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★★★★★13 Comments

Thai Chicken Soup

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by Lindsay Cotter Published: Oct 12, 2020

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thai soup with chopsticks iin bowl
thai soup with chopsticks iin bowl

This Thai soup has a nourishing, anti-inflammatory broth with ginger, lemongrass, and fresh herbs. Make this Asian soup recipe to warm you up!

overhead view chopsticks in white bowl of Asian chicken soup on wooden serving board

Regardless of the current health issues in the world, winter is around the corner, meaning we’ll soon enter into the cold and flu season. It happens every year, whether we’re ready for it or not, right?

So, to give the body a fighting chance, it’s important to include plenty of antioxidant-rich foods into your diet. And for the aching bones, you’ll need anti-inflammatory properties, too.

Don’t worry- I have an arsenal of soup recipes ready to help you. Pay close attention, because all of these have something in common.

My Asian-inspired flu buster soup is the perfect cure for cold weather aches and pains. I love to slurp the zoodles! There’s also nourishing Thai coconut soup with cabbage that does a great job of taking the winter chill out of your body.

To complete the trifecta, I have this new, oh-so-delicious, nourishing Asian soup recipe.

Now, y’all want to guess what those soups have in common? In addition to being DELICIOUS and Asian-inspired, I mean.

They all contain antioxidants, AND they all have the ability to reduce inflammation! If you deal with achy joints in cold weather, this recipe is calling your name! 

thai soup with chicken in white bowl with wooden chopsticks

Thai soup

See, I have a good reason for making spicy Asian soups. It’s because.the anti-inflammatory properties in them come from (among other ingredients), the goodness of a special spicy fruit… chili peppers!

DO YOU KNOW?

Every variety of chili pepper, from the mild Aji to the hottest pepper in the world, contain natural compounds called capsaicinoids. The spicier the peppers are, the more anti-inflammatory properties they have.

So, we have a nourishing broth that’s anti-inflammatory! Ginger, lemongrass, herbs, and spices in the broth make for one healing soup.

RECIPE NOTES, NUTRITION, AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Chicken– You can make this recipe with or without chicken, it’s totally up to you. But with the addition of chicken, not only is it nourishing and a good source of protein, but it’s also one of the tastiest chicken soups you’ll ever eat!

If you don’t use chicken, it’ll be a Thai vegetable soup. Oh, and and see the recipe card for low carb and vegan options.

Here are just some of the ingredients in the broth:

This isn’t a complete ingredient list. You can find the full list, and amounts needed, in the recipe card below.

ginger root, lime halves, scallions, red chili pepper, and fresh herbs on cutting board
  • Stock or broth- If you plan to add chicken, go for chicken stock or broth. Otherwise, you can use vegetable.
  • Lemongrass- This herb provides antioxidants and it also reduces inflammation. Oh, and it’s been known to reduce fever. This is a winter must-have ingredient!
  • Ginger- Another strong anti-inflammatory, and it helps with nausea too.
  • Sugar- There’s only a teaspoon of sugar in the broth, and it’s there to help balance the spicy flavors. If you need to make this low carb, feel free to omit the sugar, or use a sweetener substitute.
  • Cilantro stems– You’ll use these for making the broth. Keep the cilantro leaves for garnishing.
  • Thai Lime (aka kaffir lime) leaves– This ingredient 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 you the closest flavor. Here are some other kaffir lime substitutes.
  • Chili sauce and/or Thai chili pepper– For less heat, omit one or the other.

How to make this Asian soup recipe

making Asian soup recipe in large pot with fresh herbs

1. Simmer the stock. After 15 minutes, strain the stock to remove the herbs, ginger, peppers, etc. If you’re going to make the Thai soup with chicken, transfer those ingredients to another large pot for the poaching liquid. Meanwhile, turn the broth down to low heat.

2. Poach the chicken. I like to add a splash of oil to the poaching liquid too. It’ll take about 15 minutes to poach the chicken. After that, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the chicken to rest while you cook the noodles.

making Asian soup recipe in large pot with poached chicken and fresh herbs

3. Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions. Rice noodles or rice vermicelli noodles should only take 5-10 minutes to cook. Noodles are optional.

4. Add chicken and noodles to the Thai soup. Slice or shred the cooked chicken and add it to the pot of broth. Simmer for a few minutes, or until you’re ready to serve. If you are adding in rice noodles, this is when you would do so.

5. Garnish and serve.

homemade Thai chicken soup in white bowl

Final notes

You don’t have to use poached chicken. But it does add in a TON of flavor. To speed up the process, you can use any leftover chicken or meat you have on hand.

