Chicken Curry Soup

Cozy and comforting Chicken Curry Soup with tender shredded chicken, baby gold potatoes, an incredible seasoning blend and lots of veggies.

Chicken Curry Soup

This Coconut Curry Chicken is easily one of the most popular recipes on this site and a personal family favorite. I had all the ingredients to make it a few weeks ago and when we were surprised with snow, I decided to channel that recipe into a soup instead.

Chicken Curry Soup was very well received by the family — they couldn’t get enough of it! This soup is robustly flavored with red curry paste and a simple seasoning blend of curry powder, garam masala, coriander, and cumin.

It’s a very thick and creamy soup, without any heavy cream or butter. If you’re looking for a thick, comforting soup with good-for-you ingredients this is just the thing to make!

Seasoning Chicken Curry Soup

• Let’s talk salt and pepper. Seasoning every part of the dish with salt and pepper helps the flavors permeate the soup. I’ve included my recommendations for adding salt and pepper to each step of this soup but add to your personal preference. If the soup is tasting flat, it may just need a pinch more of salt and/or pepper. Note that not all salts will season the same (you’ll need more or less depending on the salt used). I use fine sea salt in this recipe.
• Red curry paste. Red curry paste adds loads of flavor without requiring lots of additional ingredients. Curry pastes can vary from brand to brand, particularly in spiciness. We use Thai Kitchen® which I would say is very mild and has a great flavor.
• Yellow curry powder. Curry powder is another ingredient that varies a lot from brand to brand. We’ve tested this soup with Great Value Brand®, Simple Truth Organic®, and McCormick® — all work similarly and are very mild.
• Red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes definitely add a bit of a kick, but I wouldn’t say it makes Chicken Curry Soup spicy (especially when the coconut milk is added). That said, if you are at all sensitive to heat, I’d recommend omitting them. If you love heat, feel free to sprinkle additional red pepper flakes on individual serving bowls.
• Taste and adjust. As with most recipes, taste and adjust the seasonings to your personal preference. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t remove seasoning.

QUICK TIP

Yellow curry powder is a combination of brightly colored seasonings (coriander, turmeric, ginger, fenugreek, anise, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, yellow mustard, mace and cardamom). Red curry paste is a complex mix of chile peppers, black pepper, onion, shrimp paste, paprika and seasonings. The two curry products combine to create a flavor explosion.

Rotisserie Chicken

Rotisserie chicken (or leftover cooked and shredded chicken) saves time and adds flavor to the soup without any extra effort.

To save time on preparing the rotisserie chicken, you can purchase rotisserie chicken meat already pulled from the bones and shredded. Use any leftover chicken in other quick-and-easy recipes like this BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe or these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk makes Chicken Curry Soup sweeter and adds a richer flavor than regular cream. Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and thickness. Lite coconut milk won’t thicken and give you the rich full flavor that regular coconut milk will.

Cream of coconut is far too sweet and coconut cream tends to be too thick (and overpoweringly coconut flavored) for this soup.

QUICK TIP

It can be overwhelming to navigate coconut milk in the grocery store. Look for shelf-stable, unrefrigerated, cans of coconut milk. You’ll find canned coconut milk on the international aisle, with the Latin or Asian products. Here’s an article outlining the best brands to use. I personally use Imperial Kitchen® since I can find it often at my local grocery store.

Chicken Curry Soup Tips

• Finely dice the veggies. You don’t want any chunks of uncooked carrot, red pepper or onion, so take your time and dice the veggies finely and evenly. Cooking these aromatics long and slow will give them a chance to develop a sweeter flavor.
• Cut the baby gold potatoes into small, even pieces. Try to cut the baby gold potatoes into even-sized 1/2-inch pieces for uniform cooking time (you don’t want some soft potato pieces and some hard ones).
• Thickening the soup. This soup is supposed to be fairly thick and creamy (more of a stew than soup, technically!) To ensure this texture, make sure to use full-fat coconut milk and keep the soup at a rapid simmer until the liquid has reduced down, potatoes are tender, and everything has thickened nicely.

What’s a rapid simmer?

 A rapid simmer is just below a full boil. You should see quite a bit of activity in the liquid, but the bubbles should be smaller than a full, rolling boil (which will be more of a frantic churning).

