Classic chicken noodle soup meets Thai massaman chicken curry in this Thai Chicken Noodle Soup. Packed with flavor and made with the convenience of the slow cooker, this sweet and savory Thai noodle soup is good for the soul.
Featured comment: I have a very picky and soup adverse teenager and since the first time I made this been HEAVILY in the meal plan rotation. It’s also excellent minus the noodles and served over rice.” -Emily
Update: This post was originally published in February 2017. I made edits to the post below, including adding a step-by-step recipe video to show you exactly how easy this Thai noodle soup is to make.
About this chicken Thai noodle soup
Not only is this chicken noodle soup with coconut milk spectacularly satisfying in the taste department, but it is also an absolute breeze to whip together thanks to the trusty slow cooker (or crockpot, or Instant Pot set to slow cook)— all you need is 15 minutes of prep time. Weeknight Dinner = Won.
Tender, succulent chunks of chicken, sweet red bell peppers, mellow yellow onions, herbaceous cilantro, and oodles of chewy egg noodles swimming in a savory, slightly sweet, creamy, curry-flavored broth make this Thai noodle soup simply slurp-worthy.
Why you’ll love this soup recipe!
Aside from being lick-the-bowl delicious, this Thai chicken noodle soup recipe is also:
- Ridiculously Easy To Make. You only need to spend about 15 minutes of active time in the kitchen to make this easy Thai noodle soup, then the slow cooker does the rest!
- Made With Just 13 Wholesome Ingredients. This is a meal you can definitely feel good about feeding your family. This healthy Thai soup is also an excellent choice to make for someone who is feeling under the weather — the bold flavors will titillate the tastebuds regardless of how stuffy your nose is.
- Rich, Brothy, & Oh-So-Satisfying. My chicken coconut noodle soup hits all the targets. It’s sweet, spicy, creamy, brothy, and loaded with texture from veggies, chicken, and egg noodles. In short, it’s everything you could possibly want from a bowl of soup!
Ingredients for Thai chicken noodle soup
As promised, you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make this Thai noodle soup with chicken. Here’s your full grocery list:
Fresh ingredients
- Ginger – Fresh is best, but you can absolutely swap in the ginger paste that comes in a tube if needed.
- Garlic – Again, fresh is best for aromatics, but in a pinch, you can use jarred minced garlic instead.
- Chicken – You can use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs in this recipe. Just make sure you use boneless, skinless chicken either way.
- Substitution: Feel free to use rehydrated soy curls as a vegetarian alternative.
- Yellow Onion – For sweet allium complexity.
- Substitution: In a pinch, you can use red onion, sweet onion, or shallots instead.
- Red Bell Pepper – For a pop of color and sweetness.
- Substitution: They won’t look quite as vibrant, but yellow or orange bell pepper can also be used here.
- Fresh Cilantro – For a pop of herby goodness and bright green color.
- Substitution: If cilantro isn’t your favorite, try swapping in Thai basil or parsley instead.
- Lime – A touch of acidity really helps to balance out all the flavors in this chicken Thai noodle soup.
- Substitution: If you absolutely *must* use bottled lime juice, Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice is the closest approximation to the real thing.
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper – For seasoning.
Pantry ingredients
- Thai Red Curry Paste – This ingredient is the real flavor-maker in this slow-cooker Thai soup. One tiny little can or jar is jam-packed with bright flavors from nearly a dozen ingredients, so it’s working very hard for you.
- Fish Sauce – While it might smell pungent (I’m being polite here 😂), fish sauce packs quite a wallop of umami flavor and gives this chicken noodle Thai soup a certain je ne sais quois.
- Substitutions: Feel free to use vegan fish sauce, liquid or coconut aminos, tamari or soy sauce mixed with mashed anchovies, or Worcestershire sauce instead.
- Honey – To add a bit of sweetness for balancing out the spicy, salty flavors.
- Substitutions: Agave nectar, rice syrup, date syrup, or even maple syrup and brown sugar work too.
- Chicken Stock – If possible, reach for chicken bone broth to get the biggest nutritional dividends.
- Substitution: Feel free to use low sodium chicken broth instead.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk – The recipe calls for regular, full-fat coconut milk, and I wouldn’t substitute light coconut milk. The fat gives this soup a richer, more flavorful mouth feel.
- Egg Noodles – The chicken noodle soup of my childhood always had chewy egg noodles, so they were a natural choice here.
- Substitutions: Swap in your choice of long or short noodles made from wheat, rice, or even chickpeas. Just be sure to not overcook them!
