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Easy Khao Soi

Closeup of khao soi in bowl topped with onion, coriander and air-fried wonton strips.
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This Easy Khao Soi with chicken is a shortcut 30-minute version that is beautifully spiced and boasts a rich, velvety and creamy spicy coconut milk curry broth! Make it anytime a Thai coconut curry noodle soup craving strikes!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 15 grams / 2 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 25 grams / 6 – 8 fresh Red Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any variety – note 1), to taste – finely chopped
  • 2 Makrut Lime Leaves – destemmed, finely minced into a powder (note 2)
  • 20 grams / ⅛ medium Red Onion – thinly sliced
  • 12 grams / 2 TSP Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (note 3 – or use 500ml/ 2 cups store-bought chicken broth)
  • 500ml / 2 cups boiling Hot Water
  • 280 grams / 9.87 ounces Chicken Thigh Fillets – cleaned, trimmed, sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 5 grams / 1 TBSP Coconut Sugar (‘gula kelapa’, or use granulated coconut or light brown sugar – note 4) – finely shaved with a knife
  • 1 TBSP Peanut Oil (or any neutral flavored cooking oil)
  • 20 grams / 4 TSP Thai Red Curry Paste (I used Mae Ploy brand)
  • ¼ TSP ground Cumin
  • ¼ TSP ground Coriander
  • ¼ TSP ground Cinnamon
  • ½ TSP Turmeric Powder
  • 300ml / ≈ 1.25 cups Coconut Milk (full-fat preferred)
  • 1.5 TBSP Fish Sauce, to taste
  • ½ TSP Thai Chili Powder (optional – substitute with crushed red pepper), to taste
  • 1 TBSP freshly squeezed Lime Juice
  • 120 grams / 4.23 ounces Thin Dried Egg Noodles (note 5)
  • To Serve (optional toppings): Chopped coriander (cilantro), sliced red onion (or Asian red shallots), air-fried wonton strips (note 6 for instructions on how to make them), lime wedges for squeezing

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Mince the garlic and finely chop the red chilies. Combine the Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base with the boiling hot water in a heatproof measuring glass and mix well to make chicken broth. Destem and mince the makrut lime leaves into a powder and thinly slice the red onion. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Finely shave the coconut sugar with a knife.

Easy Khao Soi:

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a medium stockpot or large nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Add the red curry paste and sauté briefly until shiny and sizzling. Then add the garlic, red chilies and red onion and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the spices: Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon and turmeric powder and mix to combine.
  3. Cook the chicken: Add the chicken and sauté until to coat in the curry paste and spice mixture until no longer pink but not fully cooked yet – about 1 minute.
  4. Build the broth: Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Season: Stir in the minced makrut lime leaves, coconut sugar, fish sauce, Thai chili powder (if using) and lime juice. Give the broth a taste and adjust seasonings if needed before switching off the heat.
  6. Cook the noodles: In a separate pot of boiling water, cook the dried egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide the noodles evenly into two bowls.
  7. To Serve: Ladle the khao soi broth and chicken evenly over the noodles in the bowls. Top with sliced red onion, chopped coriander and air fryer wonton strips. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing if desired.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Red Chilies. Use less or omit if less heat is desired.
  2. Makrut Lime Leaves. Also known as kaffir lime leaves, this fragrant Thai herb has a citrusy aroma and adds a sweet lime-like scent and flavor to Thai food. Find it in a Thai grocery store or substitute with the ground dried version or dried makrut lime leaves. They both can be found in most well-stocked mainstream supermarkets.
  3. Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. I’ve used this to make a robust flavored chicken broth by combining the paste with water. However, feel free to use store-bought or homemade chicken broth instead.
  4. Coconut Sugar. Known as ‘gula kelapa’ in Malaysia, this type of coconut sugar is similar to Thai palm sugar and comes in the form of hardened discs. You need to finely shave it with a knife so that it dissolves more easily. Feel free substitute with palm sugar if you have it on hand or granulated coconut or light brown sugar.
  5. Thin Dried Egg Noodles: Feel free to swap for thin dried rice noodles, vermicelli, or other noodles of your choice.
  6. How to make air fryer wonton strips. Preheat air fryer to 180°C / 350°F for 3 minutes or according to manufacturer’s instructions. Slice wonton wrappers into ½-inch wide strips. Place in an even layer in the air fryer basket (you may need to air fry in batches depending on how many wonton wrappers you use). Spray lightly with cooking spray and air fry for 3-4 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They will be light golden brown and crisp once cooked. Store in a sealed airtight container in a cool dry area for 2-3 days. You can also just shallow or deep-fry them in vegetable oil. See my authentic Khao Soi Gai recipe for instructions and photos for how to make deep-fried wonton wrapper strips.
  7. Leftovers and storage: Leftover khao soi broth should be stored separate from the noodles in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I recommend cooking the noodles just before serving but they can be cooked and stored in a container for 2-3 days in the fridge too if needed. Reheat the broth in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring once in between, or until hot throughout.
  8. Nutritional information: The nutritional information excludes optional toppings for serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/easy-khao-soi/