Chef notes
There are few things more comforting or nostalgic than a piping hot bowl of soup — except maybe a soup that has thick, chewy noodles tangled throughout. This Thai-inspired soup is similar to a classic chicken noodle and is packed with all kinds of good-for-you ingredients like meaty mushrooms, snow peas, chicken breasts and coconut milk.
To build flavor in this soup, start by sautéeing portobello or shiitake mushrooms (or a mix of both) in olive oil until they begin to brown. Both of these mushroom varieties are known for being meaty, so they add a great texture to the soup. Carrots and snow peas add more fiber and even more fresh flavor. But the real heavy-hitter comes in the form of red curry paste, which packs a flavorful punch. Red curry is usually made by cooking down chili peppers, garlic and onions with plenty of spices (lemongrass, makrut lime, galangal, coriander and cumin are commonly used) until the mixture forms a thick paste with a very concentrated flavor. Sound complicated? We use store-bought curry paste since it’s a great shortcut ingredient.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are cut into more manageable pieces, so they cook through quickly without becoming dry or tough. Try substituting the chicken for fast-cooking shrimp or cubes of firm tofu. Once you’ve added the coconut milk and the soup is ready, ladle that creamy broth over bowls of udon noodles and finish it with fresh ingredients like a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle with cilantro.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms (about 1 large portabello or 4 large shiitakes)
- 1 cup snow peas (about 1/4 pound)
- 1 cup carrots (about 1 large or 2 small carrots)
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed into bite-size pieces
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 5.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 pound (4 ounces) round udon noodles or thick spaghetti
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
- fresh cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)
Preparation
1.Heat the olive oil in a medium (3 to 4 quart) stockpot over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the mushrooms start to brown.
2.Add the carrots, snow peas, and curry paste, and stir together. Add the chicken breast and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
3.Stir in the chicken broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the noodles and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the noodles are tender.
4.Divide between 4 bowls. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves on the side for individual garnish.
