I will be honest; I did not know curry soup was a thing. I needed one more soup to finish out my November soup series and just couldn’t get the cozy flavors of curry out of my mind. I thought about how amazing that would be. Then I did some research and found that there are about a million other recipes for homemade curry soup. I read over the ingredient lists and decided to just make one that was based on my favorite red curry recipe. And then this soup was born. It is a delight.
This curry soup is creamy, perfectly spicy, and packed with flavor. Every bite has bits of sauteed vegetables, chicken, or rice noodles. It is rich and comforting and perfect for the winter months. It even freezes beautifully. That way when you are craving a perfect bowl of warm curry soup, it just needs to be warmed and served!
If you like this chicken curry soup recipe, be sure to check out some of our other favorite soups from the series. Such as cream of chicken with rice, potato soup, and homemade chili!
Tools
Chefs knife
Cutting board
Bowls (Optional for setting chopped vegetables aside)
Large pot
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Spatula or wooden spoon
Ingredients
Chicken – The curry recipe I based this recipe on used chicken, so naturally this soup needed chicken as well. I like using chicken breast for this but if you have leftover chicken from something like roasting a whole chicken, then you can use that. If the meat is precooked, just sauté it for a minute or two before adding in the vegetables.
Yellow onion – Onion is a great addition to any soup. It adds so much flavor and makes for a great bite.
Celery stalks – Another classic when making a soup base. I am not a fan of celery on its own, but it does add to the overall flavor profile of a dish when it is added and cooked down.
Bell pepper – I love bell peppers in curry, they stay a nice texture and absorb so much of those spices.
Broccoli – Another great curry vegetable. I like to chop the florets pretty small but that is up to personal preference!
Garlic cloves – Garlic is amazing for health benefits, like fermented garlic honey, but it is perfect for adding so much flavor to dishes as well.
Ginger – The slight spice and depth of flavor is really lacking without some fresh ginger.
Black pepper – Just a little bit, enough of the spice comes from the other spices.
Sea salt – Salt helps to enhance and balance all the flavors in the dish. Table salt is fine, but sea salt will provide extra minerals. Especially if you use a brand like crucial four.
Butter – Instead of oil, adding butter to sauté the vegetables and cook the chicken adds more flavor.
Garam Masala – I really like adding this because of the dynamic flavor profile it adds. Cooking it with the vegetables deepens the flavors. Check the additional ingredients and substitutions section for other options.
Curry paste – The classic curry flavors, especially the bit of lemon grass. It makes this dish! I used Thai red curry paste because I like the flavor better. Experiment with green curry paste if that is what you prefer!
Tomato paste – Tomatoes yield little bit of acidity and a ton of flavor. And we use tomato paste to not effect the texture.
Chicken broth – As always, if I have homemade chicken bone broth, I will use that. But if not then store bought or water and bullion works too. A wonderful thing to keep on hand is powdered bone broth! It is perfect for recipes like this when you are out of broth.
Rice noodles – Curry is traditionally served with rice, but I didn’t want that texture in this soup. So, I used rice noodles instead. Still tastes great, but it is a much better option while also being more aesthetically pleasing. The noodles I used said to cook for 4 minutes, but they were still underdone. Cooking for 6 minutes seemed to be just right, but taste as you go and cook longer if needed, depending on the noodles used.
Coconut milk – I go in heavy with two cans of coconut milk. It makes it so silky and creamy while balancing the spices.
Serve with:
Limes – Because of the spices and the coconut milk it has a very rich flavor profile. Adding a drizzle of fresh lime juice over a bowl lightens it and keeps it tasting fresh.
Cilantro – If you don’t think that it tastes like soap, sprinkle it on for some color and a great pop of flavor.
Naan – This soup is great all on its own, but a side of warm naan, freshly brushed with butter is just too wonderful to pass up. I love making sourdough naan, which is so simple and comes together fast.
Extras
Spice – If you want it to be hotter, drizzle with chili oil or sambal oelek, which is a potent chili paste.
Adding things like lime leaves, or fresh bean sprouts are also lovely.
Additional ingredients and substitutions
Coconut cream – Since there are two cans of coconut milk in this recipe, I think it is already really creamy. However, one of the cans can be replaced with coconut cream for an even more decadent soup. I would not use 2 cans of coconut cream however, because I do think that would be too much.
