One of the best ways to warm up is with a hot bowl of Thai coconut curry chicken soup! Made with good for you ingredients like chicken breast, a wide variety of colorful vegetables, garlic, ginger, red (or green!) curry paste, and fresh lime juice. An easy to make dinner that is so good! Whole30, paleo friendly, gluten free, dairy free, vegan option.
The best coconut curry chicken soup
Thai food is one of my favorite types of comfort food. And this Thai style coconut curry chicken soup absolutely counts as comfort food at our house.
It’s made with simple ingredients that come together for the most delicious, slurp worthy, veggie packed bowl of aromatic YUM.
The broth is creamy thanks to the coconut milk, a little spicy from the curry paste, brightened up with a generous squeeze of lime juice, and so totally irresistible.
I made it with a Whole30 and paleo framework in mind, but it could easily be made vegan or vegetarian by using veggie broth and swapping the chicken for tofu. Or just leaving it out altogether.
Whatever way you serve it I hope it warms your home and belly the way it has ours!
Why you’ll love this coconut chicken soup
It is:
- Brothy
- Umami rich
- Zippy
- Nutrient dense
- Healthy
- Made with a ton of veggies
- Protein rich
- Bright and citrusy
- Creamy
- A little spicy
- Seriously crave-able!
Ingredients and substitutions
This Thai style curry soup is made with a variety of colorful veggies, coconut milk, aromatics, curry paste, and chicken breast. There are a few substitutions you might want to make that I’ll share my recommendations for below!
Here’s what you need
- Avocado or sesame oil – Either will work as a cooking fat for this soup.
- Onion, garlic, and ginger – Onion, garlic, and ginger create an aromatic flavor base. You could substitute chopped shallots for the onion.
- Red curry paste – I used red curry paste for this recipe, but you could swap it out for green curry paste. Make sure to look for a Whole30 compatible option if you’re doing a Whole30.
- A variety of veggies – In this recipe I used red bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, and broccoli for the vegetables. You substitute with your favorite veggies! The one thing to keep in mind is that some vegetables will cook faster than others. For example – as the recipe is written the broccoli is added last with the chicken so that it doesn’t overcook.
- Chicken broth – Chicken broth or vegetable broth will both work.
- Coconut milk – Full fat coconut milk is what I typically use, but you could also use low fat coconut milk or even coconut cream for a creamier broth.
- Coconut aminos – Coconut aminos add some umami rich flavor and a bit of sweetness to the broth. If you don’t have them you can leave them out.
- Chicken breast – Diced chicken breast is the protein source of this soup. You could also use already cooked and shredded chicken, tofu (for a vegan option – though not Whole30 compatible), or shrimp.
- Salt – To taste.
- Lime juice – Lime juice is, in my opinion, a must. It brightens all the flavors of the soup and ties everything together.
How to make this soup vegan / vegetarian
Making this soup without meat is super easy!
You could either:
- Swap the chicken for a plant based protein like cubed tofu, or,
- Leave out the chicken for a hearty vegetable soup and add rice or rice noodles just before serving.
Of course you’ll also want to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth as well.
How spicy is this curry soup?
The only spicy ingredient in this soup recipe is the curry paste. So how spicy the particular brand you use is will determine how spicy the soup is.
For extra heat, add a chopped spicy chili or a generous pinch of chili flakes with the aromatics.
What kind of curry paste is Whole30 and gluten free?
For this recipe I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste because it’s Whole30 compatible and widely available at more grocery stores.
Another great option are these organic curry pastes by Mike’s Organic Curry Love. I’ve tried quite a few of them and they’ve all been delicious! They are sold at Thrive Market and I’ve seen them on the shelf at Whole Foods as well.
If you’re doing a Whole30 things to look out for on a curry label are sugar, soy products, gluten, and rice products.
You can check out my entire guide to what you can and can’t eat on a Whole30 here.
How to make Thai coconut curry chicken soup
Making Thai style coconut soup at home is actually so easy. Once all your ingredients are prepped it comes together in less than 30 minutes. Faster than it would be to wait for a take out order!
Here’s the step-by-step
- Cook aromatics. In a large soup pot heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot add thinly sliced onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until onions start to soften and garlic and ginger are aromatic. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute more.
