Spicy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Adding to my collection of Asian-inspired soups this is another that is also very adaptable: it can be made vegetarian by upping the veg content even more (and using vegetable stock of course); you can use chicken breast rather than thighs to make it a little healthier (although thighs I don’t think can be beaten on the taste front), or prawns or mixed seafood, fish and so on.…

I actually wanted to use pad thai noodles but I couldn’t get hold of any so instead used plain old egg noodles which were still good. But again, use what noodles you like or even have it without noodles and have it as is or even with a small bowl of rice alongside.

This is filling and delicious - always a good combination.


Spicy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 3 

groundnut oil
2-3 tbsp tom yum & / or red Thai curry paste
350g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
1 tin coconut milk
800ml chicken stock
2 nests noodles, cooked and drained.
1 kaffir lime leaf, shredded
1 stick lemongrass, tough outer leaves & top third removed, halved and bashed with a rolling pin
2 tsp garlic & ginger paste
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1-2 red chilies, deseeded and finely sliced
150g button mushrooms, halved
1 tbsp fish sauce
pinch of sugar
80g babycorn, sliced on the diagonal
65g sugar snaps, sliced in half on the diagonal
½ red pepper, sliced
1 handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped plus extra for garnish
Juice of 1/2 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish

In a splash of groundnut oil, gently saute spring onions, chili and garlic & ginger paste for about a minute until fragrant. Add the lemon grass and shredded lime leaf and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the Tom Yum / curry paste and stir fry for about 30 seconds - 1 minutes.

Add the chicken and stir around until the pieces are all coated and the chicken has just lost its pinkness.

Add the vegetables then splash in the fish sauce and add a pinch of sugar and the stock & coconut milk.

Bring the soup to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 10-20 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through and the vegetables tender but retaining a bit of bite.

Add the cooked noodles and stir well. Check for seasoning and adjust carefully with fish sauce / sugar as necessary then stir through the chopped coriander & lime juice.

Serve in large bowls with a little extra coriander sprinkled over and lime wedges alongside.