Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
by Nigella. Featured in KITCHENIntroduction
Even if you don't have much chicken left over, you should still make this. A few shreds will be plenty. (And this recipe is worth bearing in mind even when your starting point is not leftover chicken: if you were to bung in some frozen prawns at the end, making sure you cook them through, this would make for a fabulous storecupboard supper.) This is a very laissez-faire recipe all round, actually: when I cooked it for the photo shoot I forgot to put the vegetables in and it was still heavenly. I did try to make up for my absent-mindedness by giving the tender-shoot stirfry a beauty-shot of its own, so you can see the mixture of pak choi, bok choi, spindly asparagus, Chinese kale, peanut shoots and Chinese chives. But I happily use some leafy greens and a julienned or sliced spring onion along with a handful of beansprouts instead. Similarly, if you can't get the ravishing cellophane packages of almost equally cellophane vermicelli, don't be put off making this; udon, soba, rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine could be substituted.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Even if you don't have much chicken left over, you should still make this. A few shreds will be plenty. (And this recipe is worth bearing in mind even when your starting point is not leftover chicken: if you were to bung in some frozen prawns at the end, making sure you cook them through, this would make for a fabulous storecupboard supper.) This is a very laissez-faire recipe all round, actually: when I cooked it for the photo shoot I forgot to put the vegetables in and it was still heavenly. I did try to make up for my absent-mindedness by giving the tender-shoot stirfry a beauty-shot of its own, so you can see the mixture of pak choi, bok choi, spindly asparagus, Chinese kale, peanut shoots and Chinese chives. But I happily use some leafy greens and a julienned or sliced spring onion along with a handful of beansprouts instead. Similarly, if you can't get the ravishing cellophane packages of almost equally cellophane vermicelli, don't be put off making this; udon, soba, rice noodles, spaghetti or linguine could be substituted.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 2-3 as main, 4-6 as starter
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 150 grams thin rice noodles (or mung bean thread vermicelli)
- 200 millilitres coconut milk
- 3½ centimetres piece of fresh ginger (peeled and sliced thinly then cut into skinny strips)
- 2 tablespoons thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- 1 fresh red chilli (deseeded and cut into strips)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 150 grams cooked shredded chicken
- 250 grams stir fry vegetables (or tender shoot stir fry)
- 2 - 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander (to serve)
- 1 litre chicken broth
- 6 ounces thin rice noodles (or mung bean thread vermicelli)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1½ inches piece of fresh gingerroot (peeled and sliced thinly then cut into skinny strips)
- 2 tablespoons thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- 1 fresh red chile (deseeded and cut into strips)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 8 ounces stir fry vegetables (or tender shoot stir fry)
- 2 - 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (to serve)
Method
- Put the chicken stock in a good-sized pan to heat up.
- Put the noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over or cook as instructed on the packet.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the vegetables, to the pan and bring to a boil.
- When the chicken is piping hot, add the vegetables and when they are tender — a minute or two should be plenty if you’re using the tender shoots — add the drained noodles. Or simply divide the noodles between bowls and pour the soup over them.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander.
- Put the chicken broth in a good-sized pan to heat up.
- Put the noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over or cook as instructed on the packet.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the vegetables, to the pan and bring to a boil.
- When the chicken is piping hot, add the vegetables and when they are tender — a minute or two should be plenty if you’re using the tender shoots — add the drained noodles. Or simply divide the noodles between bowls and pour the soup over them.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro.
Other recipes you might like
Tell us what you think
Thank you {% member.data['first-name'] %}.
Explore more recipesYour comment has been submitted.
What 15 Others have said
-
Posted by Mel22_ on 17th October 2023
-
Posted by TacoTuesday on 8th December 2021
-
Posted by Toribelle on 13th November 2020
-
Posted by MichelleSYD on 23rd April 2020
-
Posted by mystique88 on 17th March 2020
-
Posted by Nay Ager on 15th January 2018
-
Posted by JennyF on 24th May 2017
-
Posted by Blackers on 30th July 2014
-
Posted by georgiaoh on 9th April 2014
-
Posted by Litdog on 9th October 2013
-
Posted by craig74 on 17th June 2013
-
Posted by thingyjiggle on 19th January 2013
Show more commentsThis is a delicious soup! I often use a packet of fresh or frozen stir fry veggies to make this. It really is a store cupboard gem of a recipe and quite often slightly different each time I make it.
The first time I tried this recipe was three years ago; I didn't know how to cook (but I was learning!) and I probably skipped half the important ingredients. I noted down in the cookbook that it was "bland". Just made it again this week, following the recipe precisely, and we couldn't get enough of it! My fiancé—who hates soup—had three bowlfuls and still wanted more but said he would burst. I gleefully took the last bowl for lunch today and might make it again next week. Thank you, Nigella!
Wow! This is such a lifesaver. So quick, just what we needed after two hours spent looking for Pudsey ears!?! Used homemade chicken stock. My 8-year old loved it! (Just used a pinch of chilli flakes and added sriracha to mine.)
This is a staple once a week dish in my home for the past 9 years! Especially with home made -from scratch- organic chicken stock. D E L I C I O U S! Thank you Nigella!!!!
I have just finished cooking this chicken noodle soup using just prawns and it’s so delicious!
There aren’t many weeks where we don’t make this soup. Cold weather, warms you up. Hot weather, helps bear the heat. Feeling poorly, picks you up. Stressed out, soothes the soul. Having a great day, just adds to the joy. We love this recipe.
Amazing results! Made this for my partner and mum and they has second! Very impressed! Had to change the fish sauce to oyster sauce but it still turned out so tasty! Thank you! x
Made a chicken stock out of leftover bones with a load of Thai ingredients to replace the standard stock veg (lemongrass, chillies, bok choi, etc) and then made this recipe. Absolutely fantastic!
This is my go to comfort soup. Everytime I cook it I feel that I am at bliss. My absolute favourite!
This is delicious and easy. I used double the turmeric for health reasons and it's so good. Even better a couple of days later.
I was feeiling a bit rough around the edges today. I had some home made stock in the freezer and some chicken, so I made this. It is laksa - like, but so much "cleaner" and "lighter". It is also utterly, utterly soothing and just what the doctor ordered. Thank you, Nigella :)
Have made this and love it - fabulous recipe, thank you! I add about half a teaspoon of turmeric and the same of fish sauce to the 'noodle water' as well to flavour them, it works beautifully and deepens the flavour of the finished dish.