- Sauté veggies. Add bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini and stir to coat with the curry paste. Cook, stirring occasionally until veggies have softened slightly.
- Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and coconut aminos. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
- Cook chicken and broccoli. Add chicken breast and broccoli florets and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through and broccoli is bright green and tender.
- Season to taste with salt and juice of one lime.
- Garnish and serve! Serve topped with fresh herbs, red or green onion, chili oil, chopped cashews, and extra lime.
What to serve with coconut curry soup
This soup is a balanced meal all on it’s own!
If you would like to serve it with something additional here’s some ideas:
- Whole30 options: With cauliflower rice or spiralized veggie noodles.
- Non-Whole30 options: With rice noodles or white or brown rice.
Storage and re-heating
Storing: This coconut soup can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To re-heat, gently warm on the stove in a small sauce pan, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Can also be warmed in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until hot.
Freezing: Because this soup is made without dairy it should freeze well. The vegetables could get a bit softer after defrosting but it will still taste great!
Love this healthy soup recipe? Check out these other recipes!
- Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Mushroom Soup (Vegan + Whole30)
- Dairy Free Gluten Free Lasagna Soup (GF + Vegan option)
- Super Creamy Carrot Soup (GF + Vegan + Whole30)
- Healthy Whole30 Chicken Pot Pie Soup (GF + Whole30)
- Ultra Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder {Vegan + GF}
If you enjoyed this recipe we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review the recipe below. It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any changes you made to the recipe! Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK! We’re so grateful you’re here.
PrintThai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup {Whole30 + Paleo + Gluten free + Vegan option}
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
One of the best ways to warm up is with a hot bowl of Thai coconut curry chicken soup! Made with good for you ingredients like chicken breast, a wide variety of colorful vegetables, garlic, ginger, red (or green!) curry paste, and fresh lime juice. An easy to make dinner that is so good! Whole30, paleo friendly, gluten free, dairy free, vegan option.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 a medium onion, thinly sliced or chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated or finely chopped
- 1/4 cup red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into bites sized pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Juice from 1 lime
- Cilantro or basil, red or green onion, chili oil, chopped cashews, extra lime wedges to garnish
Instructions
- Cook aromatics. In a large soup pot heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot add thinly sliced onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 2 minutes – until onions start to soften and garlic and ginger are aromatic. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
- Sauté veggies. Add bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini and stir to coat with the curry paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-4 minutes, until veggies have softened slightly.
- Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and coconut aminos. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
- Cook chicken and broccoli. Add chicken breast and broccoli florets and continue to simmer until chicken is cooked through and broccoli is bright green and tender – about 5-6 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and juice of one lime. I used more than 1 teaspoon, but I also started with low sodium chicken broth.
- Garnish and serve! Serve topped with fresh herbs, red or green onion, chili oil, chopped cashews, and extra lime.
Notes
Storing: This coconut soup can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating: To re-heat, gently warm on the stove in a small sauce pan, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Can also be warmed in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until hot.
Freezing: Because this soup is made without dairy it should freeze well. The vegetables could get a bit softer after defrosting but it will still taste great!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: asian
Hannah says
Excellent. I added chili flakes for some heat. This is going on the regular rotation!
Nyssa Tanner says
Yes to extra spice! That sounds delicious 🙂 I’m so glad that you enjoyed this cozy soup recipe, and thank you for leaving your review! – Nyssa
Jennifer Vences says
I made this soup twice! I have shared it with friends and they love it just as me. This dish has been added as a staple in my household. So hearty and healthy all in one.
Nyssa Tanner says
Yes, yes! Love to hear that Jennifer. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, and happy cooking! – Nyssa
Dorothy Lizak says
Very tasty. Full of flavor. I’ll definitely make this again.
Nyssa Tanner says
So glad you enjoyed! Happy cooking 🙂 – Nyssa
Traci says
This is a wonderful soup. I’ve made it twice and have been asked for the recipe three times! I didn’t change anything except for the curry paste. I didn’t have red so I substituted yellow and it’s addictive! Thank you for the recipe.
Nyssa Tanner says
Ohh I’ll have to try it with yellow curry! That sounds delicious. So glad you enjoyed this warming soup 🙂 Thanks for your note and happy cooking! – Nyssa