Thai Chicken Coconut Curry (Printable)

Creamy coconut curry soup with tender chicken, ginger, and fresh vegetables in 40 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Proteins

01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Aromatics

02 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 shallots, thinly sliced

→ Curry & Broth

05 - 2 tablespoons red curry paste
06 - 1 can (13.5 fluid ounces) full-fat coconut milk
07 - 3 cups chicken broth
08 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
10 - 1 teaspoon brown sugar
11 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Vegetables

12 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
13 - 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
14 - 3.5 oz snow peas, trimmed

→ Garnishes

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Fresh Thai basil
17 - Sliced red chili, optional
18 - Lime wedges

# How to make it:

01 - Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of oil, then sauté shallots, ginger, and garlic for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its aroma.
02 - Add chicken pieces and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously to coat evenly with aromatics and curry paste.
03 - Pour in chicken broth and coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
04 - Add fish sauce, gluten-free soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
05 - Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and snow peas. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp.
06 - Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar as desired.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, Thai basil, sliced red chili, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • Ready in 40 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all afternoon.
  • The coconut milk keeps everything silky without feeling overly indulgent.
  • Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so it works for almost every table.
  • Forgiving enough that you can swap proteins based on what's in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip blooming the curry paste—that single minute of cooking transforms it from a raw-tasting blob into something aromatic and rounded.
  • If the soup tastes flat, it's almost always missing lime juice, not salt; add acid before you add more seasoning.
  • Full-fat coconut milk is non-negotiable; lite versions make the whole soup taste thin and one-dimensional.
  • Slice your vegetables thin so they actually cook through in the time the chicken needs; thick slices will leave you with undercooked peppers.
03 -
  • Keep your lime juice separate until the very end—it's your final seasoning adjustment and the difference between a good soup and one that tastes alive.
  • Buy the best red curry paste you can find; it's the main flavor driver, so quality matters more here than anywhere else in the recipe.
  • Slice everything thin so it cooks quickly and the textures stay distinct rather than melting into each other.
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