For vegan option

  • Omit the chicken and just add in cooked rice noodles
  • Replace fish sauce with rice vinegar and tamari

For low carb option

  • Skip the noodles and use zucchini noodles instead.
  • Omit the sugar, or use a sugar substitute.
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overhead photo: chopsticks in white bowl of Asian chicken soup on wooden serving board

Thai Soup (with or without chicken)


★★★★★

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Lindsay Cotter
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

This Thai soup has a nourishing, anti-inflammatory broth with ginger, lemongrass, and fresh herbs. Make this Asian soup recipe to warm you up!


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the 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 (sliced thinly) – For less heat, omit one or the other
  • 1-inch (6 cm) piece ginger root, sliced
  • 2 Thai lime leaves (substitute – 1 teaspoon lime zest plus ½ teaspoon lemon zest)
  • 1 teaspoon raw sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cilantro stems (diced) for making the broth. Keep the cilantro leaves for garnishing.

For the soup

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (optional)
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 scallions, sliced in ½-inch pieces
  • 3 ounces rice noodles, cooked and rinsed (optional) or zucchini noodles for low carb option.

Garnishes

  • Chili oil, for drizzling (optional)
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Sliced Thai pepper

Instructions

  1. Place stock ingredients in a large pot or stock pot. Bring to a boil them simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and remove the herbs, ginger, pepper, and zest.
  2. Transfer strained herbs/ginger, zest to another large pot to poach the chicken. Meanwhile, keep the broth on low heat while you cook the chicken.
  3. To poach the chicken, pour in enough water or broth to cover chicken about half way. I like to add a splash of oil too.
  4. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce to medium low simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
  5. Turn off heat, cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. While the chicken is resting, prepare your rice noodles according to the package instructions. Rice noodles or rice vermicelli noodles should only take 5-10 minutes to cook. Noodles are optional.
  6. 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 you are using rice noodles, stir them into pot here.
  7. Serve with fresh cilantro, a drizzle of chili oil, and thin slices of Thai chili pepper.

Notes

  • Chicken- You don’t have to use poached chicken, but it does add a lot of flavor. To speed up the process, you can use any leftover chicken or meat you have on hand.
  • 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 you the closest flavor. Here are some other kaffir lime substitutes.

For vegan option

  • omit the chicken and just add in cooked rice noodlesĀ 
  • replace fish sauce with rice vinegar and tamari

For low carb option

  • Skip the noodles and use zucchini noodles instead.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: soup
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 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

Keywords: Thai soup, chicken soup, Thai vegetable soup, Asian soup recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @cottercrunch on Instagram and hashtag it #cottercrunch

Have a wonderful warming day!

Cheers,

LC

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Categories: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Main Dishes, Stews and Soups, Stovetop, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags: Chicken, soups

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thai soup with chopsticks iin bowl
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Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch

About Lindsay

Hi, y’all, I’m Lindsay Cotter, a Nutrition Specialist with a focus on Gluten-Free eating. I love creating delicious nourishing food that anyone can enjoy.

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Lindsey

    12/13/2020 at 1:10 PM

    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!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      12/13/2020 at 1:12 PM

      Oh wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it Lindsey. Thanks for feedback.

      Reply
  2. wuxiaworld

    10/18/2020 at 7:59 PM

    Great soup recipe, I love the taste of Thai food!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/20/2020 at 8:10 PM

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes

    10/14/2020 at 11:42 AM

    Making this tonight with chicken! I love Thai food!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/20/2020 at 8:17 PM

      Great! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  4. Toni Dash

    10/14/2020 at 6:28 AM

    I loved it!! Packed full of amazing flavors and so comforting!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/20/2020 at 8:19 PM

      Glad to hear that! Thanks, Toni!

      Reply
  5. wilhelmina

    10/13/2020 at 4:05 PM

    I am so glad that this soup is healthy because I will be making it all the time!!! It is so yummy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/20/2020 at 8:21 PM

      Yaaayy!! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  6. Lauren Kelly

    10/13/2020 at 9:43 AM

    I love these Thai flavors! I used lime zest and it came out perfectly!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Anil Kumar

    10/13/2020 at 3:35 AM

    Thai soup is so yum and tasty.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoLindsay Cotter

      10/20/2020 at 8:20 PM

      Yes, it is!

      Reply

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thai soup with chopsticks iin bowl
thai soup with chopsticks iin bowl
Lindsay Cotter of Cotter Crunch

About Lindsay

Hi, y’all, I’m Lindsay Cotter, a Nutrition Specialist with a focus on Gluten-Free eating. I love creating delicious nourishing food that anyone can enjoy.

  • About
  • Studio
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
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