a total time of under an hour, and you can easily customize the ingredients to satisfy all your needs while keeping the bold, Thai-inspired flavors. Looking for a vegetarian option? Omit the chicken. Need a vegan recipe? Swap the fish sauce, too.
No matter how you prepare it, this recipe is sure to be one you make again and again! Keep a big batch on hand for quick meals to take on-the-go or reheat throughout the week.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions needed to make this Thai chicken soup recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details, nutrition information, etc.!
For the Broth
- Broth – We love to use homemade vegetable broth or chicken broth, but store-bought varieties work well, too. Look for low-sodium varieties to have more control over the flavor of your soup!
- Lemongrass Stick – Find this in the produce section of your local grocery store.
- Gluten-Free Fish Sauce and Tamari – Trust us! This adds a unique, slightly salty taste that ties all the flavors in together.
Ingredient Swap: For a fish-free option use rice vinegar and tamari instead.
- Asian Chili Sauce – This adds a hint of heat. If preferred, a Thai pepper can be substituted.
- Fresh Ginger Root – Use freshly grated ginger root for a tangy, slightly spicy taste.
- Thai Lime Leaves – If you can’t find Thai lime leaves, substitute lime zest and lemon zest instead.
- Raw Sugar – A little goes a long way to help cut through some of the heaviness and acidity of the soup, creating a well-rounded taste.
- Cilantro – Use the stems (not leaves)!
For the Soup
- Chicken – We prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe, but chicken thighs will also work. Feel free to omit the chicken completely for a vegetarian recipe.
Note: Using poached chicken adds a lot of flavor, but you could also include pre-cooked shredded chicken or any other cooked protein you have on hand like beef or shrimp.
- Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice is best!
- Scallions (Green Onion) – Use both the white and the green parts.
- Rice Noodles – These are optional but add lots of volume to the soup, making it more filling. For a low-carb option, use zucchini noodles instead.
- Garnishes – Top off your soup with chili oil, fresh cilantro leaves, and sliced Thai pepper for garnish!
How to Make Homemade Thai Chicken Soup
- Prepare the stock. Add all the ingredients for the broth to a large pot, and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, and simmer. Then, strain the liquid, and transfer the herbs, ginger, and zest to a separate pot. Keep the broth over low heat.
- Poach the chicken. In the same pot the herbs, ginger, etc. were added to, add the chicken, and cover it halfawy with broth or water. Bring the liquid to a quick boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer.
- Rest the chicken. Shut off the heat, and allow the chicken to rest and cool slightly.
- Prepare the noodles. While the chicken rests, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
- Combine the ingredients. Slice or shred the cooked chicken. Then, add it to the pot of broth along with the lime juice and onion. Simmer the mixture uncovered until heated through and you’re ready to serve. Then, stir in the noodles.
- Serve. Ladle your Thai chicken noodle soup into bowls, top them off with your favorite garnishes, and enjoy!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Chicken Soup Recipes
Common Questions
For the best results, omit the rice noodles until you’re ready to serve. Transfer the cooked and cooled soup to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for three to four days.
When you’re ready to eat, prepare the rice noodles, combine the ingredients, and warm them over medium heat on the stove or in the microwave. Your soup will taste as good as new!
You can freeze the soup without the noodles for one to two months. Thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight. Then, prepare the noodles and combine the ingredients as normal.
Yes! This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover chicken or meat you have on hand.
Sure! Feel free to stir in any vegetables you like best. Red bell peppers, snow peas, or mushrooms would all taste great and are a great way to add extra nutrients and fiber.
Thai Chicken Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Make this easy gluten-free Thai chicken soup with simple ingredients for a protein-rich, nutrient-filled comfort food full of nutrients and flavor!
Ingredients
Broth
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 lemongrass stick, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce + 1 Tablespoon tamari (vegan option in notes)
- 1 Tablespoon chili sauce and/or 1 Thai pepper, thinly sliced (for less heat, omit one or the other)
- 1 inch (6 cm) piece ginger root, sliced
- 2 Thai lime leaves or 1 teaspoon lime zest + ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cilantro stems, diced (keep the cilantro leaves for garnishing)
Soup
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 3 scallions, sliced in ½-inch pieces
- Optional – 3 ounces rice noodles, cooked and rinsed or zucchini noodles
Garnishes
- Chili oil for drizzling (optional)
- Cilantro leaves
- Sliced Thai pepper
Instructions
- Place broth ingredients in a large pot or stock pot. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and remove the herbs, ginger, pepper, and zest.
- Transfer strained herbs/ginger, zest to another large pot to poach the chicken. Meanwhile, keep the broth on low heat while cooking the chicken.
- To poach the chicken, pour in enough water or broth to cover chicken about half way. Add a splash of oil too.
- Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. While the chicken is resting, prepare the (optional) rice noodles according to the package instructions.
- Slice or shred cooked chicken. Add the chicken into the broth pot with lime juice and onion. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes, or until ready to serve. If using rice noodles, stir into the pot.
- Serve with fresh cilantro, a drizzle of chili oil, and thin slices of Thai chili pepper.
- Store soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Prep Tips – Using poached chicken is optional, but it does add a lot of flavor. To speed up the process, use leftover chicken. Thai/Kaffir lime leaves can be very difficult to find in the U.S., and the flavor is very complex, so it’s not easy to replicate with just one simple swap. A combination of bay leaf, lemon thyme, and lime zest will give the closest flavor. Here are some other kaffir lime substitutes.
Substitute Tips – For a vegan option, omit the chicken and only add cooked rice noodles and replace the fish sauce with rice vinegar and tamari. For low carb option, skip the noodles and use zucchini noodles.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with chicken, no noodles
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 2.3 g
- Sodium: 1232.6 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.1 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 27.5 g
- Cholesterol: 82.7 mg
This soup was perfect. I loved the Thai chilis and am excited to try them out in other recipes. Also I added crispy shallots that I made and used the reserved shallot oil when poaching the chicken. So so good!
Oh wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it Lindsey. Thanks for feedback.
Great soup recipe, I love the taste of Thai food!
Thank you!
Making this tonight with chicken! I love Thai food!
Great! I hope you enjoy it!
I loved it!! Packed full of amazing flavors and so comforting!
Glad to hear that! Thanks, Toni!
I am so glad that this soup is healthy because I will be making it all the time!!! It is so yummy!
Yaaayy!! Thanks for letting me know!
I love these Thai flavors! I used lime zest and it came out perfectly!
Thai soup is so yum and tasty.
Yes, it is!