Thai soup variations
Even though my family loves this Thai noodle soup recipe with chicken just as is, there are plenty of opportunities for you to make it your own. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Optional Garnishes – While the crockpot Thai soup is really flavorful on its own, the garnishes add an extra pop of flavor and texture. Try adding some (or all!) of the following:
- Lime Wedges
- Chopped Peanuts
- Sliced Red Chili
- Sliced Green Onion
- Extra Cilantro
- Thai Basil or Fresh Basil Leaves
- Sriracha or Sambal Oelek
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup – If you’re making this soup for a vegan or vegetarian, simply swap in soy curls for the chicken, veggie broth for the chicken broth, agave for the honey, and your favorite vegan fish sauce alternative.
- Hearty Vegetable – Amp up the nutritional value of this Thai noodle soup by throwing in your favorite vegetables such as cauliflower, bok choy, spinach, or other tender greens.
How to make chicken noodle soup thai
Making Thai noodle soup with chicken at home is super easy to pull off thanks to the slow cooker or crock pot. Here’s how it’s done:
- Add everything to the crockpot: In the bowl of your slow cooker or crock pot, combine the ginger, garlic, curry paste, fish sauce, honey and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper; then whisk to combine. Next, add in the chicken, onions and bell pepper.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Add noodles and coconut milk: Remove the top of the slow cooker. Stir in the coconut milk and the Thai noodles. Cover and continue to cook on LOW for 8-15 minutes or until pasta is tender*.
- Add fresh herbs and acid: Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the Thai noodle soup into serving bowls and top with your favorite soup garnishes. Enjoy!
Expert tips for the best Thai noodles soup
- After adding the noodles to the slow cooker (or crockpot), watch the cooking time very closely! And, make sure you have the slow cooker set to LOW. The noodles can go from al dente to a mushy mess very quickly. I recommend you let the noodles cook for 8-15 minutes, and then check on them. I cooked mine for 10 minutes and they were perfect, but each slow cooker is different.
- If you are making this Thai noodles soup recipe as part of your meal prep, make the noodles separately and add them when you’re ready to serve.
FAQs: thai noodle soup with chicken
What gives chicken soup the most flavor?
With a hard-hitting group of red curry paste, fish sauce, sweet coconut milk, and a trio of potent aromatics (ginger, garlic, and onion), it’s difficult to pinpoint the single item that gives this Thai-inspired soup the most flavor.
That said, if I only get to pick ONE, I guess it’d have to be the curry paste since it’s packed with like 10-12 ingredients in one little bottle. 🤷♀️
Is chicken noodle soup actually healthy?
While I’m no medically-trained professional and “healthy” is a super subjective term, this coconut chicken curry noodle soup feels deeply nourishing. It’s packed with protein, veggies, and a whole host of other good-for-you ingredients that not only taste good but also give me plenty of fuel to make it to my next meal.
Serving chicken noodle thai soup
As far as I’m concerned, a bowl of this chicken noodle soup-Thai curry mashup is everything I need out of a meal. If you really have the hankering to serve something on the side, I suggest a piece of crusty bread to sop up every last drop of creamy, spicy-sweet deliciousness.
My Thai chicken noodle soup is perfect for any cold weather occasion including regular weeknight dinners, game day feasts, or to nurse your ailing loved ones back to health.
Storing thai chicken noodle soup recipe
Since noodles can easily get overcooked, this recipe is best served fresh from the crockpot.
Alternatively, you can make this Thai soup without the noodles. Then, store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, boil the noodles to al dente perfection in a soup pot, before straining and adding them to the warm soup.
Or you can store leftover Thai soup with noodles in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, upon reheating the noodles may get kinda mushy. If you are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of all the various textures, I suggest straining leftovers so the broth is in one container, and all the goodies are in another. Bring the broth mixture to a simmer, then add the solids and heat for 1-3 minutes, or until warm throughout.
Alright, friends! I hope you love this soup-er easy noodle soup recipe as much as I do. Until next time, keep calm and curry on. I’ll have more slurp-tastic recipes headed your way soon. 😉
Cheyanne
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More chicken soups in the slow cooker!
More Thai recipes!
