Chicken Khao Soi

A shortcut Northern Thai-style coconut curry noodle soup with tender chicken, crispy egg noodles and pickled greens.
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 35 min · 4 servings
Equipment: Saucepan, small non-stick pan

• 600g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3cm pieces
• 240g dry egg noodles, divided
• 400ml canned coconut milk (about 18% fat)
• 600ml chicken stock
• 45g Thai red curry paste
• 15g fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2g ground turmeric
• 3g ground coriander seed
• 20g neutral oil, divided
• 20g fish sauce
• 10g brown sugar
• 100g pickled mustard greens, drained and chopped
• 60g shallots, thinly sliced
• 40g lime wedges, edible juice

1. 1

   Heat 10g oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the curry paste, ginger, turmeric and ground coriander for 1 minute. This uses a shop-bought paste shortcut rather than a traditional Khao Soi paste.

2. 2

   Add the coconut milk and stock, then the chicken, fish sauce and sugar. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes until the thigh pieces are tender and reach at least 74°C. Stir occasionally and add a little water if the broth reduces too far.

3. 3

   Separate 40g dry egg noodles for the crispy topping and 200g for the soup. Cook the two portions separately according to the packet and drain, keeping them separate.

4. 4

   Spread the topping noodles on a clean tray and pat dry. Heat the remaining 10g oil in a small non-stick pan. Fry the topping noodles in two thin batches over medium-high heat for 3–5 minutes per batch, turning, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper; the topping can be prepared while the broth simmers.

5. 5

   Divide the remaining soft noodles between four bowls. Distribute the chicken and broth equally, then top each with a quarter of the crispy noodles, pickled greens and shallots. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing at the table.

Storage & reheating

Cool cooked food promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or below. Store broth and chicken for up to 3 days and cooked noodles separately for up to 2 days. Keep crispy noodles dry in an airtight container and use within 24 hours. Freeze the main dish for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the fridge. Freeze the broth and chicken without noodles or garnishes. Reheat the main dish until every part reaches 74°C, stirring or turning halfway. Heat the soft noodles separately, then assemble and add the cold garnishes.

Substitutions

This is a weeknight adaptation with boneless thighs and a red-paste spice shortcut. Choose egg noodles rather than rice noodles. Contains egg, wheat and fish; curry paste may contain shrimp. Extra chilli oil is optional and excluded from nutrition.

Estimated nutrition per serving

726 kcal · 42g protein · 56.3g carbs · 36.4g fat · 4.2g fibre.

Calculated from measured ingredients using generic composition estimates. Brands and portion sizes change the result. Optional additions and substitutions are excluded.

Storage guidance: USDA leftover guidance