Oil – This can be used instead of butter when cooking the chicken and vegetables. I would use something like an olive oil or a coconut oil.
Curry Powder – I really like the flavors of garam masala in this recipe. Curry powders can also be used in its place instead. A yellow curry powder tends to be less spicy. And always start with less and work your way up. It can easily become too much.
Vegetables – If you wanted to add extra vegetables or substitute the broccoli and peppers, go for it! These are the ones I enjoy, but snap peas or big chunks of sweet potatoes are common add ins.
Vegetarian
To make this vegetarian, leave out the chicken and add in more vegetables and a few more ounces of noodles. Also use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. If you add tofu or a different protein, please leave a comment and let me know how it turned out!
Let’s make curry soup!
Prep
Chop up the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Wash the celery, bell pepper, and broccoli. Chop them all, along with the onion. Keep the bell pepper and broccoli separate since they are added in at different times. Set aside.
Peel the ginger and mince. Mince the garlic, set both aside.
In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then sauté the chicken with salt and pepper until fully cooked.
Add in the onion and celery, sauteing until translucent, (about 5 minutes).
Add in the garam masala, curry paste, and tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. It should be fragrant.
Add in the garlic, ginger, and bell pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the chicken broth and broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn it up to medium high heat. Bring to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for 6 minutes. Adjust the cooking time as needed depending on the recommended cooking time of the noodles being used.
Turn off the heart and stir in the cans of coconut milk.
Serve with chopped cilantro, fresh limes, and sourdough naan.
Enjoy!
Storing
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing
This soup freezes really well, even with the addition of the coconut milk. Allow the soup to fully cool, then transfer the into glass jars or soup cubes. A freezer bag also works really well. If using jars, leave plenty of space, and leave the top cracked so they do not explode when it freezes and expands. Then just go back and seal them once the soup is fully frozen.
To thaw, place the soup in a pot and heat slowly with a little water. Cover for best results. If it is in a jar, leave the jar in the fridge for 1-2 days to thaw before transferring it to a pot.
Thank you
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. I appreciate it when I hear about what was loved about a recipe, or things that weren’t so great so I can improve recipes and make better ones in the future. So, thank you for leaving a comment! Don’t forget to share with friends and family so they too can enjoy making curry soup. Thank you!
Chicken Curry Soup
This soup is a cozy bowl of curry, but better. So creamy from the coconut milk, perfectly spicy, and lots of vegetables, chicken, and rice noodles. Can be made vegetarian and freezes well!
Ingredients
- 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. Chicken*
- 1 Yellow onion
- 2 Celery stalks
- 1 1/2 cups Bell Pepper
- 1 cup Broccoli florets (Small)
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tsp. Ginger
- 1/2 tsp. Black pepper
- 2 tsp. Sea salt
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 2 - 4 Tbsp. Garam Masala**
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. Curry paste
- 3 Tbsp. Tomato paste
- 4 cups Chicken broth ***
- 6 oz. Rice noodles
- 2 14oz. cans Coconut milk
- Limes, cilantro, and naan for garnish and serving
Instructions
- Chop up chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- Wash the celery, bell pepper, and broccoli. Chop all along with the onion. Keep the bell pepper and broccoli separate from the celery and onion since they get added at different times.
- Peel the ginger and mince with the garlic. Set aside.
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then sauté the chicken with salt and pepper until fully cooked.
- Add in the onion and celery, sauteing until translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add in the Garam masala, curry paste, and tomato paste, cook for three minutes, stirring frequently. It should be fragrant.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and bell pepper, cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth and broccoli and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn it up to medium high heat. Bring to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for 6 minutes (unless the noodles say to cook them longer).****
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cans of coconut milk.
- Serve with chopped cilantro, fresh limes, and sourdough naan.
- Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Enjoy!
Notes
* To make this vegetarian leave out the chicken and replace with more vegetables and noodles! I would love to hear in the comments if you substitute it for something.
** I really liked the flavor of the garam masala in this recipe. Curry powder can also be used instead. Something like a yellow curry powder tends to be a little less spicy. And unless you love spice, start with the 2 Tbsp. It is always better to add more at the end if needed!
*** I love to use homemade chicken bone broth. However, any chicken broth can be used, or vegetable broth can be used if making it vegetarian.
**** The rice noodles I used said to cook them for 4 minutes, but they needed at least 6. Check the noodles and cook longer if necessary.
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