- Thai Soba Noodles
- Mango Salad Thai
- Chicken Meatballs Thai
- Thai Peanut Sauce Chicken
- Thai Tacos with Chicken
Recipe for Thai Chicken Noodle Soup in the slow cooker. (Plus, step-by-step video!)👇
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker or Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 1 3/4-inch piece of Ginger – peeled and grated (about scant 1 TBS)
- 4 Cloves Garlic – minced
- ¼ Cup Red Curry Paste
- 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 4 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs – cut into 1 ½’’ pieces
- 1 large Yellow Onion – diced
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper – diced
- 2 (14 ounce) Cans Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 6 ounces Egg Noodles
- 1-2 TBS Fresh Cilantro – chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 whole Lime – juiced (about 2 TBS)
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper - to taste
- Optional Garnishes: Lime Wedges, Chopped Peanuts, Sliced Red Chili, Sliced Green Onion
Instructions
- Layer in the slow cooker: In the bowl of your slow cooker or crockpot, add the ginger, garlic, curry paste, fish sauce, honey and chicken stock. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Whisk well to combine. Then, add the chicken, onions and bell peppers to the pot.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Add coconut milk + noodles, cook again: Remove top and stir in the coconut milk and noodles. Cover and continue to cook on LOW for 8-15 minutes or until pasta is tender. (SEE NOTES)
- Just before serving, stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve: Ladle the Thai noodle chicken soup into serving bowls. Top with garnishes, serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chicken: You can use either chicken breasts or chicken thighs in this recipe. Just make sure you use boneless, skinless chicken either which way.
- Coconut Milk: The recipe calls for regular, full fat coconut milk, and I wouldn’t substitute light coconut milk here. The full fat coconut milk gives this soup a much more pleasant mouth feel and more flavor!
- Cooking noodles in the crock pot: After adding the noodles to the slow cooker, watch the cooking time very closely! And, make sure you have the slow cooker set to LOW. The noodles can go from al dente to a mushy mess very quickly. I recommend you let the noodles cook for 8-15 minutes, and then check on them. I cooked mine for 10 minutes and they were perfect, but each slow cooker is different.
- Garnishes: While this chicken Thai noodles soup is flavorful on its own, the garnishes add an extra pop of flavors and textures that can't be replicated. They really make the soup, so I highly suggest you don't skip the extra lime juice, peanuts, and green onions (or more cilantro) at the very least!
Nutrition
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I have a very picky and soup adverse teenager and since the first time I made this been HEAVILY in the meal plan rotation. It’s also excellent minus the noodles and served over rice
Hi Emily,
I’m honored you decided to try this soup recipe (despite the picky teenager!) and absolutely thrilled it was a hit! Thank you for sharing the tip about omitting the noodles and serving over rice – that sounds delicious!! Cheers and warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season. 🙂
Best,
Cheyanne
So happy to see this again! I love thai anything and this soup makes me crave it even more!! Take care.
Beautiful new pictures and a wonderful list of ingredients, I would love a bowl of your soup.
It’s no secret that I love me some Thai food!!! I also love a spicy noodle soup to heat me up inside and out during the colder months. LOOOOVE that you can do this in the slow cooker. Time saving win!!
Chicken noodle soup is my jam!! Thai chicken curry is my jam! This soup is my jam. A slower cooker is my bestie nowadays, there’s nothing like setting it and forgetting it. Loving this video!! Seriously I love it all. You make want to step up my editing game.
I don’t watch the Oscars ever. I’m actually not sure I ever have in my life. Maybe I’m just out of touch, but if it doesn’t have to do with food, travel, or money, I’m just not interested!
Now THIS is a soup. All the wonderful Thai flavors, I love it! And i love how easy it is. What a great idea!
Yay! Another NSN soup! Can never have enough! Great video, my friend! xo
Um yeah. I can’t remember the last time I sat through the Oscars. I love seeing the beautiful dresses the next day but geez. If they could keep the show to about 20 minutes maybe I’d be able to watch. . .This soup sounds completely divine. I love chicken noodle soup and your take on it sounds amazing!
I remember this tasty bowl of goodness Chey. Love that it’s a slow cooker version. Another awesome video! Hope you have a great week!
Love the updates, especially the video! Nicely done!
Hi Racheal,
Did you use full fat coconut milk? If you did, and the can was not expired, it should not have separated.
Best,
Cheyanne
This is an amazing soup recipe, Cheyanne! I will definitely give it a try!
Wow, I love when flavors combine! This looks like a great weeknight meal too.
I can really dig into the Thai noodle soup. It’s giving me the nostalgia of the good times I had in Thailand. Thai people love their food. Go to a shopping centre there and 50% of the shops are cafe’s or restaurants.
I’m down with this tasty soup and the noodle addition is a great comfort food add for me! Great mash up of soup ideas. 🙂
yeah, i watched the oscars. so painful…. wowsa some super blow-it moments. creme de la creme of blow it moments, ya know what i mean? this slow cooker one looks awesome, my husband an i love thai food. will try this for sure!
Thai flavors are seriously the best and so comforting in the winter. I love that it i slow cooker for a great weeknight easy meal.
