Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup with Noodles

My slow cooker Thai chicken soup starts with bone-in chicken thighs, which turn the stock into a rich, silky broth as they simmer with red curry paste, fresh ginger, and fish sauce. Creamy coconut milk and bright lime juice go in at the end, and I ladle it all over rice vermicelli noodles.

My Thai chicken soup makes its own bone broth while it cooks. I use bone-in, skinless chicken thighs, and as they simmer, the bones release flavor and gelatin into the stock. The broth comes out richer than what you poured in, with a silky body you can feel on the spoon. It’s the same trick I use in my chicken tortilla soup, and it works just as well here.

Everything else goes in with them: the vegetables, red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, and stock. The thighs stay submerged the whole time, so they poach gently and pull cleanly off the bone when they’re done.

The coconut milk waits. In my testing, it separated and turned grainy when it cooked for hours, so I stir it in with the lime juice once the chicken is shredded. Ladle the soup over rice vermicelli and dinner is ready.

Is this an authentic Thai chicken soup recipe?

No, and I’d rather tell you that up front. If you’ve eaten your way through Thailand, you know there are dozens of chicken soups there, and the great ones are usually built on galangal, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves, ingredients I can’t reliably get in my grocery store.

So this is a Thai-inspired soup rather than a traditional one. It’s built on the flavors I fell for while traveling: coconut milk, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, palm sugar, and red curry paste. Those six things do a lot of heavy lifting, and the result tastes rich, savory, and bright in a way that stands on its own.

If you’re after the real thing, look for tom kha gai, a gorgeous soup worth seeking out.

Flavor Tip: You may already know that not all curry pastes are created equal. I really like Mae Ploy curry paste. When in doubt, check where the curry paste is made and choose one made in Thailand; it’s the safest bet.

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Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup with Noodles

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 6 hours hrs

Total: 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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Everything goes into the slow cooker at once, with no browning and no sautéing. The bone-in thighs build the broth as they cook, then shred right off the bone. Stir in the coconut milk at the end so the broth stays creamy, and serve it over rice vermicelli.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 medium carrots (chopped)
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
• ▢ ½ medium yellow onion (chopped)
• ▢ 2 inch piece of ginger (minced)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• ▢ 4 cups chicken stock
• ▢ 1 ½ lb bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 thighs)
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
• ▢ 1 lime (juiced)
• ▢ 8 ounces rice vermicelli (cooked according to package directions )
• ▢ Optional toppings: lime wedges, sauteed mushrooms, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, black pepper

Instructions 

• Add all ingredients EXCEPT the coconut milk, lime, and rice vermicelli to your slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 5-6 hours.
  2 medium carrots, 1 medium red bell pepper, ½ medium yellow onion, 2 inch piece of ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon palm sugar, 4 cups chicken stock, 1 ½ lb bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
  
• Remove the chicken thighs, discard the bones, and shred the meat using two forks. Return the chicken meat to the slow cooker, add the coconut milk and lime juice, and stir.
  1 15-ounce can coconut milk, 1 lime
  
• Place the cooked rice vermicelli into soup bowls and top with the Thai chicken soup. Squeeze a little lime over the top and serve with any or all of the optional toppings.
  8 ounces rice vermicelli, Optional toppings: lime wedges, sauteed mushrooms, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, black pepper
  

Equipment Used

CrockPot

Video

Notes

Store: Keep leftover soup in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Since rice noodles (like vermicelli) are always best served fresh, I recommend cooking the vermicelli when you reheat the soup.

Freeze: If you’re planning on freezing this soup, I suggest freezing it before you add the coconut milk, so it doesn’t become grainy when thawed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 693kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 73g (24%), Protein: 32g (64%), Fat: 31g (48%), Saturated Fat: 22g (138%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 104mg (35%), Sodium: 1576mg (69%), Potassium: 1031mg (29%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 11g (12%), Vitamin A: 7840IU (157%), Vitamin C: 49mg (59%), Calcium: 95mg (10%), Iron: 6mg (33%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

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