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Coconut Curry Soup

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, (about 3), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning
  • ½ cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, about 1 medium lime
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro
  • 3-4 cups hot cooked rice for serving

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat until it is hot and shimmering. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot oil. Let the chicken cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and red pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions and peppers are slightly softened. The chicken and vegetables don’t have to be fully cooked as they will simmer and cook further in the next step.
  • Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and curry powder. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, gently, for 10-15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve a ladle or two of the soup over a scoop of rice and garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Notes

Spiciness: the slight dash of cayenne pepper doesn’t make the soup spicy, instead, it just enhances the overall flavor. You can add more to taste, if you like things a bit spicier.
Fish Sauce: also, if you are worried about the fish sauce, don’t be! It is widely available in most grocery stores in the Asian foods section. It is relatively inexpensive and lasts a long time in the refrigerator. It adds an element of flavor you can’t get otherwise, but in a pinch, you could leave it out and sub in probably 1/2 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste). If you don’t know what you would use the rest of the fish sauce in, here are a few of my other favorite dishes that call for it: Shrimp Stir Fry with Coconut Curry Sauce, Chiang Mai Noodles, Red Coconut Curry Noodles, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Authentic Egg Rolls.)
Make Ahead Instructions: follow the recipe through the step through the first paragraph. Transfer the chicken/onions/peppers to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice, cilantro and rice). Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Serve over rice.