I am SO not into those award shows. My mom always used to ask why they always needed to be congratulating each other and given awards so often. I guess making millions isn’t enough 😉 Well, I guess I get my cynic from her! I do, however, love this soup! Even if it isn’t cold I could always enjoy some!
Nope, definitely didn’t watch any of the Oscars! But then again, we never do 🙂 haha Ah well! Not my thing! But this soup! Sooo my thing!! Pass me a big bowl please?? I wish this was cooking away in my slow cooker for dinner tonight! But I guess I must cook something myself!! lol
I did NOT watch the Oscars…I would much rather watch this soup! In a bowl in front of me! Best Picture! 🙂
Where was this recipe last week when I was sick? You should have given it to me earlier 😉 That’s okay because I can eat this soup whenever (and I have all the ingredients on hand). Love the thai flavors and the fact that it’s made in a crock-pot! YAAAAAAYYYYYY!!! Easy peasy is my motto! hahahaha 🙂
p.s. I hate the Oscars and only watched last year cuz knew my boy Leo was going to win.
Thai anything is everything to me!! This soup looks super delicious and the photos are gorgeous! I did not watch the Oscars, I think they are kind of boring but Im hoping Fashion Police did a show on it :-). I usually haven’t heard of or seen half the movies they nominate. Take care.
We didn’t watch the Oscars either. I’m content to catch the highlights all over the place the next day 🙂 Love, love this soup! From the easy slow-cooker style to the great Thai flavours. A big yes please!
I used to watch Oscars but not anymore. I love Thai flavors, and Thai Noodle soup is calling my name. Love how comfy and delicious it looks. And that soothing yellow color makes me feel like it’s spring already. This looks insanely delicious that I just want to dive into that yummy warm bowl of soup. 🙂 <3
Aw! Thai food. I cannot believe I was over in SE ASIA only just two months ago !!
This looks like the kind of soup that will get me through the winter w/ its bright flavors and color.
Even though we’re movie buffs, I think the Oscars are a total snooze. But the mishap was pretty funny – wonder if it was a set-up. They’ve gotten a ton of press over it. Did you see the photo of the first several rows of celebs when the mistake was announced. Super funny.
I’ve been on a slow cooker kick lately and I LOVE all things curry so this has my name all over it!! Thanks for another winner, my friend.
No Oscar watching going on here. I’m not into all that either. I’m kind of like you in the sense I like it when nothing very exciting is happening. A creature of habit I must say. But I do like soup and this soup looks amazing and you won’t even care what you’re watching while eating it 🙂 Have a great week Cheyanne!
Whhhaaa? I missed the computer drama … oh noooo Chey!? I hope it’s resolved. That can be SO stressful given the biz were in. On Saturday morning I woke up to emails from a few readers saying my posts are missing (!!) AACK! Luckily my tech guy fixed it in a snap.. a plugin conflict (sheesh – those dang plugins!). All is well again! No Oscars here.. yawn. Not my thing.. I have other things I am way more in to. The only time I saw JK, I got annoyed. So… This thai noodle is sooo tasty Chey.. I love anything Thai so it’s always a win in my book! Glad to hear you had a good weekend (I like how you roll with easy weekends!). 😀
Nope, I didn’t watch the Oscars (And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever done this, at least fully). Some news/newspapers/Google would be enough for me. Besides, from the large list of the nominees, I’ve only watched one movie so what’s the point? I would rather have this delicious soup (chicken and noodles…yes, yes, yes!). Trust me, if it was nominated for a food Oscars, it would definitely win in a couple categories:) Please let me open the envelope:)
The weathers been wacky all over the US. It was 60s-70s on the East Coast last week, 50s and flooding in California. Now it’s in the 60s in California but I’m a little nervous to enjoy it, because I have a feeling winter isn’t over just yet. Soup is the perfect solution to all this wishy washy weather, and Thai chicken noodle soup might be the key to creating world peace, who doesn’t love a tangy sweet/sour coconutie soup? I know I do. This was the first year I actually watched the Oscars, and it was G.O.O.D.!
I can’t remember the last time I actually watched the Oscars or any other awards show either. I did catch on the news yesterday that there was some kind of mix up wrong announcement drama. I kind of wish I would have recorded it so I could go back and watch that mess with a bowl of this comfy Thai Chicken Noodle Soup! I’m all for a delicious hand-off slow cooker dish! XO
I’m afraid I didn’t watch the Oscars….but this soup definitely wins Best of Show! 🙂 I love all the flavors combined here…and since we have snow….again….this soup is just what I need! 🙂
I love Thai flavors, this looks so comforting!
