Chicken Khao Soi
on Mar 30, 2022, Updated Dec 09, 2024
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Game. Over. This chicken khao soi (Thai coconut curry noodle soup) recipe is absolutely spectacular! The flavors and ingredients of this creamy, spicy, and sweet broth, paired with egg noodles and all the crunchy toppings are addicting and delicious.
There is something so special to me about all the flavors of Thai food, specifically Northern Thailand, which is where Khao Soi is from!
This recipe is inspired by Night + Market’s cookbook (also one of my LA favorite restaurants!) I used Kris’ Khao Soi recipe as inspiration here!
What does Khao Soi taste like?
Khao Soi (Khao Soi Gai) is a popular Northern Thai food dish made of curry paste, creamy coconut, curry, chili, ginger, and garlic. It is super creamy, spicy, and sweet, served over egg noodles, crunchy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, and lime juice.
It is one of my favorite dishes to date, and continued to try tons in Thailand that were unforgettable.
What country is Khao Soi from?
Khao Soi is from Southeast Asia, specifically Northern Thailand!
Recipe Ingredients
Palm Sugar: If you need to sub out for regular sugar, but if you can get your hands on palm sugar, I highly recommend it. It is a classic staple in a lot of traditional Thai cuisine.
Khao Soi Paste: You CAN buy this ready-made but I highly recommend making it fresh at home. Filled with garlic, turmeric, ginger, shallot, New Mexico Chiles, chili flakes, cardamon, salt, and oil, this paste is absolutely delicious.
Egg noodles: These provide a chewy, thick, and amazing texture to the soup!
How To Make Khao Soi
Sear your chicken thighs
In a large pot, put your chicken thighs or chicken breast, salt, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk. Let boil, around 10-15 minutes.
Make your khao soi paste
Start by heating a small pan or wok and toast your sliced garlic cloves, ginger, shallots and dried chiles. For the chiles, slice, seed and roughly chop. Dry cook/roast these on medium heat until browned and soft, around 15 minutes. Transfer everything to a food processor or blender with turmeric powder, chile powder, cardamom, salt and oil and blend to make a paste. You can add a little bit of oil or water extra, but not too much since you do want this super thick.
Cook your curry!
When the paste is ready, add 4-5 tablespoons to the pot (add more or less depending on desired heat, I like mine HOT). Add in your remaining turmeric powder and chile powder. Add in about 1 or 2 cups water and let simmer. I also added some sesame oil as well, about 1-2 tablespoons. Feel free to add more water as well if it get’s too thick.
Cook your noodles
Once simmering, get your noodles ready. Take a little bit to the side to fry for the toppings and boil your water and cook the noodles according the the package instructions, stir and drain. To fry your noodles, heat vegetable oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil until really hot, add the noodles and fry 1-2 minutes on each side, set aside.
Assemble
Once noodles are cooked and the soup is boiled through and chicken is tender, start to spoon your soup into bowls, this will make about 3-4 bowls. Add the noodles and your toppings for garnish – fried noodles, limes, chile flakes, bean sprouts, cilantro and shallots or red onions. + Enjoy!
More Thai Recipes
- Thai Chicken Larb
- Thai Basil & Lemongrass Rack of Lamb
- Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup)
- Thai Basil Chicken (Gai Pad Krapow)
- Crunchy Thai Party Wings
Chicken Khao Soi
Ingredients
- 3 chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar/palm sugar, i used 1/2 sugar 1/2 palm sugar, once the soup is complete, you can add more sugar too if you like your Khao Soi even sweeter
- 1 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 4 tablespoon khao soi paste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
To Serve
- 5 to 10 ounces egg noodles
- bean sprouts
- thinly sliced shallots
- cilantro
- lime wedges
Khao Soi Paste
- 1/4 cup sliced garlic
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1/3 sliced ginger
- 1/2 cup sliced shallots
- 3 large dried New Mexico chiles, seeded, cut into segments
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chile flakes
- 3 to 4 fresh cardamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large pot, put your chicken thighs, salt, fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk. Let boil, around 10-15 minutes.
- Make your khao soi paste: start by heating a small pan or wok and toast your sliced garlic, ginger, shallots and chiles. For the chiles, slice, seed and roughly chop. Dry cook/roast these on medium heat until browned and soft, around 15 minutes. Transfer everything to a food processor or blender with turmeric powder, chile powder, cardamom, salt and oil and blend to make a paste. You can add a little bit of oil or water extra, but not too much since you do want this super thick.
- When the paste is ready, add 4-5 tablespoons to the pot (add more or less depending on desired heat, I like mine HOT). Add in your remaining turmeric powder and chile powder. Add in about 1 or 2 cups water and let simmer. I also added some sesame oil as well, about 1-2 tablespoons. Feel free to add more water as well if it get’s too thick.
- Once simmering, get your noodles ready. Take a little bit to the side to fry for the toppings and boil your water and cook the noodles according the the package instructions. To fry your noodles, heat vegetable oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil until really hot, add the noodles and fry 1-2 minutes on each side, set aside.
- Once noodles are cooked and the soup is boiled through and chicken is tender, start to spoon your soup into bowls, this will make about 3-4 bowls. Add the noodles and your toppings – fried noodles, limes, chile flakes, bean sprouts, cilantro and shallots. + Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I studied abroad in Thailand over the summer and have had a hard time trying to find Khao Soi sold in Thai Restaurants near me! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try; I’ve been craving this dish since I came back!
That’s awesome! Thailand is amazing, I’m sure you had an amazing time. 🙂 Let me know what you think when you try the recipe!
I am new to the Asian cooking, and I’m wondering if fresh cardamom refers to seeds or pods? Thanks
Cardamom seeds are just pods that have the outer layer removed! So either get pods and remove by hand, or buy seeds! I find it fresher in pods, and the flavor is a little stronger, so I prefer that.