Make sure to stir Chicken Curry Soup often, as it is rapidly simmering.

Chicken Curry Soup Serving Suggestions

Don’t skip the toppings! They add a lot of flavor and texture to Chicken Curry Soup. I recommend the following:

• Fresh, finely chopped cilantro adds a burst of freshness.
• Fresh-squeezed lime juice adds a hit of needed acid.
• Coarsely chopped cashews add a nice crunch and nuttiness.
• Toasted naan bread served on the side is great for dipping in this soup. We love Stonefire® naan bread. 

QUICK TIP

If serving naan bread with this Chicken Curry Soup, I recommend charring it before serving. To do this, spray both sides of the naan with olive oil cooking spray and “grill” the bread on the stovetop over the open flame until slightly charred. Alternatively, warm (covered with a damp paper towel) in the microwave.

More comforting soup recipes

• Carrot Soup with roasted pepitas
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup with puff pastry toppers
• Chickpea Soup with chickpeas and lentils
• Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with spaghetti
• Lentil Soup with good-for-you ingredients

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Chicken Curry Soup

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

Cozy and comforting Chicken Curry Soup with tender shredded chicken, baby gold potatoes, an incredible seasoning blend, and lots of veggies.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Chicken Curry Soup

5 from 4 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Cozy and comforting Chicken Curry Soup with tender shredded chicken, baby gold potatoes, an incredible seasoning blend, and lots of veggies.

Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Healthy, Indian, Mediterranean

Keyword chicken curry soup

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 4 -6 servings

Calories 682kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $7.61

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/4 cup coconut oil measured when solid
• ▢ 1 and 1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion (1 very large onion)
• ▢ 1 cup finely diced carrots (~2-3 large carrots)
• ▢ 1 red pepper diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic (~4-5 cloves)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger (~1-inch piece of ginger)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon EACH: ground cumin and ground coriander
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• ▢ Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ▢ 2 and 1/2 cups Yukon gold potatoes (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• ▢ 2 cans (13.5 oz.; 400mL EACH) regular (full-fat) coconut milk (I use Imperial Kitchen)
• ▢ 2 cups chicken stock (I recommend Swanson)
• ▢ 2 and 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• ▢ 2/3 cup frozen peas
• ▢ 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro optional
• ▢ Garnish with: lime juice and cilantro and cashews
• ▢ Serve with: toasted naan bread

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• SAUTE AROMATICS: Heat 1/4 cup coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add finely diced onion, diced carrots, diced pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger (reduce ginger if sensitive to ginger). Season with 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and veggies begin to soften, 8-10 minutes.
• SEASONINGS: Sprinkle the sugar over veggies and sauté to begin the caramelization, about 3-4 more minutes. Add 2 tablespoons red curry paste and seasonings: 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/4 teaspoon of each). Sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• POTATOES: Add the potatoes and season again with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon each). Cook, still over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
• ADD LIQUID: Pour in chicken stock and coconut milk, and season once again with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper).
• SIMMER: Bring to a boil over high heat and scrape up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat, to medium or until the soup is at a rapid simmer (bubbling at edges). Cook, stirring occasionally, until soup has reduced down and thickened and potatoes are tender, about 18-25 minutes.
• CHICKEN AND PEAS: Add in chicken, frozen peas, and another 1/4 teaspoon salt (or salt as needed). Stir well into the soup and cook until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.
• SERVE: Divide among bowls and top with more fresh cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime. Sprinkle in some chopped cashews if desired. Serve alongside toasted naan bread (See Note 2).

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Use full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and thickness. Lite coconut milk won’t thicken and give you the rich full flavor that regular coconut milk will. Cream of coconut is far too sweet and coconut cream tends to be too thick (and overpoweringly coconut flavored) for this soup. (We're looking for shelf-stable cans of coconut milk, not refrigerated coconut milk. Typically canned coconut milk can be found on the international aisle, with the Latin or Asian products.) In this soup, I've tested it with Imperial Kitchen's® coconut milk.

Note 2: If you're serving naan bread with this Chicken Curry Soup, I recommend charring it before serving. To do this: Spray both sides of the naan with olive oil cooking spray and "grill" the bread on the stovetop over an open flame until slightly charred. Alternatively, warm (covered with a damp paper towel) in the microwave.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 772mg | Potassium: 1244mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 15790IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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