I’m the same way with the Oscars – too long and boring for me to watch! Especially when I can see everything important that happened in five minutes the next day, haha. About this soup though – today it’s SO rainy here in SD and alll I want is a big bowl of this. It looks so warming and absolutely delicious. Dying to dig into that!
I started them but then fell asleep! Too long! I watch for the fashions! 😉 This soup is the bomb! And having another great reason to use my slow cooker just makes me happy! Thai flavors are quickly becoming favorites of mine! The family will love this! Thanks for sharing, friend! xo
UGH! Praying for no more computer drama for you, sweet sister. That’s the WORST! On the other hand, this is the BEST soup recipe I have seen this season. Alex and I are huge Thai fans and I cannot wait to make this for us. Thanks for the amazing recipe and beautiful photos! These could be framed!! XOXO <3
I used to love watching the Oscars to see what people were wearing and seeing who won if I cared about the movies. I’d record it so I could buzz through, but I’ve stopped even caring about it the past few years! Maybe because I don’t see movies much anymore? 🙂 This soup looks SO delicious! I love the Thai twist you gave chicken noodle soup. This looks so comforting with a huge pop of flavor, and YES to the slow cooker!
I didn’t watch the Oscars either, Cheyanne – too long, too boring and goes on too late. And I need to get a slow cooker – what a great way to make soup. Perfect, warm and comforting – I can eat soup everyday. Hope you have a great week!
Hiya Georgina! Gosh, I haven’t heard you mention the SuBourbon Country Cottage in AGES!! Makes me feel all warm and nostalgic suddenly. Totally not unlike how I’m feeling checkin’ out this soup! Your gorgeous spread of ingredients has my mouth watering! How do you always manage to make that look so good anyway? Whenever I try to do an ingredients photo it’s like, well then… how informational. Er… I also did not watch the Oscars. I’m just not into awards shows. I like checking out the quick 1 minute recap of winners online. Lol. Probably yet another reason why we’re friends, right? 😉 Anywho, DROOLING over this beautiful soup! I can tell you that my mom has already put in a request for four batches–ya know, for when she adopts you and then “lets” you cook for her. 😉 Love ya! xoxo
Cheyanne, I did more than yawn at the oscars – I fell asleep! Of course, I only started watching around 10 pm and then boink – just like that I was in lala land – as in sleep not the movie! 🙂
However, if I had this bubbling in my slow cooker – I’m thinking the smell alone would have kept me up cos I love food – which brings me to the fact that next time I need to treat the Oscars like I would game day and have some food handy yeah?
Happy Monday to ya – I hope your week is computer drama free! xoxo
Oh wow, I love this one Chey! What a way to kick the traditional chicken soup up a notch! Couldn’t watch the entire show last night. Too long and I’ve got a stressful day ahead! Sean, our oldest is getting Lasik surgery in Charleston later this afternoon, so I’m down with him. I’ve been stressing and praying about it for weeks! I’ll be happy when the day is over! Hope you have a great week!
I didn’t watch the Oscars either. I was too busy watching foodie shows on Netflix, lol 😀 Me and my food, lol 😀 I heard this morning, though, that there was a big shag up announcing best picture. I’m sure you’ll see it everywhere on the internet today. As for this recipe? This is my kinda soup, Cheyanne! Love all the flavours going on here and I bet it just tastes so good! I would definitely be eating my fair share of it…or all of it! Pinned, of course. Have a great week, girl! xo
I didn’t watch any of the Oscars, either! I figure I’m excused since I haven’t seen ANY of the movies nominated! I used to go to the movies all the time, but now, I’m lucky if I go every few years. I did watch a little bit of the pre-show, but that’s about it. Anyways, I’d much rather be eating this gorgeous soup, Cheyanne! Aren’t slow cooker soups the best?! I seriously can’t get enough of them. And I’m loving the thai flavors in here. Chicken noodle is a favorite, so I’m loving this fun twist. I wish I had a big bowl of this for dinner tonight. Pinned, of course! Hope your week is off to a great start!
Well I’m no help whatsoever because I didn’t watch the Oscars either. Not my thing – but I’ll be reading the recaps today right alongside you! And also planning to make this soup for a chilly day – it sounds amazing! I love the comfort of chicken noodle soup but I adore this kicked up Thai flavored version that brings all the flavor! And it’s an easy slow cooker meal? Totally in for this! Pinned! Have a great week my friend! XO
Every day is a perfect day for soup, esp. when you have such a delicious Thai flavoured soup on the table…I can even have soup for the breakfast :-))