Red Curry Chicken Soup with Rice Noodles

Ingredients

• 200 g Rice noodles (vermicelli type) (soak in warm water for 5 min before cooking)
• 2 c. à soupe Red curry paste (prefer a high‑quality paste, otherwise make at home (see description link))
• 400 ml Coconut milk (one 400 ml can)
• 500 g Chicken thighs (with drumstick) (lightly trim, remove excess skin and fat)
• 1 tige Lemongrass (crush with the knife handle along its full length)
• 3 feuilles Kaffir lime leaves (kombava) (roughly torn)
• 4 tranches Galangal (thin, peeled slices)
• 1 botte Fresh cilantro (leaves only, coarsely chopped)
• 2 tiges Scallions (or green onions) (cut into thin rounds)
• 2 c. à soupe Fish sauce (nuoc mam) (adjust to taste)
• 1 c. à café Cane sugar (balances the salt and the heat)
• 2 c. à soupe Vegetable oil (to sauté the curry paste)
• 1 petit Fresh red chili (thinly sliced, optional for extra heat)
• 1.5 L Water (for the broth)

Instructions

1. Soaking the rice noodles

   Place the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water and let soak for 5 minutes, then drain.

   Time: PT5M

2. Preparing the aromatics

   Crush the lemongrass stalk with the knife handle, tear the kaffir leaves, slice the galangal thinly, coarsely chop the cilantro and slice the scallions.

   Time: PT5M

3. Preparing the chicken

   Remove excess skin and fat from the thighs, separate the drumsticks from the thigh tops, remove the small bone piece at the drumstick joint.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cooking the broth

   Place the chicken pieces in a pot with 1.5 L of water, bring to a boil, skim the foam, add the lemongrass, kaffir leaves and galangal. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 100°C

5. Removing and slicing the chicken

   Take the chicken pieces out of the broth, debone if desired, then slice into thin strips. Reserve the broth filtered through a sieve.

   Time: PT5M

6. Sautéing the curry paste

   In another pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat, add the red curry paste and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 180°C

7. Incorporating the coconut milk

   Pour the coconut milk into the pot, stir for 1 minute until the paste is well incorporated.

   Time: PT1M

8. Adding the broth

   Add the filtered broth, bring to a boil then lower the heat slightly.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 100°C

9. Final seasoning

   Stir in the sliced chicken, 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar. Simmer for 3 minutes.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: 100°C

10. Cooking the noodles

    Bring a small pot of water to a boil, plunge the soaked noodles for 30 seconds, then drain immediately and place in the serving bowl.

    Time: PT30S

    Temperature: 100°C

11. Assembling the soup

    Pour the hot broth over the noodles, arrange the chicken, add the scallion rounds, chopped cilantro and, if you like heat, a few strips of red chili.

    Time: PT2M

12. Tasting

    Taste the broth, adjust salt or chili if needed, then enjoy.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Rice noodles (vermicelli type): flat rice noodles, rice soba
• Instead of Red curry paste: homemade red curry paste, store‑bought red curry paste
• Instead of Coconut milk: coconut cream, light coconut milk
• Instead of Chicken thighs (with drumstick): boneless chicken breast, turkey thighs
• Instead of Lemongrass: lemon zest, lemon juice
• Instead of Kaffir lime leaves (kombava): lime zest, lime leaves
• Instead of Galangal: ginger, fresh turmeric
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: flat‑leaf parsley, chives
• Instead of Scallions (or green onions): shallots, sweet onion
• Instead of Fish sauce (nuoc mam): sea salt, tamari
• Instead of Cane sugar: white sugar, honey
• Instead of Vegetable oil: peanut oil, sunflower oil
• Instead of Fresh red chili: chili powder, chili flakes

Equipment Needed

• Large pot or stockpot
• Fine sieve
• Large‑mesh strainer (or metal collar)
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Serving bowl
• Timer or stopwatch (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Soaking the noodles (prevents them from breaking)
• Skim the broth at the first boil
• Filter the broth before reusing it
• Sauté the curry paste without burning it

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use fresh kaffir lime leaves for an authentic fragrance.
• Lightly toast the curry paste before adding the coconut milk to intensify the aromas.
• A splash of fresh lime juice just before serving balances the richness of the coconut milk.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the broth and chicken separately in airtight containers, up to 3 days maximum.

Freezer: The broth freezes very well for up to 1 month; noodles keep for 1 month separately.

Room temperature: Do not leave the soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the broth the day before and reheat it when serving.
• The noodles can be soaked ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, drained just before cooking.