The Thai Chicken Soup Your Meal Plan Needs

This Thai Chicken Soup is sure to be your new go-to for all things hospitality. This nourishing dish is typically what I bring new mamas, what I make when I’m having first time guests over or take to fall/winter potlucks. The creaminess of the coconut mixed with the bright lime plus the hearty chicken and vegetables does something to people, and EVERYONE asks me for the recipe!

There’s nothing too exciting or unique on its own here, but these flavors put together really make some magic happen. This is a dinner we are able to make when we “have nothing to eat” because it is easy to keep most of the ingredients on hand. While most other vegetables rot after a week in the fridge, carrots are always holding strong! Onions are where we draw the line with procrastination—once we’re facing the threat of no onions, I get myself to the grocery store. We try to keep a backup chicken in the freezer at all times. Coconut milk is a great canned staple. Everything else is a given in most kitchens!

Ingredients:

• chicken
• onion
• garlic
• carrots
• coconut milk
• water/broth
• soy sauce/liquid aminos
• Dried kelp
• limes

Garnish:

• green onion
• cilantro
• lime

Variations for Thai Chicken Soup:

On the recipe card, I say “two chicken breasts” because normal people buy chicken breasts. I only buy whole chickens, so my process for cooking the chicken is different. I’ve linked how I typically prepare a whole chicken at the bottom of this post. So instead of using 2 breasts, I use 1/2 a chicken.

If you’re making this for a vegan, this is delicious with chickpeas instead of chicken. See this post to make the best chickpeas!

I have a major aversion to fish, so I will not willingly put fish sauce in anything I make. But it is easier to find than dried kelp, so if you’re intimidated by tracking down kombu and are open to fish, you are welcome to use as much of it as you want. I do appreciate the slight flavor of the ocean that the kombu brings without it being outright fishy! Amazon sells kombu, but it is significantly more expensive here than it is at an Asian market.

Add any and all vegetables! If you’re looking closely, you might see mushrooms and even some sweet potato in my pictures. This soup is delicious in its bare-bones state, but it can handle anything you want to throw in there, so be creative and don’t let food spoil in your fridge!

Everything is made better with broth, so if you have some on hand, use it here! Just go easy on the soy sauce, and be sure to taste as you go so that it doesn’t become too salty.

Use what you have for the garnish. Tonight’s version could have definitely benefited from some fresh lime squeezed on it, but I didn’t want to have to run to the store just for a lime and some green onions, so cilantro it was. If you’re going anyway, for sure pick some up because they elevate the flavor! If not, this soup still stands well on its own.

Make This Soup!

Come back and let us know how you liked it, what variations you used, and don’t forget to pin it to save it! Also, would you consider rating it? I know when I’m looking for a recipe, I pay attention to the ratings!